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The way we eat is changing.
The €48.8 billion ready-to-heat food sector that includes products like instant noodles, pasta and rice pots is predicted to hit over €66 billion by 2028.[a]
The growth of this category, which already represents more than €500 million for Unilever, is being driven in part by younger millennial and Gen Z consumers looking for quick meals that deliver great taste in minutes.
In Europe, under 35s are spending 50% more on instant noodles than the rest of the population on average.[b]
“The younger generation views food differently,” says Marcelo Morishito Costa, Mini Meals Global Innovation Manager.
“They want fast, convenient and often all-in-one solutions that still deliver on taste and nutrition. Knorr Mini Meals tick all the boxes which is why they are often an entry-level product for new consumers.”
Creating instant meals that are full of taste and nutrition is Knorr’s area of expertise.
The brand has been drying herbs and vegetables to preserve nutrition and flavour and to create convenient meals for busy people since 1873 when it launched its first dried soup.
“The same principles apply today,” says Marcelo, explaining that what he believes differentiates Knorr products from other mini meals is not only superior taste and texture but also a nutrition profile that includes carbs, protein and vegetables.
“Most importantly, by being convenient and effortless to prepare, Knorr Mini Meals are perfectly in tune with the demands of this growing market,” he adds.
And while the whole sector is growing, the ambient ready-to-heat segment is doing so at an exceptional pace in Europe.
In the last five years, instant noodle block sales have increased by 7% in Europe while noodle pots have grown by 4.9%, according to Euromonitor.[c]
But mini meals are not new, so what is making them so popular now?
Euromonitor research suggests their popularity surge in Europe is all about lifestyle.
20% of people asked said they don’t have time to cook. 16% said that they don’t know how to cook well and 15% said they would rather spend their time doing something else.[d]
Unilever is tapping into this demand through Power Brands like Knorr, as well as with more local brands like Pot Noodle, the UK’s top-selling instant hot snacks brand, and Amino in Poland. Both have a strong track record and are well placed to win local consumers.
The results are promising, with strong mid-single digit growth in markets where Unilever has launched mini meals, most notably Germany, Poland, Pakistan, the US and India.
Part of this success can be linked to Knorr successfully marketing products that match local tastes and trends.
In India, for example, the Spicy Kimchi and Black Bean K-Pot varieties tapped into the recent growing trend for all things Korean with impressive results, seeing sales more than double in India between 2023 and 2024.
Similarly, the brand innovation team has been sensitive to preferred cooking methods, using the microwave prep method cooks prefer in the US but opting for the boiling water method to align with cooking preferences in other countries like India.
Going forward, Knorr will continue to serve consumer needs by expanding and enhancing its Mini Meal portfolio from the first point of contact on shelf to the moment of consumption.
“Mini meals offer us an exciting opportunity for growth,” says Marcelo. “And with technology allowing us to speed up the development of new products, we are looking forward to rolling out more flavours to more markets.”
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