Canada's diversity is defining and enormously impacts pasta, rice, noodle and starch consumption. Looking to international flavours and preparations when innovating is a must.
Candace Baldassarre, Research Analyst
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Executive summary
- What you need to know
- Consumer trends: key takeaways
- Market predictions
- Opportunities
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Pasta and noodle consumption
- Dry pasta is primo, but egg and rice noodles are formidable opponents
- Graph 1: typical pasta and noodle consumption, 2024
- Dry pasta is primo, but egg and rice noodles are formidable opponents
- Pasta is good for kids!
- Affordability is key
- Graph 2: typical pasta and noodle consumption (select), by household financial situation, 2023
- Cooking skills and preferences for fresh pasta
- Graph 3: typically consumes fresh pasta, by cooking skills, 2023
- Asian consumers dominate noodle consumption
- Graph 4: typical noodle consumption (select), by race, 2023
- Inspiring multicultural consumers with dry pasta
- Graph 5: dry pasta consumer, by race, 2023
- French-speaking Quebecers are feeling the noodle vibe
- Graph 6: typical noodle consumption (select), English-speaking Quebecers vs French-speaking Quebecers, 2023
- Indigenous consumers are prioritizing convenience
- Graph 7: typical pasta and noodle consumption (select), overall vs First Nations, Métis or Inuk, 2023
- Rice consumption
- The rice roundup: typical rice consumption
- Reminding younger consumers plain rice doesn't have to be a plain affair
- Graph 8: typical rice consumption (select), by age, 2023
- Recognizing rice is affordable
- Graph 9: typical rice consumption (select), by household financial situation
- Race and rice
- Region's impact on rice consumption
- Graph 10: typical rice consumption (select), by region, 2023
- Grain and starch consumption
- The standard starches captivate Canadians
- Graph 11: typical grain and starch consumption, 2023
- Girls and guys gravitate toward different grains
- Graph 12: typical grain and starch consumption, by gender, 2023
- Younger Canadians are open to options
- Graph 13: typical grain and starch consumption, by age, 2023
- Multicultural Canadians' standout consumption
- Graph 14: typical grain and starch consumption (select), by race, 2023
- Multicultural Canadians' standout consumption
- Newer Canadians' niche grain consumption is notable…
- Graph 15: typical grain and starch consumption (select), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than ten years, 2023
- …but they remain unaware of more commonplace products
- Graph 16: "I have never heard of this" (select), overall vs newer Canadians, 2023
- Quebec is keen on couscous
- The perception of quinoa is premium
- McCain's packaging doesn't quite hit the mark
- Cooking grains is an adventure to those with the skills
- Opportunity abounds around naturally gluten-free options
- Graph 17: "I have never heard of this" (select), by consumers who look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are gluten-free when shopping for groceries, 2023
- Purchase factors
- Affordability and easiness to make are at top of mind
- Graph 18: when shopping for groceries, I look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are…, 2023
- Younger women crave reasonably-priced pasta, rice, starch or grains
- Graph 19: when shopping for groceries, I look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are affordable, by gender and age, 2023
- Indigenous consumers want easy-to-make options
- Graph 20: when shopping for groceries, I look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are… (select), overall vs First Nations, Métis or Inuk*, 2023
- Food is a connection to culture
- Multicultural consumers are focused on purchase factors differently
- Graph 21: when shopping for groceries, I look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are… (select), by race, 2023
- Rural consumers drive desire for affordability
- Graph 22: when shopping for groceries, I look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are affordable, by area, 2023
- Not all regions are prioritizing equally
- Graph 23: when shopping for groceries, I look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are… (select), by region, 2023
- Appealing to vegetarians with protein-forward options
- New pasta launches show a preference for protein
- Graph 24: new pasta product launches with high/added protein as the claim, 2023
- Brand preferences
- Canadians clearly have their brand preferences
- Income has no bearing on having brand preferences
- Graph 25: "I am particular about what brand of rice/pasta/noodles I eat" (% agree), by household income, 2023
- Culinary connoisseurs: brand-savvy home chefs
- Graph 26: "I am particular about what brand of rice/pasta/noodles I eat" (% agree), by cooking skill level, 2023
- Cultural heritage influences brand preferences in multicultural Canadians
- Graph 27: "I am particular about what brand of rice/pasta/noodles I eat" (% agree), by race, 2023
- Connecting to cultural brand preferences
- Graph 28: "I am particular about what type of rice I eat" (% agree), overall vs consumers who look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are way to connect to their culture/part of their culture's cuisine, 2023
- Graph 29: "I am particular about what type of pasta vs noodles I eat" (% agree), overall vs consumers who look for pasta, rice, starch or grains that are way to connect to their culture/part of their culture's cuisine, 2023
- Gluten-free consumers give brand loyalty
- The gluten-free and protein-forward faces of pasta
- Breakfast, side dish or star of the show?
- Sidekicks or mains? It's a toss up
- Graph 30: attitudes toward pasta, noodles, rice and grains (% agree), 2023
- Multicultural consumers and multiple understandings of main vs side dish
- Graph 31: attitudes toward pasta, noodles, rice and grains (% agree), by race, 2023
- Looking internationally for breakfast inspiration
- Graph 32: attitudes toward oatmeal and rice, (% agree), by race, 2023
- Rice is picking up where oatmeal leaves off
- Graph 33: attitudes toward oatmeal and rice (% agree), by age, 2023
- What's in a breakfast?
- Attitudes toward rice and grains
- Consumers crave convenience
- Rice cookers take convenience to the next level
- Race has a lot to do with rice cooker use
- Graph 34: "I typically use a rice cooker to make rice" (% agree), by race, 2023
- An uneven adoption of rice cookers is occurring across Canada
- Graph 35: "I typically use a rice cooker to make rice" (% agree), by region, 2023
- Dads dig their rice cookers
- Graph 36: "I typically use a rice cooker to make rice" (% agree), overall vs mothers vs fathers, 2023
- Younger consumers yearn for education around grains
- Graph 37: "I would like to try different types of grains, but I don't know how to cook them" (% agree), by age, 2023
- Attitudes toward pasta quality
- Men are more amenable to artisanal pasta
- Draw on the specifics and go beyond the 'bronze die cut'
- Age-based quibbles over pasta quality
- Graph 38: attitudes toward pasta (% agree), by age, 2023
- Barilla almost hits the mark with its Al Bronzo post
- Income's impact isn't felt
- Graph 39: attitudes toward pasta (% agree), by household income, 2023
- Chefs know a good thing when they see it
- Graph 40: attitudes toward pasta (% agree), by cooking skill level, 2023
- Non-meat eaters are keen to choose artisanal
- Graph 41: "I am more likely to choose artisanal pasta (eg bronze die cut pasta) over regular pasta" (% agree), by dietary preferences, 2023
- Perceptions of pasta
- Pasta is easy!
- Pasta is easy
- Pasta is affordable!
- Combat younger consumers' hesitance toward pasta
- Graph 42: attitudes toward pasta (% agree), by age, 2023
- Newer Canadians need more convincing around pasta
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Competitive strategies
- Launch activity and innovation
- Cassava is cool
- Sorghum and millet soar in India
- Italian made easy
- Marketing and advertising
- Social media (food) trends are nothing to scoff at
- T&T's Instagram offers approachable meal ideas
- Opportunities
- Increased education in the kitchen is essential
- Convenience is key
- Internationally-inspired
- Recognizing that rice cookers are rad
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The Market
- Market context
- 'Inflation' continues to plague Canadians
- Graph 43: top concerns over next six months (any rank), 2023
- Though a rise in debt servicing costs has eaten into disposable income…
- Graph 44: percent of household income used to service debt, 2013-23
- …foodservice sales have recovered from the depths of the pandemic
- Graph 45: monthly survey of food services and drinking places, 2019-23
- Market drivers
- Big grocers are not in consumers' good books
- Graph 46: where consumers get their groceries from, 2023
- Diversity defines the nation
- Graph 47: distribution of foreign-born population, by region of birth, 1871 to 2036
- Asian immigration impacts Canadian (food) culture
- Graph 48: top birthplaces of recent immigrants, 2021
- A third of South Asian consumers don't eat meat
- Graph 49: consumes a vegetarian or vegan diet, by race, 2023
- Nutritious North Canada
- Appealing to Indigenous consumers with consideration and care
- Unprecedented wildfires, climate change, agricultural production and conflict
- The Bear inspires a generation of aspiring cooks (and chefs)
- Grocery delivery is only getting easier
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Appendix
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Household financial situation
- Abbreviations and Terms
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