Rising market of convenience food in India

The trend of convenience food instigated in West but it is in great demand by the present consumers across the world. Convenience food is commercially prepared for ease of consumption, but does not include restaurant food. Convenience food may be sold –as hot(ready-to-eat dishes); as room-temperature(shelf-stable products); or as frozen food products that require minimal preparation (generally little heating). It cost more money and less time in comparison to preparation of food in conventional manner i.e. starting from the scratch. The up surging presence of instant delivery windows, intensifying displays of micro- wave dinners and take-out meal in organized and unorganized retails exhibits the magnitude of convenience food in food choices. The importance of convenience food can be sensed by the fact that it influences when to eat, where to eat, how to eat and even with whom to eat.

The aim of the present research is to analyse the rising demand of convenience food and to have an insight in the changing preference of consumers to this product category with special reference to India.

The present research is a conceptual work and the data collected is secondary data which has been collected from certain articles and previous researches.

Due to change in certain phenomenon such as social factors, taste, values, culture, demography etc. convenience food has become need of the hour. However proper care by the marketers of the consumer's health aspect should be taken in order to root in long run. At the same time consumers are also required to resist their temptations and act prudentially in making choices in the respective product category.