Pork gets a slice of on-the-go breakfast bonanza

Britain’s beloved bangers and bacon are boosting pig meat performance in the eating out market.

According to MCA Insight, pork dishes eaten out and about increased by three per cent in 2018 to 1.95 billion, growing its share of the out-of-home meat market to 32.5 per cent.

People ‘pigging out’ at breakfast grew by five per cent to 755 million meals, dinner also by five per cent to 194 million and snacks four per cent to 524 million. Only lunch lost out, declining by three per cent to 480 million meals featuring pork products, reflecting a drop in lunchtime visits across eating out as a whole.

Traditional favourites sausage sandwiches were up 14 per cent, sausage rolls up 10 per cent and bacon sandwiches up three per cent. With breakfast booming across the board and spend increasing to £5.29 a visit, hash browns also benefitted from being on the side, featuring in two per cent more meals last year.

Across all foodservice, quality and taste remain the key considerations for customers but cheap prices and good value have risen in importance.

Coffee shops and cafes have grown in popularity, now making up 15 per cent of total eating out. Food-to-go is also outperforming wider foodservice, now holding a third share of the market.

Kim Malley, AHDB Senior Retail Insight Analyst, said: “Eating breakfast out of home is becoming more popular as consumers are increasingly time limited, aiding food-to-go growth too. So traditional fare like bacon and sausage sandwiches is benefiting. This positive trend provides further opportunities to get pork on the menu.” 

For all AHDB’s consumer and retail insight, visit www.ahdb.org.uk/consumerinsight