Will the surge in contactless innovations help SA’s Fast Food industry to recover in 2021? (2024)

The effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continue to have a significant impact on the global and South African Fast Food industry, particularly in terms of preferences for contactless Fast Food purchasing and delivery. This is resulting in the rapid proliferation of innovative contactless ordering and delivery services, to ensure that market players meet consumer demands for safe and convenient Fast Food, during the global pandemic.

Insight Survey’slatestSA Fast Food/QSR Industry Landscape Report 2021,carefully unfolds the global and local Fast Food/QSR markets (including the impact of COVID-19), based on the most credible intelligence and research. It examines the relevant global and local market trends, innovation and technology, drivers and challenges, to present an objective insight into the South African Fast Food industry environment and its future.

Globally, the Fast Food market is valued at approximately US$648 billion in 2021, and is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6%, to reach approximately US$932 billion in 2026. As illustrated in the graph below, McDonald’s remains the most valuable Fast Food brand in 2021 by a large margin, achieving a value of US$155.0 billion. Interestingly, Tim Hortons fell out of the top 10 in 2021, being replaced by Chick-Fil-A, with a brand value of US$6.0 billion.

Will the surge in contactless innovations help SA’s Fast Food industry to recover in 2021? (1)

Source: Kantar Graphics by Insight Survey

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the South African Fast Food industry exceptionally hard, reflected in the fact that the market contracted by a massive 27.2% between 2019 and 2020. However, positively, the local market is expected to recover and grow at a CAGR of 4.5%, between 2021 and 2025. This growth is expected to be driven by the expansion of contactless services, economic recovery, as well as a normalisation to a post-pandemic world.

In South Africa, the spend on online food delivery has experienced significant growth amid the COVID-19 pandemic, almost doubling in value between 2019 and 2020. In particular, according to the latest FNB data, the Uber app remains the most used delivery app, whilst Mr D Food recorded the largest increase in usage (140%) since the start of the lockdown.

Furthermore, a variety of innovative food ordering and delivery service apps have been introduced and expanded locally. This includes Pekkish SA, a new local food market app connecting Cape Town residents to home kitchen businesses in the city, that also aims to make these kitchens accessible to outlying areas not covered by traditional delivery service providers.

MyChef is another new food delivery app that aims to create a platform for smaller restaurants, charging a significantly lower commission fee, when compared to the Uber Eats and Mr D Food platforms. Additionally, Mr Yum is a food ordering platform that incorporates QR code mobile table-ordering, enabling access to web-based digital menus through which they can order and pay, without having to download additional apps.

Moreover, a new food delivery service, Dryvar Foods, has officially launched its cloud-based delivery application. The company aims to “power all local restaurants, grocery stores and on-the-go food outlets using customised artificial intelligence and route tracking capability”. Its food delivery app is powered by Amazon’s artificial intelligence and marketing machine learning software, which Dryvar Foods has customised to its service offering.

In terms of traditional in-dining players, the Spur Corporation has made its intentions clear and is rapidly becoming a serious Fast Food market competitor. In particular, Spur Steak Ranches has recently opened its very first drive-thru location in Pretoria, with plans to introduce drive-thru formats for its RocoMamas and Bento brands.

Interestingly, the prominent trend of 2020 that was previously reported by Insight Survey, ghost kitchens, continues to gain traction in the local market, with an increasing number of local players emerging, including Oishi Sushi, Fast Food Network, and Hot Kitchen, amongst others. Established players, such as Spur Corporation, are also capitalising on this trend with the introduction of more than seven ghost (virtual) kitchen brands in 2020 e.g. Pizza Pug, Bento and RibShack Rocofellas, with the burger and pizza categories generating the highest sales amongst these brands.

The South African Fast Food/QSR Industry Landscape Report 2021 (166 pages) provides a dynamic synthesis of industry research, examining the local and global Fast Food industry (including the impact of COVID-19) from a uniquely holistic perspective, with detailed insights into the entire value chain – market size and forecasts, latest industry trends and innovation, industry drivers and challenges, Fast Food/QSR competitor analysis, latest marketing and advertising news, pricing and promotion analysis.

Some key questions the report will help you to answer:

  • What are the current market dynamics of the global and South African Fast Food industry?
  • What are the latest global and South African Fast Food industry trends, innovation and technology, drivers, and challenges?
  • What are the market, food-type and off-line/on-line value trends in the South African Fast Food market (2015-2020) and forecasts (2021-2025), including the impact of COVID-19?
  • Who are the key South African Fast Food market players and what is the latest marketing and advertising news for each of the competitors?
  • What is the pricing and recent promotions of key Fast Food competitors by category: Burgers, Chicken, Pizza, Pies, and Others?

Please note that the report is available for purchase. For more details and a full brochure, click here: South African Fast Food/QSR Industry Report 2021

For more information, please email info@insightsurvey.co.za or call our Cape Town office on (021) 045-0202 or Johannesburg office on (010) 140- 5756.

About Insight Survey:

Insight Survey is a South African B2B market research company with more than 15 years of heritage, focusing on business-to-business (B2B) and industry research to ensure smarter, more-profitable business decisions are made with reduced investment risk.

We offer B2B and industry research solutions to help you to successfully improve or expand your business, enter new markets, launch new products or better understand your internal or external environment.

Our bespoke Competitive Business Intelligence Research can help give you the edge in a global marketplace, empowering your business to overcome industry challenges quickly and effectively, and enabling you to realise your potential and achieve your vision.

From strategic overviews of your business’s competitive environment through to specific competitor profiles, our customised Competitive Intelligence Research is designed to meet your unique needs.

For more information, go to www.insightsurvey.co.za.

Will the surge in contactless innovations help SA’s Fast Food industry to recover in 2021? (2024)

FAQs

How technology is changing the fast food industry? ›

Current Uses of AI in Fast Food Chains

Many chains are using AI-powered kiosks and voice-ordering systems to streamline the ordering process. For example, McDonald's has implemented touch-screen ordering kiosks in many of its restaurants, enhancing customer experience and reducing wait times.

What is the future outlook for the fast food industry? ›

According to recent reports, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the fast food industry in America will grow 5.1% from 2020 to 2027. Considering that many Americans consume fast food on a daily basis, the growth rate will continue to rise over time.

What has COVID done to the food industry? ›

COVID-19 resulted in the movement restrictions of workers, changes in demand of consumers, closure of food production facilities, restricted food trade policies, and financial pressures in food supply chain.

What are the characteristics of the market structure that fits the fast food industry in South Africa? ›

The fast food industry in South Africa is characterized by a monopolistic competition market structure. The characteristics of this market structure include a large number of firms, product differentiation, price takers, free entry and exit, and low barriers to entry.

What are the major changes technology has brought to the foodservice industry? ›

Technology can significantly enhance operational efficiency in the food industry. Automation in food production and processing can speed up operations and reduce manual labor. Similarly, AI and machine learning can streamline inventory management by accurately predicting supply and demand trends.

How will AI affect the fast-food industry? ›

The use of automation in the fast food industry has allowed businesses to reduce errors, improve customer experience, and can increase efficiency. Through the use of kiosks and other self-order machines, customers are now able to have a more personalized experience, while not waiting in long lines.

What are the fast food trends in 2024? ›

As reported by De Telegraaf, the food trends of 2024 are expected to feature more and more chicken and less alcohol on the menu in the fast food market. Consumers are becoming more health-conscious and more likely to choose healthier options, including chicken and plant-based alternatives.

What will happen to fast food in the future? ›

The future of fast food, as idealized by restaurants, involves robots taking orders, cooking them, and delivering them right to your car. “You're seeing a lot of big growth in the chains, and they're taking this moment to recalibrate and figure out their next strategies,” Chandler says.

Is the fast food industry growing or declining? ›

The market size of the Fast Food Restaurants industry increased 1.8% in 2023. Has the Fast Food Restaurants industry in the US grown or declined over the past 5 years? The market size of the Fast Food Restaurants industry in the US has grown 3.8% per year on average between 2018 and 2023.

How has COVID-19 affected the fast food industry? ›

As restaurants that rely on indoor seating and dine-in service have shuttered or been temporarily closed under stay-home orders, fast food has likely increased its share of the market, making its compliance with COVID-19 orders critical to preventing community transmission.

How has COVID reshaped the food chain? ›

Farmers in Africa have struggled to get hold of seeds, while in the US huge numbers of livestock were culled because of difficulty getting to abattoirs, and milk was poured down the drain. The pandemic has highlighted how fragile our food chain – from field to fork – really is.

What is the current global food crisis? ›

The global food crisis is affecting millions of people around the world. In 2023, record levels of acute food insecurity persist due to protracted food crises and new shocks. In 48 countries, 238 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity – 10% more than in 2022.

Which market structure would the fast food industry fall into? ›

Monopolistically competitive industries are those that contain more than a few firms, each of which offers a similar but not identical product. Take fast food, for example. The fast food market is quite competitive, and yet each firm has a monopoly in its own product.

Is the fast food industry perfectly competitive? ›

Although the fast-food industry is very competitive, it is not a perfectly competitive industry. Cite one characteristic of the fast-food industry that is different from a characteristic of a perfectly competitive industry.

Who has the largest market share in the fast food industry? ›

McDonald's is the largest fast-food chain.

How will technology impact the food industry? ›

Technological advancements continue to appear in the food industry, reshaping food processing, production and distribution. Technology is driving sustainability and safety in the food sector, from innovative solutions in supply chain management to automated manufacturing processes.

How did technology change McDonald's? ›

Its adoption of mobile ordering, delivery platforms, and digital payments underscores the company's commitment to aligning with the digital preferences of today's consumers. This digital shift is crucial for McDonald's to sustain its leadership in the competitive fast-food landscape.

How technology is changing what we eat? ›

Digitalization is steadily changing the way we produce and consume food, shaping our eating habits. Online delivery software, improved personalized nutrition through a diet planning app, and sustainable food production only indicate that our future is just a click away.

How is the fast-food market changing? ›

The global fast-food market size was valued at USD 595.93 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2022 to 2029. The rise in consumer spending and the growing influence of food delivery applications are the major factors driving the market growth.

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