March 2014
What Global Families are Cooking and Eating
Global Digital Food Trends
Among busy, family-focused home cooks the use of digital
resources to find, create, and share content centered on
cooking and meal preparation is a global phenomenon. Per
comScore, in December 2013, nearly 1/3 of a billion (322MM)
home cooks worldwide sought food and cooking resources
online using a personal computer; this number is even
greater when those accessing digital food content via mobile
devices is included. As Allrecipes continues to experience
strong growth outside the United States, it’s critical for our
teams to clearly understand the similarities and differences
defining home cooks’ digital cooking behaviors around the
world. Since 2011, Allrecipes has surveyed home cooks in
13 of 17 international markets where we have dedicated
communities and sites. In this special edition of the Allrecipes
Measuring Cup Trend Report, we share highlights from our
2014 Global Kitchen Insights and Trends Survey.
INSIGHT #1
Show Me the Recipe
Seventy-seven percent of webenabled global home cooks
are accessing websites to find
recipes. The highest penetration
continues to be in the U.S.
(89%), with the UK (88%), and
Australia/New Zealand (86%)
following closely behind. The
second most popular source for
recipes is cookbooks, and then
magazines. Cooking-related
how-to videos are experiencing
rapid growth. Cooks in Brazil,
Argentina, Mexico, Poland,
and Russia over index in this
category compared with the
global average for consuming
online cooking videos.
Sources Home Cooks Are Using to Find Recipes
All
AR AU BR DE FR
IT
MX NE PL QU RU UK US
Recipe Websites
77
59 86 82 64 77
81
65
81
Cookbooks
70
65 79 68 89 73 68
61
75 66 76 45 80 79
Magazines
51
50 68 49 68 42 46 50 62
Friends/family
49
46 46 49 65 45 37
51
42 76 52 47 43 59
Social Networks
21
25
18
37
24
13
10
17
36
12
38
Food Blogs
25
38
11
56 30 22 38 33
16
57
16
11
14
16
Food Company
Websites
19
15
13
31
22
8
14
24
13
34 32
3
15
37
Video Websites
11
27
9
34
11
18
15
40
11
26
35
12
11
(2013)
7
8
18
71
31
83
61
88 89
52 34 54 60
17
(Numbers shown are percentages; *see page 6 for abbreviation key)
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
March 2014: Global Digital Food Trends
1
Let’s Go Shopping!
INSIGHT #2
Home cooks shopping within 48 hours of finding an online recipe
37%
59%
Netherlands Germany
68%
Quebec
51%
45%
UK
U.S.
44%
54%
38%
61%
46%
France
Italy
Poland
Russia
Mexico
44%
67%
Australia
& NZ
Brazil
62%
Argentina
More than half (55%) of global home cooks shop for recipe
ingredients within 48 hours of finding a recipe online, with cooks
in Quebec, Brazil, and Russia the most likely to visit grocery
stores the same day. Supermarkets are still the top grocery
shopping destination for home cooks worldwide, who average
three or more trips per week. Globally, 17% of home cooks
report having tried shopping for groceries online, but this is
driven almost entirely by UK shoppers where 44% of survey
respondents report online grocery shopping.
Primary Places for Grocery Shopping
 Supermarkets
(53% in 2012)
 Markets
55%
(23% in 2012)
14%
9%
13%
5%
 Discount
Supermarkets
(10% in 2012)
 Specialty &
Local Shops
(7% in 2012)
 Warehouse
Stores
(4% in 2012)
Items Typically Found in Shoppers’ Carts
2012
2013
Fresh produce
86
89
Dairy
82
88
Meat, fish and poultry
75
82
Cleaning supplies
57
64
Drinks
55
56
Baking ingredients
50
58
Breakfast cereals
47
48
Tinned goods
42
46
Snacks
31
31
Frozen foods
29
37
Pet food and supplies
26
32
Health and beauty products
24
28
Ready meals or processed foods
8
10
(Numbers shown are percentages)
Supermarkets
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
March 2014: Global Digital Food Trends
2
Tablet Use Expands as
an On-the-Spot Cooking Resource
INSIGHT #3
Printout vs. Tablet Use
Printout vs. Tablet Use
in the Kitchen (YOY)
in the Kitchen (YOY)
Once used primarily for “recipe discovery,” mobile devices are increasingly used by
home cooks throughout the cooking process. Their convenience and accessibility
now play an important role, from discovery, to shopping, and to cooking and sharing.
When asked how online recipes are used when preparing a recipe, the most popular
option continues to be “recipe printout used in kitchen.” However, home cooks who
own tablets are increasingly bypassing printing, cooking directly from a digital screen.
Methods Used to Cook Using Online Recipes
All
AR AU BR DE FR
Bring a printout
into the kitchen
47
38
I use an iPad/
tablet computer
in the kitchen
29
15 38 20 24 27
15
30 37
I use a laptop in
the kitchen
31
33 30 30 26 34
21
36 20 46 38 29 29
37
I use a mobile
device in the
kitchen
10
16
6
24
19
(2013)
51
12
IT
MX NE PL QU RU UK US
44 64 54 46 45 58 44 57
13
8
8
6
10
10
34
5
31
50 66
16
42 20
6
10
Printout
2012  2013
61  51
Australia
65  64
Germany 10  24
France
4  27
57  50
UK
11  42
47  45
Mexico
5  30
62  58 Netherlands 5  37
(Numbers shown are percentages)
Homemade Every Day
For the second consecutive year,
the frequency of home cooks
preparing daily meals at home
grew. In 2013, 86%
of global home
cooks responded
86%
positively when
asked if they
prepared
meals at
home daily
(up from 80%
a year ago). Italian,
Australian, New Zealand, French,
and Quebec home cooks are the
most likely to be cooking at home
every day. The greatest yearover-year growth of daily home
cooking occurred in France with
a 15% increase, followed by a 9%
increase in Germany.
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
9  38
45  54
(Numbers shown are percentages; *see page 6 for abbreviation key)
INSIGHT #4
iPad/Tablet
2012  2013
Daily Meal Preparation
Italy
Australia/NZ
93%
91%
87%
Quebec
90%
75%
Netherlands
89%
 2013
Poland
France shows a
15% increase
from 2012,
followed by
Germany’s 9%.
85%
81%
Russia
83%
86%
83%
83%
83%
Brazil
82%
81%
Germany
85%
UK
 2012
82%
Argentina
90%
89%
France
Italy has the
highest incidence
of daily meal
making at 93%.
77%
68%
Mexico, the US,
and Germany
have the lowest
rates of daily
meal prep.
Mexico
76%
75%
US
75%
75%
March 2014: Global Digital Food Trends
3
Health is the Greatest
Motivator for Homemade Meals
INSIGHT #5
Reasons for Preparing Meals at Home Vary by Country
All
AR AU BR DE FR
IT
To eat healthier
68
54 77 79
43 72 59 72 65 47 83 79
I love to cook
53
50 55 59 50 56 46 53 58 63 42 43 59
To save money
46
35 59 40 36 33
61
52 34 53 46 23 58 76
To be a better
cook and/or baker
47
55 49 60 54 32
16
59
51
51
To add variety
to mealtimes
47
38 52 53 57 42 27 47
51
58 49 40 49 46
To eat meals
together with
my family
35
36 35 56 25
21
21
42 25
To entertain
more at home
23
18
17
22
18
(2013)
27 36
61
21
61
MX NE PL QU RU UK US
41
Why are global cooks eager
to prepare homemade
meals? As we saw in last
year’s survey, homemade
is equated with healthier
eating, particularly for the
UK’s home cooks. Other
factors include loving
to cook, saving money,
improving cooking skills,
and spending time with
family and friends. Recipes
of choice are prepared
using ingredients on hand,
and are often ‘comfort
foods.’
61
38 32 50 47
27 22 34 40
24 25 29
9
24
21
(Numbers shown are percentages; *see page 6 for abbreviation key)
INSIGHT #6
A Home-Cooked Meal Is… ?
Defining a home-cooked meal varies among countries, but
cooks in Russia, Argentina, Australia/New Zealand, the
Netherlands, and Poland are most apt to describe it as
“food made entirely from basic ingredients (whole fruits and
vegetables, dry pasta and grains).” A sign of the times: in
Italy, 41% of consumers consider a home-cooked meal one
that includes convenience products such as canned or frozen
vegetables. Cooks in the U.S. are most likely to be using
convenience products to accelerate meal preparation.
OR
All
AR AU BR DE FR
IT
MX NE PL QU RU UK US
Food made entirely from basic ingredients (e.g.,
whole fruits and vegetables, dry pasta and grains)
89
94 95 95 86
91
67
81
Food prepared using convenience products (e.g.,
canned beans, prewashed and cut vegetables,
frozen ingredients, baking mix)
17
18
26
13
18
12
41
20 22 26
5
4
21
48
Prepared food to which I add additional ingredients
or items to make a meal
12
4
10
13
4
4
4
24
5
9
30
4
13
27
Prepared food that I purchase to reheat or complete
cooking at home
5
3
4
2
2
2
2
4
3
4
4
1
3
10
A Home-Cooked Meal Is ...
(2013)
95 95 69 98 92 84
(Numbers shown are percentages; *see page 6 for abbreviation key)
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
March 2014: Global Digital Food Trends
4
About Allrecipes
Methodology
Allrecipes, the world’s largest digital food brand, receives
more than 1 billion visits annually from family-focused
home cooks who connect and inspire one another through
photos, reviews, videos and blog posts. Since its launch
in 1997, the Seattle-based social site has served as a
dynamic, indispensable resource for cooks of all skill levels
seeking trusted recipes, entertaining ideas, everyday
and holiday meal solutions and practical cooking tips.
Allrecipes is a global, multi-platform brand with 18 web
and mobile sites, 2 mobile apps, and 14 eBooks serving 23
countries in 12 languages. In November 2013, Allrecipes
magazine launched nationwide, and an Allrecipes cooking
segment premiered on The Better Show. Allrecipes is
part of Meredith Corporation, the leading media and
marketing company serving American women. For
additional information regarding Meredith, please visit
www.meredith.com. For additional information regarding
Allrecipes, please visit press.allrecipes.com.
In November and December 2013, invitations to participate
in the 2013 Global Food Trends Survey appeared as a
pop-up on Allrecipes’ largest country sites, and were
translated to the appropriate local language. Data
provided comes from 8,432 completed surveys from
13** of 17 Allrecipes International sites. Respondents
did not receive incentives or rewards in exchange for
participation.
About Meredith Corporation
Please Contact:
Meredith Corporation (NYSE:MDP; www.meredith.com)
is the leading media and marketing company serving
American women. Meredith features multiple well-known
national brands—including Better Homes and Gardens,
Parents, Family Circle, Allrecipes.com, Fitness, American
Baby and EveryDay with Rachael Ray—along with local
television brands in fast-growing markets. Meredith is
the industry leader in creating content in key consumer
interest areas such as home, family, food, health and
wellness and self-development. Meredith uses multiple
distribution platforms—including print, television, digital,
mobile, tablets, and video—to give consumers content
they desire and to deliver the messages of its advertising
and marketing partners.
For a full survey report and additional details, please
contact:
**Argentina, Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Germany,
France, India, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Quebec,
Russia, United Kingdom. All International totals reported
do not include the U.S., or English speaking Canada, or
Japan; but do include the U.S. Hispanic who went to the
Mexico site.
Esmee Williams
Vice President, Consumer Experience
206–436–7416
[email protected]
*Country/region abbreviation key:
AR – Argentina
AU – Australia/New Zealand
BR – Brazil
DE – Germany
FR – France
IT – Italy
MX – Mexico
Allrecipes.com Measuring Cup
NE – The Netherlands
PL – Poland
QU – Quebec
RU – Russia
UK – United Kingdom
US – United States
March 2014: Global Digital Food Trends
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