This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
Kenya's Food Delivery Trends Shift Towards Healthier Meals ¶
Friday, June 19, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the world, Kenyans have been forced to adapt to a new way of life, including the way they eat. According to a report by Uber Eats, there has been a significant shift towards healthier meals, with yellow beans in coconut sauce and chicken salads being among the most popular items ordered online.
"We've seen a high appetite for yellow beans coconut chapati and chicken salads," said Nadeem Anjarwella, the general manager of Uber Eats in Kenya. "This is a trend that started last year and has become even more mainstream this year."
Uber Eats data shows that the keyword 'healthy' grew by a massive 227 percent from customer searches, further solidifying the trend towards living leaner and greener. The report also noted that vegetable Dim Sum and spring rolls were among the most popular snacks ordered, while immunity booster smoothies were a fan favourite drink.
Other food delivery apps such as Jumia Food have also seen an increase in demand for online services, with orders for chicken and barbecue leading the top 10 cuisines ordered during the lockdown. Burgers were also popular, with variations including the removal of tomatoes and the addition of a cheese slice.
"Burgers are the meal for any type of day and go down great at any time," said the Uber Eats report. "Locally, the most popular ordering time is 1 pm with thousands of orders coming through, while dinnertime at 6 pm was a close second."
With the rise of online food delivery, new models have sprouted online, including meal kits and baking kits. Restaurants have also come up with food clubs for their patrons, where customers pay a membership fee and are sent meal and cocktail packages for the same.
