Healthy food has been the center of many discussions lately, especially in the last 2 years which was largely contributed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pandemic major driver for change
Needless to say, the pandemic was the main factor that drove people to think about changing their way of living.
Humans across the world took it as a wake-up call and had their daily routines changed dramatically where some found new ways to live and eat while others are looking for healthier food.
In countries like Malaysia, dietary patterns shifted significantly during the MCO (Movement Control Order) especially in light of the rising levels of paranoia.
Data proving to be right
It must also be noted that almost half the adult population in Malaysia is either overweight or obese as reported in the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey.
Meanwhile, a survey carried out recently found that more than 40% of the respondents believed that their eating habits have become healthier due to the MCO.
So, what should one do?
Eating healthy is not just an act but a lifestyle.
Everything that comes within the daily routines of modern life contributes to unhealthy dietary practices.
People are always complaining about not having enough time and hence having not enough time to prepare healthy meals. With the availability of modern technology, this responsibility can now be shifted to health food delivery services and restaurants.
Healthy food delivery services offer meals that are portion-controlled targeted to provide weight loss and fitness maintenance purposes, all of which to aid them to embark on their journey into a healthier lifestyle. Among the names that become more prominent in recent months include:
- The Hungry Tapir – Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur around Chinatown, it is among the most sought-after plant-based food restaurants loved by vegetarians, vegans and those who are looking for healthy food.
- Wise Crafters – This was among the earliest to start healthy food delivery in Malaysia through their selection of offers that include mostly plant-based meal plans which are personalized. The fact that people were more receptive to food delivery did wonders to their business model while there has been an uptake of health-conscious customers.
- GoClean – One of the most established health food delivery services that have been around for nearly 8 years now, they enjoyed an increase of more than 200% of orders during the MCO due to people being stuck at home and emphasizing more on their diet and staying healthy. Their success continued even after the MCO with sales going up more than 500%.
- FitBox Meals – This name came around during the first MCO where it offered online delivery of healthy food packages. The timing was perfect as customers were looking for more healthy food options during the times when they were stuck indoors.
Targeting the healthy food audience
Healthy food providers mainly target customers who are interested not only in weight loss but also fitness and some with specific health objectives.
Operators of these places are usually fitness experts themselves which provided the right motivation to offer the food options.
Furthermore, there is a strong and rising demand for plant-based food coupled with customers who are now more knowledgeable about nutrition and what they enjoy in their food.