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Abstract
Trends in the types of foods Americans purchase are evident just by looking around the
grocery store. Foods stuffs requiring extensive preparation are being replaced by convenience
products that require little time, energy, or preparation. Food companies constantly invest in
research and development of new convenience foods to make daily life easier for consumers.
The objective of this study is to determine whether the demand for convenience foods is
growing around the globe, and if so, to identify the various drivers responsible for the increase
in demand. Secondary data were collected for 67 different countries on the quantity and value
for four different food types of convenience food: frozen processed foods, chilled processed
foods, meal replacement products, and sweet and savory snacks. Data were also found on
potential drivers of convenience such as age, income, food budget, etc. All data had 10 years of
information (1998 to 2007) and were collected through databases from Euromonitor or the
World Bank and analyzed using regression analysis. The three biggest drivers of convenience
foods were found to be possession of a color TV, possession of a microwave, and median age of
the population.