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THE GROWTH EDITION


GRAB AND GO


Pandemic speeds up growth in grab and go


Already popular before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, grab-and-go foodservice is now booming, thanks to the ability it gives customers to get tasty food with minimum interaction as the world tries to stem the spread of the virus. Jim Banks outlines the history of GNG and how it is evolving


F


or more than a century, diners in a hurry have been turning to grab-and- go (GNG) food to satisfy their hunger.


The fi rst automats – coin-operated glass lockers containing preprepared food – hit the streets of Philadelphia back in 1902 and soon spread to New York City and across the US. Since this fi rst foray into self-service food, customers’ tastes have diversifi ed and the technology has evolved. In the last two years, the demand for GNG food has spiked, as Covid-19 has raised concerns about health and safety, and brought in restrictions limiting dine-in options. As a result, cold food lockers and self-service chilled cabinets are appearing everywhere. “Before Covid, GNG was usually seen in stations, airports and convenience stores, but now you have


it in restaurants,” says Marco Amatti FCSI, CEO of consultancy MAPA Assessoria in São Paulo, Brazil. “Everybody wanted more convenience in restaurants so customers could go to the usual places, but get food quickly.


“The cold side in Brazil and the US was thought of as being for healthy food – salads, sandwiches with vegetables and other healthy ingredients – that can have more shelf life,” he adds. “The cold chain we have now means that GNG is easier to manage. A cabinet can easily be put in the corner of a restaurant.” In the UK, the GNG


market saw a 45.5% decline in 2020, as the pandemic restricted travel and


movement, but the Lumina


Intelligence UK Food To Go Market Report 2021 estimates the market will


109


“BLAST CHILLERS RAPIDLY CHILL FOOD IN A WAY THAT RETAINS THE QUALITY OF FRESHLY MADE FOOD. SO BUSINESSES CAN BATCH- PRODUCE GNG ITEMS AND CUSTOMERS GET A QUALITY, SAFE PRODUCT WITHOUT THE LABOR INVOLVED WITH ON-DEMAND PRODUCTION”


WORLDWIDE


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