Ready Meals Market Report 2026

The ready meals market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $200.68 billion in 2025 to $221.38 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to urbanization-driven lifestyle changes, growth of working population, increased demand for time-saving food solutions, expansion of cold chain infrastructure, rising penetration of supermarkets and hypermarkets.

The ready meals market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $333.24 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for clean-label ready meals, growth of online food retail channels, rising focus on nutrition-balanced meals, innovation in packaging technologies, expansion of premium ready meal categories. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for convenient ready-to-eat meals, rising preference for healthier ready meal options, growing adoption of frozen and chilled meals, expansion of portion-controlled meal formats, enhanced focus on shelf-life optimization.

The increasing awareness of food products with longer shelf lives is playing a significant role in driving the growth of the ready meals market. Shelf life refers to the period during which a product can be safely consumed while maintaining its desired sensory, functional, chemical, and microbiological qualities. Consumers are increasingly seeking foods with extended shelf lives, such as ready meals, because they are convenient, cost-effective, quick to prepare, and pre-portioned. For example, in April 2023, World Technology Ingredients, Inc., a US-based food ingredient manufacturer, reported that extending food shelf life can help reduce approximately 50% of consumer food waste. Globally, around 2.8 trillion pounds of food are wasted each year, with the United States alone discarding about 80 billion pounds annually. As a result, growing awareness of the benefits of extended shelf-life food products is contributing to the expansion of the ready meals market.

Major players in the ready meals market are emphasizing the development of innovative offerings, such as chef-crafted ready-to-eat meals, to deliver enhanced convenience, freshness, and high-quality nutrition for consumers with busy lifestyles. Chef-crafted ready-to-eat meals are pre-prepared dishes created by professional chefs to provide premium flavors and balanced nutrition, requiring minimal reheating and allowing consumers to enjoy restaurant-style meals without the time and effort involved in cooking. For instance, in December 2023, Blue Apron, a US-based meal kit and delivery service provider, introduced its Prepared & Ready meals range, featuring chef-designed, nutritionist-approved, non-frozen meals that can be reheated within minutes. The lineup includes a rotating menu of more than 16 options, such as balanced meals with proteins, grains, vegetables, and rice bowls. This offering serves as a convenient alternative to home cooking, saving time while maintaining high-quality ingredients and nutritional balance.

In August 2023, LIVEKINDLY Collective (LKC), a US-based plant-based food brand, made an undisclosed acquisition of Alpha Foods, a US-based manufacturer of ready-to-eat breakfasts. This strategic move not only extends LKC's distribution in the United States but also allows the company to enter the ready-to-eat breakfast and burrito snacking categories. With a presence in over 200,000 distribution points across 40+ countries, LKC's expansion in the United States positions it as a leading global plant-based organization, emphasizing its dominance in the category.

Major companies operating in the ready meals market are Nestlé S.A., Unilever PLC, Conagra Brands Inc., General Mills Inc., Kraft Heinz Company, Campbell Soup Company, Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Dr. Oetker GmbH, Fleury Michon S.A., Nomad Foods Limited, Bakkavor Group plc, Greencore Group plc, Amy’s Kitchen Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation, BRF S.A., McCain Foods Limited, Iglo Foods Group Limited, Iceland Foods Ltd., Tata Consumer Products Limited, ITC Limited, MTR Foods Private Limited, CJ CheilJedang Corporation, Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Lantmännen Unibake Group.

Western Europe was the largest region in the ready meals market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the ready meals market share during the forecast period. The regions covered in the ready meals market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the ready meals market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada.

The ready meals market consists of sales of pre-cleaned, pre-cooked foods. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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