Meal kit delivery company HelloFresh knows that keeping its offerings fresh and on-trend are key to success.
In May, the company conducted a nationwide survey that polled 1,168 respondents, including current HelloFresh customers and non-customers, about their preferences on types of cuisine, techniques and ingredients. This, combined with analysis of over a year’s worth of family recipe feedback, including more than 17,000 unique data points, resulted in a revamped product and a “cheat sheet” for parents to make quick and easy weeknight dinners for the whole family.
The results showed that pork is the No. 1 protein; that kids love customization; and Mexican cuisine is the most popular among families. With that data, HelloFresh launched a revamped “Family Plan” that became available Aug. 19.
HelloFresh discovered that pork consistently performs well with families when compared to both chicken and beef, contrary to popular belief. According to the data, 65 percent of pork dishes received the highest scores vs. 53 percent of chicken dishes and 51 percent of beef dishes. HelloFresh says this could be because kids love sweet flavors, and pork pairs well with sweet sauces and glazes including fruit, jam or honey.
In terms of Mexican cuisine, 77 percent of families surveyed were most excited for Mexican cuisine, compared to 73 percent for steak and potatoes and 72 percent for stir-fry.
HelloFresh also noted that customization is key to meals. Burgers and meatballs may both be made of ground beef, but 100 percent of burger recipes were rated favorites, compared to only 25 percent of meatball recipes. Families favor burgers for their quick prep, short cook time and customization. Kids can be picky, so dishes like burgers that offer the possibility to replace or remove an ingredient without losing flavor rank higher than casseroles and chilis that can’t be personalized.
“Over the course of the past year, we’ve discovered surprising trends through our customer feedback,” noted Freida Hirsch, chef and recipe developer at HelloFresh. “When you think of what kids want, pizza, chicken fingers and hot dogs often come to mind, but we’ve learned our family customers are craving varied cuisines, ingredients, flavors and textures. With this valuable insight, we’ve been able to figure out the ‘recipe’ for the ultimate Family Plan.”
