Latin America

Street stalls/kiosks in Mexico is an extremely fragmented consumer foodservice channel, due to the country’s abundance of outlets run by families, self-employed individuals, or small-scale traders. They often operate unofficially due to the high…

In 2023, there was a wave of flavour launches by major players in limited-service restaurants to satisfy the taste preferences of Mexican consumers, which has been a consistent trend in recent years. Players are striving to adapt to local flavours…

Full-service restaurants in Mexico continued to record impressive value sales growth in 2023, resulting in a recovery to pre-pandemic levels, although the number of outlets in the channel continued to lag, as did the number of transactions.…

Consumer foodservice in Mexico experienced healthy growth in 2023, filled with launches, collaborations, and innovations. Given the economic uncertainty experienced during the year, mainly driven by the lingering impact of 2022, consumers were more…

Consumer foodservice through standalone in Mexico remained the leading location in 2023 across value sales, outlet numbers and transactions, due to the country's market type and urban development. This keeps standalone attractive for both national…

The quest to attract consumers back to cafés/bars in Mexico is a constant in the channel, which has especially intensified post-pandemic. This has led to the resurgence of various in-person events, such as the Rock Duel at McCarthy's Irish Pub,…

Street stalls/kiosks in Brazil remained highly fragmented in 2023, marked by the diversification of offers in terms of products, and by the strong presence of small and independent players. In relation to menus, the channel includes players that…

Self-service cafeterias in Brazil is a particularly important foodservice channel for local consumers during the lunch hour, since this meal is considered the most important of the day for much of the population. Brazilians generally prioritise a…

2023 was a benchmark year for post-pandemic life in Brazilian foodservice, including limited-service restaurants, as it was completely free from health restrictions. The World Health Organization declared the end of the Public Health Emergency of…

While full-service restaurants in Brazil continued to record a positive performance across all indicators in 2023, the channel remained under pressure, with growth notably slowing. After a year marked by a record number of families with overdue bills…

Consumer foodservice in Brazil experienced a period of adjustment to reality in 2023. This followed a robust growth phase in 2022, driven by the ending of pandemic-related restrictions, as well as high inflation rates, mainly in the first half of the…

Consumer foodservice in Brazil is mostly dominated by independent operators, with independent players holding 98% share of foodservice outlets in 2023 overall. This demonstrates opportunities for expansion to national and foreign chains. Small…

Having recovered to pre-pandemic value sales levels in 2022, cafés/bars in Brazil continued to record a positive performance in 2023. An easing of pandemic-related restrictions in Brazil in 2022 fuelled the desire for out-of-home experiences that…

Although the street stalls/kiosks saw healthy growth across all metrics in 2023, it is yet to reach pre-pandemic sales levels. This partly reflects lower levels of dynamism compared with other categories and consumer foodservice. Chained street…

Street stalls/kiosks continued to be popular in 2023. While hot dogs, hamburgers and empanadas are the most ubiquitous street food offerings, they only scratch the surface of the diversity available. Along the Caribbean coast, stands specialise in…

Argentina is seeing a rising number of street stalls and kiosks offering consumer foodservice products, with hot dogs, sandwiches and pre-prepared salads being particularly prevalent. Some of these operators have incorporated seating areas for at…

Although self-service cafeterias saw very strong growth in terms of transactions and current value sales in 2023, nevertheless this remains the smallest category within consumer foodservice in Peru. It was also greatly affected by the pandemic, not…

In October 2023, the first IKEA store in Colombia was opened, in Bogotá. There are also plans for additional stores in Medellín and Cali by 2024. Along with furniture and home goods, the outlet also has the IKEA distinctive self-service cafeteria.…

A large proportion of outlets in self-service cafeterias in Argentina comprises stores that sell food by weight, mostly operated by individuals of Asian origin. During the pandemic, as a consequence of working from home, many of these stores had to…

Sales through limited-service restaurants increased significantly in 2023, although growth in this respect was slower than in the previous year. However, consumption in the last quarter was slightly lower due to the economic downturn.

In spite of continuing rising prices in 2023, limited services restaurant registered an increase in constant value sales and there was also further opening of new outlets. However, profit margins were under strain, as costs also continued to rise.…

Limited-service restaurants focused on burgers continued to expand significantly in terms of number of outlets in 2023, with both well-established foreign chains and local brands benefitting. Local player Mostaza mirrored the approach of major global…

Full-service restaurants saw growth once again in 2023 thanks to the full lifting of pandemic restrictions and a return to both domestic and foreign tourism. Nevertheless, this growth was slower than seen in the previous year, and independent…

Breakfast has emerged as a new consumption opportunity in the foodservice industry. Traditionally considered a quick and basic meal, the perception of breakfast has evolved, and restaurants are capitalising on this. Restaurants are taking creative…

2023 began well for full-service restaurants in Argentina. However, as inflation accelerated around the middle of the year, consumption began to slow considerably, with only slightly positive growth recording in terms of number of transactions for…

Consumer foodservice sales continued to grow significantly in 2023, but at a slower rate than seen in 2022. One of the key reasons for this growth was increased consumer appetites for dining out thanks to the elimination of pandemic-related…

In spite of continuing rising prices in 2023, consumer foodservice registered an increase in constant value sales and there was also further opening of new outlets. However, profit margins were under strain, as costs also continued to rise and…

2023 was an extremely challenging year for consumer foodservice in Argentina, with skyrocketing inflation and steep price hikes throughout. Brands were forced to frequently raise prices, sometimes as often as weekly, to minimise losses. Consumer…

Consumer foodservice through standalone continued to represent the majority of sales in this category in 2023; however, consumer foodservice through travel saw the most significant growth in terms of both transactions and current value sales thanks…

A virtual restaurant in an emerging concept. Also known as a ghost kitchen, cloud kitchen or dark kitchen, it is a foodservice business that serves customers exclusively by delivery or pick-up, with technology driving a lot of the operations. Some of…

Airports in Argentina are becoming increasingly attractive locations for consumer foodservice players, with growth driven by the ongoing recovery of both domestic and international tourism. Increased traffic is prompting airports to invest in…

Cafés/bars continued to see significant growth in both transactions and current value terms in 2023, particularly in chains, although independence continued to represent the largest percentage of transactions. Growth was driven by the dynamism that…

In spite of continuing rising prices in 2023, cafés/bars registered an increase in constant value sales and there was also further opening of new outlets. However, profit margins were under strain, as costs also continued to rise. These rising costs,…

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Argentina has seen significant growth in independent specialist coffee and tea shops, particularly through small outlets serving customers from a window without tables or seating space, catering more to…

In recent years, Chile has experienced a significant upswing in informal street food vending, particularly since the pandemic emerged. This trend directly responds to escalating unemployment rates, meagre wages in formal employment, inflationary…

In 2023, self-service cafeterias in Chile maintained a niche presence within consumer foodservice, holding marginal share overall. The channel’s main attraction is allowing patrons to choose from diverse options and customise portion sizes. Unlike…

Chile presently stands as the seventh-highest market of fast food per capita on a global level, with an annual intake of 201.9 kg. Throughout the nation, numerous establishments provide a wide range of limited-service options, with burgers, hot dogs,…

The dynamic landscape of full-service restaurants reveals subtle shifts, particularly in the context of closures and the lasting impact of an incomplete recovery. Soaring restaurant costs have placed significant pressure on profit margins, with food…

In 2023, the economic landscape has been marked by inflation, high interest rates, and increased unemployment. As a result, individual budgets have contracted, forcing consumers to focus on essential spending. Nevertheless, post-pandemic, there has…

In Chile and across Latin America, the security concern has taken centre stage, impacting many businesses nationwide, especially within consumer foodservice. A notable challenge that key players in this industry face is closely tied to the dynamics…

In Chile, the historical hindrances of higher prices, limited accessibility, and inadequate information have impeded the widespread embrace of specialist coffee shops. Despite recent shifts, where specialist coffee shops and roasteries have gained…

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

This briefing examines how the chicken commodity performs globally and in the largest countries in terms of supply and consumption. The report also provides data and analysis on chicken price dynamics, key meat-consuming industries, and exports and…

Cafés/bars was among the worst-hit consumer foodservice channels when Coronavirus (COVID-19) arrived in the region in 2020, recording a steep sales decline. With outlet closures, home seclusion and travel restrictions still in place at times in 2021,…