Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Segment and data definitions
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Retail ethnic food market experiencing slow down
- The market is fueled by a variety of factors
- Splintered market fed by competition
- The ethnic food consumer
- Innovations and marketing emphasize authenticity
- Growth may hinge on convenience, health, and heightened retailer activity
Insights and Opportunities
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- Snack time
- A focus on health
- Retailers as ambassadors
Inspire Insights
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- Trend 1: A Simple Balance for Health
- Trend 2: Minimize Me
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Ethnic food category sees slowest growth in five years
- Sales and forecast of ethnic food
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- Figure 1: FDMx sales of ethnic food, at current prices, 2006-16
- Figure 2: FDMx sales of ethnic food, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2006-16
- Fan-chart forecast
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- Figure 3: Fan chart forecast of ethnic food, 2006-16
Market Drivers
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- Interest in ethnic food grows
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- Figure 4: Ethnic food consumption in and out of the home, October 2011
- Increasingly diverse population drives ethnic food growth
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- Figure 5: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2006-16
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- Figure 6: Foreign-born population, by period of entry and country of birth, 2005-10
- Prolonged struggling economy shifts consumer spending patterns
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- Figure 7: Change in restaurant usage in past year, by gender, May 2011
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Seeking the skill and convenience of professionals
- Ethnic food at restaurants
- Food trucks take ethnic food on the move
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Mexican/Hispanic food continues to dominate the category, but loses share
- Sales of ethnic food in FDMx
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- Figure 8: FDMx sales of ethnic food, by segment, 2009-11
Segment Performance—Mexican/Hispanic Food
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- Key points
- Mexican/Hispanic food sales remain strong
- Sales and forecast of Mexican/Hispanic food
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- Figure 9: FDMx sales of Mexican/Hispanic food, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Asian Food
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- Key points
- A diversified segment lends to growth, but slowly
- Sales and forecast of Asian food
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- Figure 10: FDMx sales and forecast of Asian food, at current prices, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Indian Food
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- Key points
- Convenience foods may benefit segment the most
- Sales and forecast of Indian food
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- Figure 11: FDMx sales and forecast of Indian food, at current prices, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Other Ethnic Food
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- Key points
- Big gains in segment indicate consumer interest in health and convenience
- Sales and forecast of other ethnic food
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- Figure 12: FDMx sales and forecast of other ethnic food, at current prices, 2006-16
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Snack foods help leading companies maintain lead
- FDMx sales of ethnic food by manufacturer
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- Figure 13: Leading manufacturer FDMx sales of ethnic food in the U.S., 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Mexican/Hispanic Food
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- Key points
- Segment leaders offer varied product lines, but snacks lead
- Manufacturer and brand sales of Mexican/Hispanic food
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- Figure 14: Selected FDMx brand sales of Mexican/Hispanic food, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Asian Food
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- Key points
- Growth in the segment gets no help from leaders
- Manufacturer and brand sales of Asian food
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- Figure 15: Selected FDMx brand sales of Asian food, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Indian Food
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- Key points
- Segment leader goes beyond Indian cuisine
- Manufacturer and brand sales of Indian food
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- Figure 16: Selected FDMx brand sales of Indian food, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Other Ethnic Food
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- Key points
- Mediterranean dominates the “other” segment
- Manufacturer and brand sales of “other” ethnic food
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- Figure 17: Selected FDMx brand sales of other ethnic food, 2010 and 2011
Innovations and Innovators
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- Key points
- Hispanic/Mexican food innovations down while Indian proliferates
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- Figure 18: ethnic food product launches, by cuisine type, 2007-11*
- A shift in the ethnic food landscape
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- Figure 19: Top 10 ethnic food product launches, by share % and by category type, 2007-11*
- Health claims outpace convenience claims
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- Figure 20: Ethnic food product launches, by share % and by top claims, 2007-11*
- Product innovations
- Snacks
- BFY
- Spicy
- Consumer tastes expand
- Convenience
Marketing Strategies
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- Overview of brand landscape
- Brand analysis: Near East
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- Figure 21: Brand analysis of Near East, 2011
- Online initiatives
- TV presence
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- Figure 22: Near East TV ad, “A journey,” 2011
- Other initiatives
- Brand analysis: Kikkoman
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- Figure 23: Brand analysis of Kikkoman, 2011
- Online initiatives
- TV presence
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- Figure 24: Kikkoman TV ad, “Japanese Secret,” 2011
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- Figure 25: Kikkoman TV ad, “Simple and Delicious,” 2011
- Other initiatives
- Brand analysis: Old El Paso
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- Figure 26: Brand analysis of Old El Paso, 2011
- Online initiatives
- TV presence
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- Figure 27: Old El Paso TV ad, “Tacos Tonight,” 2011
- Social media presence
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- Figure 28: Social media presence of selected ethnic food brands, Dec. 23, 2011
Frequency of Ethnic Food Preparation at Home
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- Key points
- Rise in ethnic food preparation
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- Figure 29: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, December 2010 and October 2011
- Home cooks like to mix it up
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- Figure 30: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, October 2011
- Age and presence of children strongest influencers
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- Figure 31: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by key demographics, October 2011
- Affluents prepare most cuisine types with greater frequency
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- Figure 32: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by household income, October 2011
- Importance of multicultural distribution evident in preparation frequency
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- Figure 33: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by region, October 2011
Ethnic Food Found in the Home
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- Key points
- Fresh popular among frequent food preparers
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- Figure 34: Ethnic food found in the home, by age, October 2011
- Highest-income households most likely to have most types of ethnic food
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- Figure 35: Ethnic food found in the home, by household income, October 2011
- Midwesterners could use a little cajoling
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- Figure 36: Ethnic food found in the home, by region, October 2011
Shopping Behavior for Ethnic Meal Preparation at Home
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- Key points
- Scratch cooking down as interest in time-saving, convenience food grows
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- Figure 37: Shopping behavior for ethnic meal preparation at home, by employment, December 2010 vs. October 2011
- Oldest consumers might be reached through pre-made meals
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- Figure 38: Shopping behavior for ethnic meal preparation at home, by age, October 2011
Important Ethnic Food Characteristics
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- Key points
- Authenticity is most important ethnic food characteristic
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- Figure 39: Important ethnic food characteristics, by gender, October 2011
- Oldest respondents prioritize health-related characteristics
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- Figure 40: Important ethnic food characteristics, by age, October 2011
- Highest income households prioritize quality
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- Figure 41: Important ethnic food characteristics, by household income, October 2011
Ethnic Food Usage Outside the Home
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- Key points
- Consumption of ethnic food away from home on the rise
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- Figure 42: Ethnic food consumption frequency away from home, October 2011
- Variety plays a role in eating out
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- Figure 43: Ethnic food consumption frequency away from home, October 2011
- A look at who’s eating ethnic food away from home
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- Figure 44: Ethnic food consumption frequency away from home, by key demographics, October 2011
- Away-from-home consumption varies by household income
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- Figure 45: Ethnic food consumption frequency away from home, by household income, October 2011
- Where consumers eat ethnic food away from home
- Independent restaurants popular with high-frequency diners
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- Figure 46: Where consumers eat ethnic food away from home, by age, October 2011
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- Figure 47: Where consumers eat ethnic food away from home, by household income, October 2011
Drivers for Ethnic Food Usage
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- Key points
- Younger respondents more open to suggestions
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- Figure 48: Drivers for ethnic food usage, by age, October 2011
- Lowest income earners not easily influenced
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- Figure 49: Drivers for ethnic food usage, by household income, October 2011
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Asian respondents are the highest-frequency ethnic food preparers
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- Figure 50: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2011
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- Figure 51: Median household income, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2010
- Asian respondents most likely to cook from scratch
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- Figure 52: Shopping behavior for ethnic meal preparation at home, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2011
- Asian respondents prioritize most food characteristics
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- Figure 53: Important ethnic food characteristics, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2011
- Asian respondents influenced by a variety of factors
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- Figure 54: Drivers for ethnic food usage, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2011
Custom Consumer Groups
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- Key points
- Usage and attitudes of ethnic food, by meal preparation group
- Italian and Mexican food are user friendly, consumers seek help with others
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- Figure 55: Ethnic food consumption frequency at home, October 2011
- Away-from-home Asian cuisine consumption indicates preparation anxiety
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- Figure 56: Ethnic food consumption frequency away from home, October 2011
- Convenient Meals group doesn’t eschew BFY
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- Figure 57: Important ethnic food characteristics, October 2011
- Usage of and attitudes towards ethnic food, by home user frequency
- Encouraging Lows and Mediums to go High
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- Figure 58: Ethnic food consumption frequency at home, by custom groups, October 2011
- Attracting the Medium group with convenience foods
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- Figure 59: Shopping behavior for ethnic meal preparation at home, by custom groups, October 2011
Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Food shopping and meal preparation
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- Figure 60: Food shopping and meal preparation, by gender, October 2011
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- Figure 61: Food shopping and meal preparation, by age, October 2011
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- Figure 62: Food shopping and meal preparation, by household income, October 2011
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- Figure 63: Food shopping and meal preparation, by household size, October 2011
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- Figure 64: Food shopping and meal preparation, by urban area, October 2011
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- Figure 65: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by gender, October 2011
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- Figure 66: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by age, October 2011
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- Figure 67: Frequency of ethnic food preparation at home, by presence of children in household, October 2011
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- Figure 68: Important ethnic food characteristics, by presence of children in household, October 2011
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- Figure 69: Drivers for ethnic food usage, by gender, October 2011
Appendix: Trade Associations
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