This report takes on the regional and international cuisine market in the US, with a focus on the consumer perspective. Included in the scope are a wide range of restaurants types and CPG food and beverage categories within the US.
Below, we summarise the key topics covered and offer select insights from the report itself.
Key Topics Covered
- Consumer attitudes and behaviours surrounding regional and international flavours and ingredients.
- Experience and interest in regional and international preparation/cooking methods
- Regional and international cuisine purchase locations.
- Regional and international cuisine discovery methods.
- Interest and experience with select Asian and Latin flavours and ingredients.
Consumer Food Spending Overview
Uncertainty and volatility have been affecting consumer food spending in recent years. This makes the recent development of food spending levelling out a welcome relief. There’s been stability in food spend in the first five months of 2023, and this suggests that the food-at-home/food-away-from-home split may have reached an equilibrium.
Regional and International Cuisine Market: Consumer Perspective
- Despite lots of speculative talk around the buzz of international cuisine helping consumers experience different cultures, there is a disconnect in authenticity. And fusion may be a solution. US consumers appreciate the familiar when it comes to cuisine, and linking this to new flavors/ingredients can help to encourage trial.
- Consumers connect with the familiarity of Latin cuisine, but there’s low awareness of ingredients like elotes and birria. This presents an opportunity. Brands can educate consumers who already trust in their enjoyment of Mexican cuisine, with a taste of these less known ingredients.
- Gen Z consumers see the strength of Asian cuisine in its versatility and functionality. As this consumer base grows their preferences, they present a potential market for Asian cuisine and beyond (see our Marketing to Gen Z Report). In particular, Sriracha is proving popular with 61% of consumers (not just Gen Z), who’ve tried it and would try it again.
Find a complete analysis of opportunities for brands and further consumer statistics in the full report. You may also be interested in our food market research or foodservice market research.
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Expert Analysis
This report, written by leading food and drink analyst Sydney Riebe, provides in-depth commentary and analysis of the regional and international cuisine market in the US.
The opportunity to discover international flavors and ingredients has never been more present, thanks to increased diversity and rapid dissemination of global cuisine information on social media. Flavors that are grounded in the familiar, either format or fusion can help guide leery consumers, while bolder flavor innovation can lead with value adds like functionality and versatility to capture the more curious.
Sydney Riebe
Analyst, US Food & Drink Reports
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top Takeaways
- A little familiarity goes a long way
- Inspiration must reach far and wide
- Versatility is a strength
- Consumer trends
- Gap between connecting culturally and seeking authenticity
- Figure 1: Regional and international cuisine attitudes, 2023
- Consumers look far and wide for inspiration
- Figure 2: Regional and international cuisine discovery methods, 2023
- Emerging Latin flavors can lean on the familiar
- Figure 3: Interest in and experience with Latin flavors and ingredients, 2023
- Consumers find functionality in Asian ingredients
- Figure 4: Interest in and experience with Asian flavors and ingredients, 2023
- Competitive strategies
- Toppers as an introduction to international flavors
- Figure 5: global sauces and seasoning posts, 2023
- LTOs allow for swift engagement with flavor trends
- Figure 6: Limited time offers featuring birria
- Opportunities
- Prepared food can compete with influence of foodservice
- Figure 7: In-store purchase locations, 2023
- Complex flavors can add an element of fun
- Figure 8: Interest and experience in select international flavors, 2023
- Cooking methods and flavors can work in partnership
- Figure 9: Regional and international cooking methods, 2023
- Utilize the beverage aisle for function and flavor
- Figure 10: International cuisine purchase by aisle, by generation, 2023
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State of the Market
- Use common cuisines tastes, ingredients to inspire global exploration
- Figure 11: International cuisine purchase, NET- any consumption, 2023
- Menus and packaged foods fuel emerging cuisine traction
- Figure 12: International cuisine purchase, NET- any consumption, May 2022-23
- Menus central to trial yet discovery begins at many points
- Figure 13: Menu item cuisine type, by time period, 2019-22
- Despite tighter finances, global exploration continues
- Figure 14: Regional and international cuisine attitudes, by financial situation, 2023
- Growth can come from unexpected audiences
- Figure 15: Change in international cuisine purchase, by generation, 2023
- Use common cuisines tastes, ingredients to inspire global exploration
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Market Drivers
- Food spending settles back into new norm
- Figure 16: Consumer spending percentage on food at home vs food away from home, 2022-23
- Inflation fatigue points to opportunity for global foods/drinks
- Figure 17: Food and drink savings strategies, 2023
- Social strategies fuel rapid, yet perhaps fickle discovery
- Figure 18: Regional and international cuisine discovery methods, by social media platform, 2022-23
- Flavor (therefore cuisine) curiosity poised to grow with Gen Z, Millennials
- Figure 19: Flavor trial and attitudes, by age, 2023
- Food spending settles back into new norm
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Product Development – Now – What’s Trending
- Spicy toppers are global gateways
- Figure 20: global sauces and seasoning posts, 2023
- Figure 21: Globally flavored snacks, 2022-23
- Umami makes BFY more satisfying
- Figure 22: umami ingredients on the menu, 2023
- Borderless hot and spicy trends show no signs of cooling
- Figure 23: Interest in spicy international flavors and ingredients, by generation, 2023
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- Figure 24: Spicy international flavors, 2022-23
- Spicy toppers are global gateways
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Product Development – Near – What to Watch For
- Fermented foods can use common function to proliferate
- Figure 25: Fermented/pickled style products, 2022-23
- Convenience + emerging flavors push mature categories forward
- Figure 26: Interest/experience in select international cuisines, 2023
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- Figure 27: Products with international meat/protein flavors, 2022-23
- Fermented foods can use common function to proliferate
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Product Development – Next – What’s in the Pipeline
- Unexpected flavor pairings explore all of the senses
- Figure 28: Interest and experience in select international flavors, 2023
- Figure 29: Products with chamoy as an ingredient, 2022-23
- Are prep methods the next food flavored foods?
- Figure 30: Foods featuring cooking methods
- Unexpected flavor pairings explore all of the senses
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Operators roll dice with social buzz to fast track trends
- Figure 31: Limited time offers featuring birria
- Don’t ignore the thirst for international flavors
- Figure 32: International cuisine purchase by aisle, by generation, 2023
- Figure 33: Non-Alcoholic Beverages with international flavors, 2022-23
- Operators roll dice with social buzz to fast track trends
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The Consumer – Fast Facts
- Fusion is the way to most consumers’ hearts
- The discovery process is wide and diverse
- Grocery shopping and preparation methods are integral parts of the international cuisine experience
- Consumers connect with familiarity of Latin cuisine and the versatility of Asian
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International and Regional Cuisine Attitudes
- Leverage cultural connections with tech
- Figure 34: Regional and international cuisine attitudes, 2023
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- Figure 35: Regional and international cuisine attitudes, by Generation, 2023
- Lead with authenticity to reach male consumers
- Figure 36: Regional and international cuisine attitudes, by Generation and gender, 2023
- Leverage cultural connections with tech
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International and Regional Cooking Methods
- With trending food flavored foods, can cooking methods be far behind?
- Figure 37: Regional and international cooking methods, 2023
- Gen Z to push beyond the days of just grilled or fried
- Figure 38: Regional and international cooking methods, by generation, 2023
- With trending food flavored foods, can cooking methods be far behind?
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International and Regional Cuisine Purchase Locations
- Standout global offerings turn retailers into destinations
- Figure 39: Regional and international cuisine/ingredient purchase locations, 2023
- Think global omni-channel to feed young needs
- Figure 40: Regional and international cuisine/ingredient purchase locations, by generation, 2023
- Move prepared foods beyond rotisserie chicken
- Figure 41: In-store purchase locations, 2023
- Standout global offerings turn retailers into destinations
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International and Regional Cuisine Discovery Methods
- Credibility can be the difference between a trend and a fad…
- Figure 42: Regional and international cuisine discovery methods, 2023
- …but social media has the majority of younger consumers’ attention
- Figure 43: Regional and international cuisine discovery methods , by generation, 2023
- Credibility can be the difference between a trend and a fad…
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Interest in and Experience with Latin Flavors and Ingredients
- Latin flavors are a safe space for innovation
- Figure 44: Interest in and experience with Latin flavors and ingredients, 2023
- Familiarity can be the basis for exploration for older consumers
- Figure 45: experienced and positive future consumption with Latin flavors and ingredients, by generation, 2023
- Latin flavors are a safe space for innovation
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Interest in and Experience with Asian Flavors and Ingredients
- Leverage the versatility of Asian ingredients
- Figure 46: Interest in and experience with Asian flavors and ingredients, 2023
- Gen Z and Asian flavor innovation can grow together
- Figure 47: Experienced and positive future consumption with Asian flavors and ingredients, by generation, 2023
- Leverage the versatility of Asian ingredients
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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