Goodspeed, a leader in temperature-controlled logistics for diet catering, delivered a total of around 25 million ordered meals in 2024. According to Goodspeed Group’s “Diet Box Map” report, Poles most often choose the standard diet (around 32%), followed by the menu-choice diet (18%), and thirdly the low glycaemic index catering (nearly 10%). The average duration of a diet box plan is getting longer – in 2024 it rose to 10.3 days compared with 9.7 days a year earlier.

STANDARD RULES, THE SHARE OF SPECIALIST DIETS IS GROWING

The so-called “standard”, with no excluded products, was the most popular type of diet delivered by Goodspeed in every voivodeship in 2024. The largest share, 45.5%, was recorded in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, while the smallest share of the standard option (25.6%) was noted in the Masovian Voivodeship. Outside the standard, Poles most often ordered menu-choice and low glycaemic index diets.

In four voivodeships (Greater Poland, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Opole and Silesian), a vegetarian diet made it into the top 3 instead of the low glycaemic index option.

Over the last 3 years (2022-2024), a decline in the share of vegetarian and fish-free diets is visible. The highest share of vegetarian diet deliveries was recorded in Greater Poland Voivodeship (9.71%), and vegan in Lubusz Voivodeship (1.45%). Vegan diet is still a niche option.

In 2024 there was also a visible increase in the share of specialist diets such as low glycaemic index, gluten-free, sports and keto.

Customers treat diet catering as an investment in health, not an ordinary food service. The impact of inflation on decisions to buy meal boxes is clearly diminishing, which additionally shows the strength of this market. The biggest delivery markets remain conurbations such as Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, the Tricity and Poznań. However, every year we see a significant increase in the popularity of meal boxes in smaller towns and localities, which is why we are continually expanding our delivery network. This enables catering producers to reach customers throughout Poland, significantly reducing logistics costs

Customers treat diet catering as an investment in health, not an ordinary food service. The impact of inflation on decisions to buy meal boxes is clearly diminishing, which additionally shows the strength of this market. The biggest delivery markets remain conurbations such as Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, the Tricity and Poznań. However, every year we see a significant increase in the popularity of meal boxes in smaller towns and localities, which is why we are continually expanding our delivery network. This enables catering producers to reach customers throughout Poland, significantly reducing logistics costs — Sylwester Rypina, CEO of Goodspeed

THE MOST AND THE LEAST “CALORIE-DENSE VOIVODESHIPS”

According to data from the Diet Map report, the majority of deliveries in Poland (59%) are lower-calorie diets of up to 1800 kcal. According to Goodspeed data for 2024, the most lower-calorie diets (from 900 to 1800 kcal) were delivered to consumers in the Opole Voivodeship. The most calorie-dense sets, above 2500 kcal, are most often ordered by consumers from voivodeships such as: Warmian-Masurian (8.40%), Masovian (7.7%) and Silesian (7.2%).

Last year, just as in 2023, the most frequently delivered sets were, in order: 5-, 3- and 4-meal variants.

Diet price

Diet catering remains a competitively priced and convenient solution. The average diet price actually paid by the customer has not changed over recent years.

The very attractive price of meal boxes, averaging around PLN 60 for a five-meal set up to 1500 kcal, means that diet catering remains - compared with alternatives - a competitively priced and convenient solution. The cost of a set with several meals in the standard option is often lower than home cooking. Thanks to regular promotions and flexible offers, diet catering is accessible to a wide range of customers. In addition, there are more one-person households, for whom cooking for themselves is not financially or time-wise worthwhile, so diet catering is becoming a natural choice for an ever wider group of consumers — emphasises Michał Juda, Chief Digital Officer at Goodspeed

RESIDENTS OF SMALLER TOWNS ARE ORDERING DIET CATERING MORE AND MORE OFTEN

In 2024, Goodspeed carried out deliveries in all voivodeships. Most deliveries were made to conurbations, but more and more often residents of smaller towns and localities, including rural areas, are opting for meal boxes. In response to this trend, in 2024 Goodspeed expanded its delivery network by over 500 new locations in the West Pomeranian, Lower Silesian, Pomeranian, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Masovian, Greater Poland, Lubusz and Łódź voivodeships.

It is worth noting the growing demand for specialist diets that take dietary restrictions into account, such as the elimination of selected ingredients. The share of menu-choice diets is growing dynamically, but the expansion of producers’ offerings in this area is another factor that will encourage an even larger number of Poles to choose healthy boxes and a personalised diet — says Jakub Gierasimiuk, head of Foodango.pl at the Goodspeed Group

DYNAMICALLY GROWING DIET CATERING MARKET

According to estimates from PMR Market Expert’s report “The diet catering market in Poland 2024”, the value of the diet catering market at the end of 2024 amounted to PLN 3.5 billion, and by 2029 it may rise to PLN 5.4 billion.