Meal Assembly Watch

As we slip into the sixth month of the year the decline of the meal prep industry continues unabated. In March we had around 880 stores open; now there are closer to 760 still trying to make a go of things. Over 450 companies used to be in the market; now it stands at around 280.

The trend is definitely a decline and from the answers being posted about income from the store, many people aren’t bringing home what many would consider a significant salary.

And it’s not just independent or small franchises which having a tough time, both Dream Dinners and Super Suppers continue to lose stores with just over 150 and 80 respectively. The big claim of 180 Dream Dinners stores open is becoming more and more inaccurate with each month.

Summer break is almost here and as we all know, the toughest months for restaurants, especially this industry. Grilling and vacation usually takes a priority and while gas prices are half of what they used to be, they’ve jumped up nearly a dollar in the past few months. I find that annoying to say the least.

This is usually the start of a dry spell, what summer plans do you have to get through it? Are you expecting business to pick up or does it give you cause for concern?

How low can you go?

Other Articles of Interest:

• Surviving the Summer Months
• Grilling Recipes?
• Store Closings and Meal Prep Failures
• Survey Says: Summer Could Be Scary
• A Cloudy Outlook for Summer Travel?
• The Ghost of Meal Assembly Past, Present and Future
• The Downward Spiral
• Dream Dinners CEO Focused on Business Model, Not Litigation
• At the end of the month, it’s 60 stores for sale
• Taking On Restaurants And Grocers