How catering to the whole family can boost your business

In the fine food world of artisanal cheeses, premium snacks and single-origin coffee and chocolate it can be easy to forget the opportunity offered by the younger generations – those who likely won’t be tempted by a punchy chutney with a short ingredients deck, or a speciality tea created by the masters.

But families are big business in the world of food and drink – and that’s before you get to the benefits that can result for making your site more kid-friendly.

Food and drink products that are nutritionally rich and family-friendly, while ideally offering a dose of convenience, are the order of the day for many consumers across the UK – and the good news is that the fine food industry has moved far beyond the additive-packed pouches of yore to provide genuinely tasty, and goodness-packed, meals and snacks that can be enjoyed by all ages.

High quality and convenient

The desire to enjoy food as a family, for multiple generations to sit around a table to eat delicious food together, is one of the simplest pleasures around, but that’s not to say that it’s not worth tapping into.

“Families are moving away from ultra-processed foods, reaching instead for real, nutritious options that are rooted in tradition. Sharing authentic, quality food – like our family’s traditional Cheddar – brings everyone together and makes mealtimes truly special,” agrees Rich Clothier, third generation family member and MD at Wyke Farms.

“Given the rise of healthy eating, we believe that families are now looking for higher-quality foods which have less ingredients, are less processed and have less additives,” says Bex Neale, marketing manager at Suffolk Food Hall. “Because our produce comes from local farms and producers, they have significantly less additives and can be considered healthier. Additionally, we make and stock as many items as possible that are made on-site by our chefs using only fresh ingredients, so you know when you’re eating at Suffolk Food Hall that you’re getting a good quality munch.”

At Suffolk Food Hall, family-friendly food plays a big role. “Whilst our focus is on local, quality food, we also take into account the family-friendly element of our Food Hall and make sure to have food and drink options for children as well as adults. We even have our own Dine at Home range of family meals you can cook at home that are made fresh on-site by our chefs.”

Retailers can offer clarity for busy parents

“Nutrition is fundamental to family food, and the home is the first place where children form deep-rooted habits and emotional relationships with food,” begins Emily Warburton Adams, cofounder of NUUDA. “Childhood is a critical window for growth and development, yet we now live in a time when families are often overfed but undernourished, the food we eat at home is critical to changing this and laying the foundation to long term wellbeing.”

“Awareness is rising, but so is confusion as there is so much conflicting nutrition information available and so many different sources – families struggle to know who or what to trust.

“At the same time, many households have less time than ever. In over 70% of British households, both parents work and have limited time to shop for high-quality produce, cater to different dietary needs, and staggered mealtimes, it’s easy for ‘quickest and easiest’ to trump ‘healthiest’.”

“Retailers and producers can support families by offering high-quality, thoughtfully sourced options that take the effort and stress out of healthy eating.”

Ways to make your shop more family-friendly

“At Suffolk Food Hall we love welcoming families through the door and, therefore, we have several ways that we cater for the younger ones,” Bex says.

“We have the ever-popular bouncy pillow outside, as well as a slide and children’s games. This is a beautiful spot for parents to sit with a coffee while their children play.

“Our home department has a wide range of children’s toys and gifts, including the legendary JellyCat toys. We also run colouring competitions throughout the year for children to enter which are available in our café and restaurant,” Bex says.