Emerging international cuisine types are gaining momentum as consumers expand their culinary repertoires. Consumers take pride in their knowledge of international foods and they are eager to explore regional variations, making food exploration a lifestyle choice across all consumption levels.
Despite financial concerns affecting some consumers’ willingness to experiment, increased plans to travel internationally paired with cuisine’s influence on location is a positive indicator for increased culinary tourism, both domestic and abroad.
While consumers seek familiar flavor, they also consider secondary factors like health benefits and spice levels, which combined, can create a unique offering. Additionally, consumers are willing to increase the scope of their exploration, as evidenced by increases in regional and international flavors and ingredients across dish types..
Families and young consumers are particularly excited about international cuisines, and find value in transparency, ease and versatility. Encouraging global flavors in everyday meals enhances exposure and trial, making international ingredients more accessible. Rising interest in beverages with international flavors highlights the potential for combining taste with functional benefits, and social media continues to rapidly spread and influence global cuisine trends.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Regional and international cuisine consumption
- Regional and international cuisine attitudes and behaviors
- Preferred foods for new flavor trial in regional and international cuisines
- Important factors for new regional and international dish trial
- Interest in flavors by dish type
- Regional and international product development and innovation
Consumers continue to look to regional and international cuisine to learn, explore and experience familiar and new flavors, ingredients and dishes.
Sydney Riebe, Analyst – US Food and Drink
Collapse All
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- State of the industry
- Emerging international cuisines are in close competition
- Graph 1: international cuisine consumption – NET, any consumption
- Cuisine-type consumption couples with attitudes to show that food exploration is a way of life
- Graph 2: repertoire of international cuisines consumed, 2024
- US regional cuisine has room to travel
- Graph 3: American regional cuisine consumption, by consumer region, 2024
- Market drivers
- Increase in international travel plans will increase cuisine exposure
- Financial concerns can impact potential for exploration
- Consumer dietary preferences can align with popular emerging cuisines
- Graph 4: dietary preferences, 2024
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Cuisine attitudes
- Consumers are up for adventure when it comes to international cuisine
- Graph 5: cuisine attitudes, 2024
- Cooking globally can be a family affair
- Graph 6: cuisine attitudes, by parental status, 2024
- Custom and comfort are key to younger consumers and cuisine
- Graph 7: cuisine attitudes, by generation, 2024
- Preferred foods for new flavor trial
- Consumers are looking across the menu and aisle for international cuisine
- Graph 8: preferred foods for new flavor trial, 2022-24
- Easy formats go a long way with parents
- Urban exposure to international flavors hits the beverage world
- Graph 9: preferred foods for new flavor trial, by area, 2024
- Dips and condiments continue to be a home for bold innovation
- Important factors for new dish trial
- Consumers are led to trial by flavor and more
- Graph 10: important factors for new dish trial, 2024
- Generational differences highlight potential for different points of connection
- Graph 11: important factors for new dish trial, 2024
- Cuisine exploration is about all of the senses
- Interest in flavors by dish type
- Tropical fruits prove versatile with interest across dishes
- Graph 12: interest in flavors by dish type, 2024
- Consumers go all in on emerging flavors with preference for entrees over smaller dishes
- Graph 13: interest in flavors by dish, 2024
- Cuisine behaviors
- Consumers are ready to get regional
- Graph 14: cuisine behaviors, 2024
- Cuisine exploration can cater to the entire household
- Graph 15: cuisine behaviors, by household size, 2024
- Social media and the rise of East Asian cuisine
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Innovation and Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Familiar with twist
- Laying it out for consumers
- Product development – now
- Spicy is here to stay and continues to evolve
- International ingredients capitalize on gut health functionality
- Gut healthy products with international influence
- Emerging international ingredients find their home with desserts
- Emerging international flavors in desserts
- Product development – near
- Retailers help consumers bring restaurant-style protein home
- Fruit as a way to add color to entrees/apps
- Product development – next
- East Asian snacks become prominent thanks to convenience and social media
- Social media posts highlight the conversation on the future of quality convenience
- Opportunities
- Cooking global cuisine can promote a holistically healthy lifestyle
- The rise of functional beverages can showcase international ingredients
- Regional dishes can be a conversation starter
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Appendix
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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