World cuisines are now well established, and regular usage is growing. A globalised world should guarantee that this interest keeps growing steadily.Â
German Consumer Attitudes Towards World Cuisines – Current Outlook
Chinese and Middle-Eastern cuisines are popular among Germans, while Caribbean, Korean and South American show promise. The communal aspects of African cuisine can appeal to family-oriented Germans, while Caribbean eats can offer a taste of tropical travel.
Climate change and sustainability continue to threaten supply and drive price rises. Meanwhile, financial concerns block 4 in ten German consumers from trying new world cuisine products. In the short term, all-in-one seasonings offer a cheaper way to keep buyers engaged, but brands must future-proof their supply of crucial spices for the long term.
World Cuisine foodservice also battles cost increases, and retail has scope to rival restaurants in 2024. With almost half of buyers valuing authenticity in world cuisines, retail brands can showcase traditional techniques and eating methods.
Given Germany’s tradition of meat-centred cooking, world cuisines with a long heritage of veganism are well placed to tap into new plant-based eating targets.
World Cuisines – Consumer Statistics
- German cuisine attitudes: 50% of German meat eaters are trying to scale back on meat, however, 80% would never completely give it up.
- World cuisine opportunities: 55% of world cuisine users think authentic technique makes a significant difference when cooking world cuisine.
Consumer Attitudes Towards World Cuisine Report – What’s Inside?
Topics Analysed in the Report
- Market drivers for world cuisines, including impact of global warming and migration on the category.
- Popular world cuisines and consumption frequency.
- Trending at-home usage of different world cuisine product types, such as seasonings, sides, meals and accompaniments.
- Consumer interest in eating previously untried world cuisines, with Caribbean and Korean sparking the most interest.
- Important purchase factors for world cuisine products, with emphasis on generating an authentic experience.
- Behaviours towards world cuisines, and how certain cuisines can tap into Germans’ health interests.
- Attitudes towards world cuisines, and how brands could appeal to local-oriented Germans.
- Recent launch activity, and how this fits with consumer demand and wider consumer trends.
Report Scope
For the purpose of this Report, world cuisines are defined as beyond European and United States foods (e.g. Chinese, Indian, Mexican/Tex-Mex and other international cuisines).
The main food categories included in the scope of this Report are ready meals, cooking sauces, accompaniments (e.g. breads, condiments) and cooking ingredients (e.g. spices/seasonings, coconut milk).
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
Adam joined Mintel’s German reports team in 2023 as an Associate Research analyst, having previously worked as a translator and interpreter at an international tax firm. Adam graduated from the University of Kent with a degree in German language and literature, including a study placement at the University of Heidelberg.
Germans are curious to try new cuisines; explore promising tastes with accessible-yet-authentic launches, and invigorate established ones with regional twists.
Adam Millward
Research – Mintel Reports
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five-year outlook for world cuisines
- Market context
- Price hikes in foodservice and ongoing financial concerns will make demonstrating value paramount
- Graph 1: consumers who say financial concerns have put them off trying new world cuisine products in the last six months, by financial situation, 2024
- The BMEL’s Nutrition Strategy puts meat reduction in the spotlight
- Climate change will drive shortages and cause price hikes for world cuisines
- An increasingly diverse German population will broaden the culinary landscape, catering to more-diverse palates
- Graph 2: proportion of the population with a migrant background in the wider sense*, 2017-23
- Opportunities
- Chinese cuisine dominates, but nicher regions are growing
- Graph 3: usage of world cuisines in the last three months, 2021 vs 2024
- With Germans using fewer world cuisine products, all-purpose seasonings have scope
- Imbue global dishes with professional flair
- Hone in on Blue Zone traditions to appeal to health-conscious Germans
- Look to TikTok to source the next generation of world cuisine trends
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- 2024 remains challenging
- Graph 4: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- The inflation rate is bouncing back to more-conventional levels
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances…
- …confidence and expenditure
- Graph 5: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- The impact of the economy on world cuisines
- Financial concerns make worse-off Germans wary of trying new world cuisine
- Graph 6: consumers who say financial concerns have put them off trying new world cuisine products in the last six months, by financial situation, 2024
- Price rises in foodservice offer a golden opportunity to appeal to those trading down
- As Germans travel abroad less…
- …they will seek new cultural experiences through food
- Health and wellbeing
- The BMEL’s Nutrition Strategy offers a chance to use global flavours to encourage plant-based eating
- Sustainability & climate change
- Climate change will drive ingredient shortages…
- …causing price hikes for world cuisines
- New EU rules likely to impact availability and price of imported ingredients…
- …but will help brands improve the sustainability and ethical credentials of world cuisines
- German demographic changes
- An increasingly diverse German population will broaden the culinary landscape, catering to more-diverse palates…
- …but an ageing, less-engaged population could dampen the growth of less-established world cuisines
- Graph 7: proportion of the population aged 65+, 2022-40
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Types of world cuisines eaten
- Chinese cuisine dominates, but more-niche regions are growing
- Graph 8: usage of world cuisines in the last three months, 2021 vs 2024
- Regular, weekly usage of world cuisines is gradually creeping up
- Graph 9: consumption of world cuisine products once a week or more, 2021 vs 2024
- Interest in eating previously untried world cuisines
- Amid interest in new world cuisines, Caribbean, South American and Korean tastes are the ones to watch
- Target new flavours through familiar formats
- Graph 10: have not tried but interested in trying, 2024
- While their overall usage is low, worldly elders are curious to try cuisines they haven’t had before
- Graph 11: interest in trying selected previously untried cuisines, consumers aged 65+, 2024
- African cuisines may help brands tap into German consumers’ priorities for the next year
- Cater to Germans’ desire for tropical travel with fruity Caribbean eats
- Tap into the rapid rise of Korean cuisine
- Types of world cuisine products bought
- Seasonings retain top spot amid wholesale decline in usage
- Graph 12: types of world cuisine product used, 2021 vs 2024
- Slimming repertoires shows that brands must work to address price…
- Graph 13: repertoire of world cuisine product usage, 2021 vs 2024
- …authentic all-rounders still have scope
- Mitigating high cost, retailers can promote a ‘use what you have’ mentality in cooking world dishes
- Use world cuisine flavours to elevate cost-effective formats
- The Sriracha effect: positioning versatile, world cuisine-inspired sauces as store-cupboard heroes
- Important traits in world cuisines
- Authenticity marginally outranks price…
- …as Germans seek truer experiences
- Graph 14: most important traits when buying world cuisine products, 2024
- Find ways to imbue global dishes with professional flair
- Promote authentic eating to bring Germans closer to their food, and each other
- Ottolenghi’s retail success in the UK shows the pull of foodservice ‘star power’
- Explore the food-music connection to create holistic dining experiences
- Behaviours related to world cuisines
- Germans are ready for more regional variation in world cuisines
- Start with regional spins on better-established cuisines…
- …leveraging the wide consumption of Chinese foods
- Get ahead of the curve on non-dinner occasions
- World cuisine panache can be a gateway to healthier diets
- Graph 15: selected behaviours related to world cuisines, 2024
- Use the heft of culinary heritage to benefit the meat alternative space
- Fermentation-forward cuisines can appeal to Germans on gut health
- Hone-in on Blue Zones to crack the health code for German seniors
- Beyond the Blue Zone diet, promote ‘slow food’ to appeal to stressed Germans
- Attitudes towards world cuisines
- A German touch to world cuisine launches can help to include marginalised eaters
- Graph 16: attitudes towards world cuisines, 2024
- Ensure that, by eating world cuisines, consumers can still support German producers…
- …and safeguard future supply
- Explore intriguing fusion cuisines for experimental, more-homebound Germans
- Tap into TikTok to stay ahead of world cuisine trends and remixes
- Take the heat off ultra-hot innovation with cooling dessert or drink pairings
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- Usage of seasonings and sides is prevalent across cuisines…
- Graph 17: usage of selected world cuisines by usage of world cuisine products, 2024
- …exposing potential for more launches in snacks and sides
- Graph 18: food NPD with selected flavours by category, 2019-24
- Match demand for overseas side dishes
- Scope for more snack launches
- Snacks embrace the extra-hot trend
- In ready meals and meal kits, South and East Asian flavours show high potential
- Brands explore the potential of Indian mains
- Niche brands increasingly delve into Asian flavours further afield
- In desserts, Mochi is having a moment
- Lidl shakes things up with experimental world flavour crossovers in sides, dips and desserts
- Among seasonings/spice launches, Middle Eastern flavours show some of the highest potential
- Middle Eastern tastes make their way into the home kitchen in accessible formats
- Ben & Jerry’s uses Middle Eastern tastes to show sympathy for world events
- Maggi’s 2024 launches caters to both ends of the world cuisine spectrum
- Stock brands move into Asian-inspired broths
- One to watch: Indonesian spices break into the market in 2024
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
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