Italian fresh ready meals market sees 11.4% growth in 2017

In the year ending in February 2018, the Italian fresh ready meals market saw 11.4% growth to a value of €351 million and a volume of almost 42,000 tonnes.

In the last three years the sector has grown by around €140 million (+18.4% annually) to reach 3.1% of the total fixed weight refrigerated food market in 2017.

Sales were driven in particular by supermarkets, which accounted for 70% of volumes (+15.6%), while sales in neighbourhood stores and hypermarkets grew by 10.7% and 8.3% respectively.

Vegetables proved to be one of the most successful segments, reaching an average of 49 shelf items (+5%) and making up 45% of the total volume of “fresh second courses”.