Consumer Apps and Services

The food industry has seen a surge in the adoption of mobile apps, which has transformed the way consumers order and receive food. These apps offer a more convenient and personalized experience, allowing users to easily search for restaurants, view menus, place orders, and track deliveries.The popularity of food delivery apps has also led to the rise of cloud or ghost kitchens, which are designed solely for food delivery or takeout. These kitchens enable restaurateurs to expand their business without the need for a physical dining space.

What are Consumer Apps and Services?

Apps and services that facilitate access to food and the information behind it. For instance, personalised nutrition and recipe apps, specialised e-commerce platforms, apps that help users to find restaurants based on specific dietary requirements, services that allow to hire professional ‘cook-at-home’ chefs, or retail technology.

Consumer Apps and Services’ Role in Shaping the Agrifood System

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of consumer apps and services in the food industry is expected to be significant, driven by the increasing demand for mobile app usage in the sector.

The global online food delivery market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 10.3% from 2024 onwards, indicating substantial growth in the industry. Meanwhile, the Digital Food Management Market was valued at USD 3.2B in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 7.8B by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.6% during the forecast period.

Consumer apps in the food industry have transformed the way businesses operate, interact with customers, and deliver services. They have not only enhanced convenience for consumers but also provided new opportunities for businesses to thrive in a competitive market landscape.

• Enhanced Customer Engagement: Apps bridge the gap between food businesses and customers, allowing for improved interaction through deals, offers, and quality checks based on customer feedback.
• Increased Revenue: These apps provide a vital channel for food operators to reach new and existing customers, leading to revenue growth and business sustainability.
• Convenience and Efficiency: The convenience of ordering food online through apps has transformed the way consumers access food services, making it easier and more efficient.
• Brand Building: Apps help restaurants market their best dishes, create brand awareness, attract new customers, and maintain customer loyalty through offers and promotions.
• Acquiring Potential Customers: Apps help businesses attract potential customers by offering promotional offers, discounts, and engaging content.
• Innovation: The demand for food apps has spurred innovation in the IT industry, leading to the development of powerful mobile apps catering to diverse consumer needs.

Trends in Consumer Apps and Services

Consumer apps and services in the food industry are influenced by various factors and understanding them is crucial for businesses operating in this sector to navigate challenges and leverage opportunities effectively.

• Consumers increasingly seek convenience, personalization, and healthier options in food choices and food experiences.
• Apps facilitate direct interaction between food businesses and customers, enhancing engagement through deals, offers, and feedback mechanisms.
• Technological advancements have revolutionized the food industry, enabling businesses to engage with customers through mobile apps for ordering and delivery services.
• Better user experience in food apps has contributed to their success, allowing users to easily order food without complications, leading to industry growth.
• Apps provide a significant channel for food operators to increase revenue by reaching new and existing customers, driving profitability in the industry.
• Cloud kitchens offer cost-effective solutions for preparing food for delivery, enabling businesses to expand or start virtual brands at minimal costs.
• Apps like food wastage reduction apps help in managing and reducing food wastage by estimating daily requirements and suggesting alternative uses for excess food.
• By reducing physical travel for food purchases, apps contribute to environmental sustainability by minimizing carbon footprints associated with traditional shopping practices.
• Food apps must adhere to regulations concerning food safety, data privacy, and delivery standards set by governing bodies to ensure consumer trust and safety.
• Legal considerations include agreements between app developers, restaurants, and delivery partners to define responsibilities and liabilities within the app ecosystem.

Capital raised from 2014 – February 2024: €22.67 Billion (Source: FoodTech Data Navigator)

Consumer Apps and Services Domains

Consumer Apps & Services encompasses various domains, each contributing to the transformation of the agrifood system. Here are some key domains within our proprietary taxonomy:

• Food Discovery/Recipe Apps & Experiences – Refers to digital platforms and applications that offer users a variety of recipes, cooking tips, and culinary experiences.
• Meal Planning & Nutrition – Involves the use of technology to assist individuals in creating balanced meal plans that align with their dietary goals, nutritional needs, and lifestyle preferences.
• Restaurant & Shop Finder Booking & Ordering – Mobile applications that provide a collection of recipes for users to explore, cook, and share
• Retail Tech – Encompass digital platforms that enable users to locate restaurants, cafes, or food establishments based on various criteria like location, cuisine type, price range, and user reviews.

Companies Shaping the Industry

The Food Tech Data Navigator shows 707 actors in the AgTech (Source: FoodTech Data Navigator)

Retail Tech:

• Spoon Guru (UK) #37 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Transforming food choices with Nutrition Intelligence
• Crisp (USA) #66 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Leading retail data platform that ingests and delivers daily, actionable data from 40+ retailers and distributors to give brands a timely and accurate view of their inventory and sales.
• Nuvilab (South Korea) #157 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | provides healthcare facilities and organizations with digitalized nutrition management tools to accurately track nutrition consumption status per food items provided to individuals.
• GrowinCo (USA) #200 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Connects idle production lines to the CPG brands that need to outsource production.
• Copia Kenya (Kenya) | Online shopping platform that provides a consumer catalog order and delivery system in the developing world.
• Tastewise (Israel) | A generative AI MarTech solution for the food and beverage industry.
• ZeroQs (Poland) | Specializes in mobile self-checkout technology. Their flagship product, SmartCart, is a combination of a barcode scanner, touch screen, and a dedicated application that allows customers to conduct their shopping quickly and easily.
• Foodu (Italy) | All-in-one platform that allows companies to validate the quality of their products by allowing target consumers to taste and provide feedback on the products.

Food Discovery/ Recipe Apps & Experiences:

• SideChef (USA) #57 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Revolutionizes home cooking with interactive recipes, hands-free commands, videos, timers & shoppable solutions.
• Thimus (Italy) #204 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Uses neuroscience and a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how people experience food.
• Al.ta Cucina (Italy) #243 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Social platform for Italian food lovers by simplifying the way Italian recipes are explained, with quick and easy videos.
• Gastronomixs (Netherlands) #300 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Empowers chefs to create, with a recipe database that provides tried-and-tested recipes in the form of building blocks
• Appetite (UK) | Discovery and booking platform for the hospitality industry. It simplifies the process of finding the best places to eat and drink in London by aggregating recommendations from trusted sources such as family, friends, influencers, and celebrity chefs.
• Jow (France) | Grocery shopping app that simplifies shopping and gives advice on what to eat.
• Cheflix (Netherlands) | Online streaming platform that offers unique masterclasses from the world’s best Michelin-star chefs
• Bevvy (UK) | A technology-led whisky discovery platform. They use a leading, proprietary image capturing software that allows any mobile camera to scan and identify any bottle of whisky.

Meal Planning & Nutrition:

• FlavorWiki (Switzerland) #127 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Digital market research company that is revolutionizing the way the food industry collects, analyzes and leverages consumer insights across all relevant purchase drivers.
• Edamam (USA) #191 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Provides meal planning solutions, nutrition data and nutrition analysis solutions to food, health and wellness companies.
• Gundo (Spain) #440 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | A mobile app that facilitates food purchase decision-making for people who want to improve their diet and nutrition.
• Heali (USA) | Gives users access to personalized, therapeutic nutrition plans recommended by registered dietitians, tailored to their tastes, needs and conditions.
• Foodsmart (fka Zipongo; USA) | A digital nutrition platform that offers personalized dietary recommendations to improve health outcomes.
• Verdify (UK) | Develops innovative software for personalising online meal inspiration, enabling people to make the right food choices for their health and the world.
• Youniq (USA) | A personalized nutrition company that offers customized meal plans and delivers the necessary ingredients to individuals’ doorsteps. They use health data and biomarkers to create tailored nutrition plans for various health goals.
• Ani Biome (Croatia) | Specializes in improving gut health performance through personalized monthly plans of fermented nutraceuticals.

Restaurant and Shop Finder, Booking and Ordering:

• LiberEat (UK) #242 in the 2023 Foodtech 500 | Automatically detecting allergen food data errors that conventional methods miss, to prevent serious consumer injuries
• Foodini (Australia) Helps users with dietary needs, such as food allergies and intolerances, find restaurants and menu items that are suitable for them.
• Eatigo (Thailand) | Asia’s No.1 restaurant reservation platform, offering users the ability to search for restaurants, make online reservations, and enjoy special discounts
• Blackbird (USA) | A web3 hospitality technology that offers a loyalty and membership platform specifically designed for restaurants.
• Offpeak.my (Malaysia) | Largest discovery and dining platform in Malaysia. It is an online platform that allows diners to save money and time when booking restaurants online.
• Beli (USA) | A platform that helps users keep organized restaurant lists and maps of places they have been to or want to try. Users can also see where their friends are eating and receive personalized recommendations.
• WellServed (Poland) A mobile application that provides restaurants, hotels and other venues with software solutions that allow guests to browse the menu, place orders or attract the attention of the waiter at convenient with their smartphones or tablets.

Our Blogs on Consumer Apps and Services

• Food personalization: a new key competitive advantage to F&B companies?
• Office catering, vending machines and beyond: new ways of eating at work
• Food delivery consolidation: who’s really behind the wheel?

Interested in deep-diving into the ins and outs of the AgriFoodTech sector? Explore our New Report Series, ‘Decoding the FoodTech Transition,’ providing in-depth analysis and strategic insights into the evolving AgriFoodTech sector. Download a free sample now of the Plant-based Proteins Report HERE.

Explore Our Proprietary Taxonomy

Navigate the market dynamics of the AgriFoodTech sector with our proprietary taxonomy that covers the entire food supply chain, categorized into verticals (‘Activities’) and further divided into subcategories (‘Domains’). Click below the activity you want to explore.