Prepared Meals Market Report Scope & Overview:

The Prepared Meals Market Size was valued at USD 175.12 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 287.23 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.38% over the forecast period of 2025-2032.

The Prepared Meals Market is growing at a fast pace, with consumers increasingly demanding convenience, busy lifestyles, and varied taste preferences. Adoption is across frozen, chilled, and canned, with increasing traction across legacy meal purchasing into solutions for on-the-go and versatile food options in e-commerce and retail.

Australian supplier of high-quality ready meals, Kitchen Food Co., is opening a USD 69 million production facility in Hopkinsville, Ky. The expansion is expected to generate 925 new jobs in one of the state’s largest food manufacturing investments.

Key Prepared Meals Market Trends

• Busy lifestyles are driving higher demand for ready-to-eat meals.

• Rising health consciousness is boosting the growth of clean-label and nutritious options.

• The shift toward plant-based diets is fueling the expansion of vegan meal varieties.

• Consumers’ desire for premium experiences is leading to a surge in gourmet and global cuisines.

• Advances in freezing technology are increasing the acceptance of frozen meals.

• The need for both convenience and customization is making meal kits more popular.

• Growing sustainability concerns are pushing brands toward eco-friendly packaging.

• The expansion of e-commerce platforms is widening the availability of prepared meals online.

Prepared Meals Market Growth Drivers

• Increasing Demand for Convenience Foods Drives the Market Growth

The increasing speed of city life and the growth of two-income households are leading consumers to look for convenient, ready-to-eat food. Ready meals provide convenience and variety, with formats ranging from frozen to chilled to canned. These products are being embraced by consumers, particularly those who are of professional age or are students, as another of these readily available, nutritious convenience products. This tendency is even more marked in major cities with a high level of work-life balance challenges. The driver of product innovation and market adoption is, and will always remain, convenience.

For instance, in the United States, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada reports that the meals and soups market is worth USD 63.3 billion in 2023, with prepared meals accounting for USD 27.9 billion as demand for convenience remains strong.

Prepared Meals Market Restraints

•  Rising Concerns over Nutrition and Preservatives May Hamper the Market Growth

Convenience remains strong, but preservatives, sodium content, and processed ingredients are limiting factors. To many shoppers, packaged meals are seen as less healthy than fresh options. It can be a turn-off to health-conscious shoppers considering traditional frozen and canned entrees. This hurdle can only be overcome with corporate investment in reformulations and clear labelling. Increased knowledge of health risks associated with the diet means more inspection of ‘ready meals.

Prepared Meals Market Opportunities

•   Innovation in Plant-Based and Functional Meals Creates an Opportunity for the Market

The global trend for coordinated plant-based, vegan, and functional chilled prepared food to satisfy nutritional and ethical concerns. People are seeking out meals with high protein value, high fiber content, and immunomodulating properties. This development opens up an opportunity for further portfolio diversification and differentiation in taste and nutrition by the industry. Functional ready meals are a growing tool for convenience for older consumers who don’t want to compromise on health.

For Instance, in 2023, Daily Harvest deployed its unicorn-fueled war chest to launch plant-based functional meals for healthy-minded vegan and flexitarian consumers.

Prepared Meals Market Segment Highlights:

• By Product: Dominating – Frozen Meals 48.2%, Fastest-growing – Chilled Meals 32.5%

• By Distribution Channel: Dominating – Supermarkets & Hypermarkets 46.7%, Fastest-growing – Online Retail 24.1%

Prepared Meals Market Segment Analysis:

By Product

Frozen meals had the largest market share of 48.2% in 2024, as they have a longer shelf life, are cost-effective, and easily available in different retail outlets. Due to a longer shelf life, preserving taste and nutrients, their popularity is firmly established in developed and emerging parts of the world. Chilled meals are the fastest growing category, with demand bolstered by consumers seeking fresher, healthier, and less processed options which are more in line with the changing demands of health and wellness.

By Distribution Channel

Supermarkets & hypermarkets dominated the market in terms of share in 2024, on account of broad product offerings, enticing discount schemes, and extensive footfall at urban locations. Consumers are still drawn to these retailers, seeking their one-stop shopping and selection they can trust. The fastest-growing channel is online retail, driven by increasing dependence on digital structures, quick-commerce delivery, and subscription models that provide convenience and a larger range of options for busy households.

Prepared Meals Market Regional Analysis

Europe Prepared Meals Market Analysis

Europe held the largest prepared meals market share at around 42% in 2024. Baby Formula leads the prepared meals industry in Europe, with stringent regulations, high levels of parental awareness, and good entitlement to healthcare. Those countries with higher birth rates and maturing healthcare systems, such as France, the U.K., and the Netherlands, show relatively consistent demand. Quality, traceability, and organic certifications are central to consumer demands.

In 2023, the EU tightened its labeling and marketing rules for baby formula to make them more transparent and prevent misleading claims. Manufacturers are now required by law to offer specific nutrient data, which has encouraged consumer confidence and better food choices.

North America Prepared Meals Market Insights

The Prepared Meals Market is held the significant by the North America Region owing to high number of food processing industries, distribution channels, and consumption of convenience foods. The prevalence of busy lifestyles, as well as a certain eating meal/business solutions culture (based on, for example, microwaveable/frozen and chilled ready meals) continues to underpin volume sales. Supermarkets/hypermarkets it the leading distribution channel, but online grocery and food delivery are growing rapidly. The rise of better-for-you, portion-controlled, protein-powered prepared meals is influencing product development. Customers are getting more and more interested in paying for premium ready meals that support their health and wellness goals.

U.S. Prepared Meals Market Insights

The U.S. leads much of the momentum in North America with its large consumer base and mature retail environment. Mikey’s American households have long stocked their pantry with frozen and chilled meals, but now there is a growing focus on healthier, organic, and plant-based options. The country’s varied demographics also drive demand for ethnic-style foods, and Mexican, Asian and Mediterranean are paving the way in ready to eat. An e-commerce penetration and the rise of subscription meal kits help drive consumer participation, particularly among millennials and Gen Z, amid strong competition between private label and branded players that is driving packaging, sustainability and clean label transparency innovation.

Asia Pacific Prepared Meals Market Insights

The Asia-Pacific region is projected to register the highest growth in the Prepared Meals Market due to urbanization, growth in purchasing power, and changes in dietary preferences. This transition from the traditional to the readymade is nowhere more evident than in the city centres of China, India and South-East Asia. The rise of two-income families, fast-paced lives and increasing openness to Western eating habits are leading to this dynamic. App-based delivery and de livery service services are also spurring demand for prepared meals among youn ger consumers. There is also regional diversity to consider, local flavours will be captured through ready-meal innovations, and local market resonance is guaranteed. One of the big moves happened as early as 2023, when companies like HelloFresh roared ahead, expanding their infrastructure to support the greater Asia-Pacific region, as it suddenly reeled under a wave of demand for healthier, custom-built “ready meals” well-attuned to the palates and hunger pangs of those urban markets.

Latin America (LATAM) and Middle East & Africa (MEA) Prepared Meals Market Insights

LATAM and MEA are developing but growing markets for ready meals due to increasing urbanization, young populations, and the growing trend of global cuisine. Brazil and Mexico are the pace-setters in LATAM, where modern retail expansion and the popularity of frozen and chilled meals are driving demand. Affordability is still an important sales factor, meaning frozen prepared meals still outnumber the other category for middle-class families. In MEA, demand is formed with a rapidly growing retail sector, rising disposable incomes in the Gulf, and proliferation of multinationals entering the MEA market and bringing in global and ethnic ready meals. There is also growth in both regions from online grocers and delivery apps, especially among younger consumers.

Competitive Landscape for Prepared Meals Market:

Conagra Brands, Inc.

Conagra Brands, Inc. has a strong portfolio of prepared meal brands, including Healthy Choice, Banquet, and Evol, with a focus on health-forward and affordable solutions. The company continues to emphasize innovation in plant-based and protein-rich meal offerings.

• In 2023, Conagra announced the expansion of its Healthy Choice Power Bowls line, targeting rising demand for healthier frozen prepared meals among U.S. consumers.

BRF S.A.

BRF S.A. is a leading Brazilian food company with a significant footprint in frozen and processed meals, operating globally with strong ties to Middle Eastern markets. The company focuses on halal-certified products and international expansion.

• In April 2025, BRF, together with Saudi Arabia’s Halal Products Development Company (HPDC), announced a US$160 million investment to build a processed-food plant in Jeddah, expected to produce 40,000 tons annually from mid-2026.

Paulig Group

Paulig is a Finnish food company with growing international presence, offering Tex-Mex and convenience meal solutions across Europe. The company invests heavily in expanding capacity to meet rising global demand for ready-to-eat cuisines.

• In 2025, Paulig committed €12 million to expand its Barcelona plant with a new tortilla production line, boosting supply of Tex-Mex prepared meals across Europe.

Dr. Oetker

Dr. Oetker is a prominent European food manufacturer with a strong position in frozen pizzas, pasta dishes, and ready-to-cook prepared meals. The company continues to innovate in premium and plant-based categories.

• In 2024, Dr. Oetker expanded its vegan and plant-based frozen pizza portfolio in Germany, addressing growing demand for healthier, sustainable prepared meal options.

Prepared Meals Market Key Players

Some of the Prepared Meals Companies

• Nestlé S.A.

• Conagra Brands, Inc.

• The Kraft Heinz Company

• General Mills, Inc.

• Tyson Foods, Inc.

• Campbell Soup Company

• Unilever PLC

• McCain Foods Limited

• Mars, Incorporated

• Nomad Foods Limited

• Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

• Hormel Foods Corporation

• Kellogg Company

• BRF S.A.

• JBS S.A.

• Maple Leaf Foods Inc.

• Dr. Oetker

• Freshtime UK Ltd.

• Green Core Group plc

• Fleury Michon