Direct-to-door home meal services have experienced record-breaking growth. The past four years witnessed a 33 percent increase in delivery traffic, reports NPD group. This growth presents new opportunities for commercial and institutional real estate. The Catalyst & Growth Potential The growth of prepared meal services comes as a response to public cries for healthier, convenient food. Americans are becoming more health-conscious.  The surge towards healthier fare comes on the heels of seemingly endless bad news: Almost 70 percent of American adults are diagnosed as overweight or obese. Rarely disclosed allergens in foods decrease the efficiency of digestive and endocrine systems. Processed foods continue to make headlines for dangerous ingredients and poor transparency practices. Homemade meals using fresh produce and lean meats are a tried and true step in restoring health. But few adults feel that they have enough time to cook. Adults are willing, however, to pay top dollar for homemade meals cooked elsewhere. Nielsen’s 2015 Global Health & Wellness Survey polled over 30,000 individuals online. Of the respondents, 88 percent are willing to pay more for healthier foods.  NPD reports an increase of 6 million fresh meal deliveries in the past year. The convenience of online orders cannot be underestimated. Users avoid waiting at the drive through or detours to the grocery store during the commute home. User avoid expending emotional energy by talking to another human being. The potential of such convenience is limitless. In this atmosphere, direct-to-door services will continue to grow. Creative Sites The real estate requirements of direct-to-door services vary, based largely on the popularity of the service. A few components appear to be consistent: Mature companies seek out numerous, small sites rather than vast distribution centers. These sites are centrally located to heavily populated areas with easy access...