This archive report was first published on 4 December 2019.
According to a report released on December 3, 2019, fried chicken has emerged as the most popular food item bought through online fast food vending platforms in Kenya.
The Jumia Food Index Report 2019 listed pizza in second place and burgers in third position in the latest ranking.
Shreenal Ruparelia, Managing Director of Jumia Food Kenya On-Demand Services for East Africa, attributed the growth in food deliveries to affordability, awareness, and geographic availability.
“Breakfast and lunch are becoming more popular, with breakfast growing to 4.6% in 2019 compared to 3.8% in 2017, and lunch at 41.1% in 2019 up from 36.2% in 2017,” Ruparelia noted.
She added that the increase in popularity of breakfast and lunch was due to restaurants offering meals at lower prices, with some options available for under KSh 300.
However, dinner deliveries dropped from 60% in 2017 to 54.2% in 2019, Ruparelia said.
The report also highlighted that taste profiles differ in different cities in Kenya, with Nairobi residents preferring chicken, pizza, and burgers, while Mombasa customers preferred continental food followed by chicken and pizza.
Interestingly, the report found that Chinese food was the most popular cuisine in Nakuru.
Looking ahead to 2020, the Jumia Food Index report predicts a 50% increase in On-Demand deliveries, driven by affordable menu items, enhanced availability of popular vendors, increased mobile coverage, and growing awareness of the convenience.
“2020 is poised for strong growth in On-Demand deliveries of non-restaurant items such as groceries, pharma products, alcohols, and other on-demand categories such as cosmetics, gifting, and flowers,” stated Shreenal.
