The Qatar World Cup season is projected to lead to a windfall gain of about $6 billion to the food services industry in the GCC, with the host country garnering a large chunk of it, industry insiders and a latest market study said.
The food and beverages (f&b) sector in the region would see more surge in orders – both online and offline – on days like Monday when the England strikers rained the Iranian goalpost with goals.
Online food delivery players in Qatar as well as the larger GCC region are expected to corner a sizeable part of the additional business during the month-long world cup season from November 19, with orders projected to see peak surges during the pre-game time.
“Historically, world cups have driven considerable food and beverage purchasing. However, the Qatar World Cup season is expected to see a big jump in this trend, with our market survey showing anticipation of a big pump up in the value and frequency [of orders] due to the high consumption enthusiasm of fans,” Sandeep Ganediwalla, Dubai-based managing partner of RedSeer Strategic Consultants, told Arabian Business.
“GCC food service business is expected to see $6 billion business during the World Cup month, with Qatar bagging a major portion of it and the rest of GCC, led by Dubai, accounting for the rest of it,” Ganediwalla said, citing the market survey findings.
Industry players said they were already seeing a surge in their businesses even before the commencement of the World Cup.
“We’re already seeing a positive impact on our food outlets – both restaurants and virtual kitchens – in the GCC and the Middle East region. The impact is especially much more in Dubai, as it’s a popular stopover destination to Qatar,” a spokesperson of Kitopi, the region’s largest player in the cloud kitchen segment, told Arabian Business.
“What we’re seeing is an anticipated increase in demand for food delivery, with the World Cup,” the spokesperson said.
“Talking specifically about consumer behavior, we can also predict larger check sizes, be it through delivery or eating out, as people prefer to view matches in groups,” the Kitopi spokesperson added.
Rebel Foods, another leading player in the cloud kitchen – also known as virtual or ghost kitchen – segment in the region, is also quite upbeat about the additional business bonanza on account of the World Cup in the region.
“We are excited by the prospects of a huge surge in business opportunities and are ready to serve our customers during the FIFA World Cup. Our kitchen teams have worked really hard to ensure we are prepared to service the higher demand during the next few weeks,” Vishal Khithani, chief executive officer of Rebel Foods Middle East, told Arabian Business.
“All our brands – whether it is the iconic Behrouz Biryani, our standout OvenStory pizzas, the spicy Mandarin Oak, the sumptuous Messy Burgers and even our latest offering, Fricken’ Fried Chicken – have all been included in our special ‘Game Day’ offers for customers,” Khithani said.
Khithani said the food delivery chain has also designed special promotional campaigns on all its brands to give “customers the best excuse to watch the games with friends and family in the comfort of their homes”.
Industry analysts said the food delivery market globally benefits big time from the celebratory atmosphere that has been a feature of mega sports events.
“High consumption enthusiasm will drive consumer spending and act as a springboard to boost sales,” an industry analyst said.
The RedSeer study said consumer behaviour change could be expected during the period, driven by peak order timings, bulk ordering behaviour and increased preference towards World Cup-themed reward programs and customised menu offerings.
“This change will be reflected in the peak ordering timings as consumer food ordering patterns fluctuate according to match timings. During pre-game times food delivery peaks escalate, and the lows get further plunged during the game. Post-game time further sees an upward trend as consumers return to normal schedules,” the study said.
Ganediwalla said while it marked an opportune time for food delivery players to capitalise on the increased demand, they need to be cognizant of the evolving consumer behaviour trends to devise coherent strategies.
“It’s an opportune time for restaurants and the retail industry at large to capitalise on this moment to enhance offerings, channels and customer experiences and drive greater operating efficiencies,” he said.
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