Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Established Western brands need to adapt to a changing demographic landscape
- ‘Authenticity’ is important for Canadians when considering ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure 1: Attitudes related to authenticity in ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
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- Figure 2: Chocolate hawthorn sticks (China), September 2015 and milk flavoured wafer white chocolate (China), June 2015
- Many consumers see conventional mealtime options as ‘monotonous’
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- Figure: 3: Percent of consumers who agree ethnic-inspired dishes help break the monotony at mealtime (any agree), by presence of children, November 2015
- The opportunities
- Less used yet highly demanded foods offer an opportunity to differentiate
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- Figure: 4: Ethnic-inspired foods have not tried but interested in trying, November 2015
- Areas of exposure for ethnic-inspired foods among Canadians
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- Figure: 5: Attitudes towards eating ethnic-inspired foods (any agree), November 2015
- Foreign-born consumers are open to ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure: 6: Attitudes towards eating ethnic-inspired foods, foreign-born consumers vs those born in Canada (any agree), November 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Canada’s growth supported by immigration
- Inflation at grocery impacting Canadians
Market Factors
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- Immigration fuelling Canada’s population growth
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- Figure 7: Foreign-born share of population by G8 country and Australia
- Canada is experiencing a “baby boomlet”
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- Figure 8: Projected trends in the age structure of the Canadian population, 2014-19
- Canadians feeling the pinch of inflation at grocery
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- Figure 9: Historical Canadian/US currency rate comparisons, December 2011-December 2015
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Retailers adapting to service evolving consumer base
- Asia can be a source of inspiration for innovation
What’s Working?
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- Move by retailers to address demands of foreign-born Canadians
What’s Struggling?
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- Challenges ahead for ‘conventional’ banners
What’s Next?
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- Asia as inspiration for flavour innovation
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- Figure 10: Top cooking sauce flavours launched in Asia Pacific, 2011-15 combined
- Figure 11: Campbell’s Everyday Gourmet Soup (Canada), March 2014
- Making ethnic-inspired foods relatable to Canadians
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- Figure 12: Woolworths’ Kylie Kwong sauces and meal kits (Australia), 2015
- Figure 13: Compliments presents Jamie Oliver Discovers Canada, Indian Style Dip, December 2013 and Piri Piri Seasoning (Canada), January 2014
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- Figure 14: President’s Choice Butter Chicken Lasagne (Canada), December 2012
- Figure 15: President’s Choice World Flavours of Tex-Mex Beef Thin Crust Pizza (Canada), November 2015 and Lasagne, December 2013
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Ethnic-inspired foods are a means for exploration
- Opportunity to leverage African and Filipino cuisines
- Fusion supports creativity and palatability
Canadians’ Perceptions of Ethnic Foods
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- Canadians see ethnic-inspired foods as breaking the monotony at mealtime
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- Figure 16: Attitudes towards eating ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
- Figure 17: VH Steamers green curry chicken (Canada), March 2012 and sweet and spicy dumplings, April 2013
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- Figure 18: Chapman’s Amaretto Biscotti Gelato and Sour Cherry Tango Gelato (Canada), September 2015
- Reasons why Canadians eat ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure 19: Reasons for eating ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
- Canadians look for authenticity
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- Figure 20: Attitudes related to authenticity in ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
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- Figure 21: Innocent noodle pot: Malaysian rendang and Japanese ramen (UK), June 2014
- Figure 22: Spicy and creamy Indonesian stew (Netherlands), Feb 2014
Avenues for Exposure of Ethnic-inspired Dishes
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- Friends and family influence exposure to ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure 23: Agreement with the notion that friends and family influence consumers to try ethnic-inspired foods, by age, November 2015
- Restaurants are a path to trying ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure 24: Avenues and barriers to trying/eating ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
- Television holds limited influence over consumption habits around ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure 25: Impact of television on trying new recipe as a reason for eating ethnic-inspired foods, mothers vs overall population, November 2015
- Leverage ethnic food exposure in the kitchen
Interest in Ethnic Food Options
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- Interest in ethnic-inspired foods is on the rise
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- Figure 26: Agreement with being more interested in trying ethnic-inspired foods now compared to a few years ago, by age, November 2015
- Canadians are open to ‘fusion’ foods
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- Figure 27: Interest in ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
- Convenience in ethnic-inspired foods is a consideration for a third of consumers
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- Figure 28: Interest in convenience-oriented ethnic-inspired food options, by age, November 2015
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- Figure 29: Spicy Thai Chicken Skewers & Sweet Chili Dip Protinis (Canada), November 2014 and Sweet Thai Chili Glazed Roasted Chicken Protinis, October 2013
Usage and Interest in Specific Ethnic Foods and Flavours
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- General openness across ethnic-inspired food types
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- Figure 30: Usage or interest in eating ethnic-inspired foods, November 2015
- African and Southeast Asian foods represent a growth opportunity
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- Figure 31: Ethnic-inspired foods consumers have not eaten but are interested in trying, November 2015
- Garlic, BBQ and savoury are the most ‘liked’ flavours
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- Figure 32: Popularity of ethnic-inspired food flavours, November 2015
- Men gravitate towards spicy flavours, while women prefer sweet
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- Figure 33: Popularity of ethnic-inspired food flavours, by gender, November 2015
- Age’s impact on flavour preferences
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- Figure 34: Popularity of flavours in select ethnic-inspired food, over-65s vs overall population, November 2015
Profiles of Population Segments
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- Those born outside of Canada have different priorities related to ethnic-inspired foods
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- Figure 35: Attitudes towards ethnic inspired foods, foreign-born consumers vs those born in Canada, November 2015
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- Figure 36: KitKat Orange Chocolate Wafer Bar (Canada), February 2015
- Chinese Canadians generally more accepting of ethnic-inspired cuisines
- Consumers in BC more open to ethnic-inspired dishes
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- Figure 37: Attitudes towards ethnic-inspired foods, BC vs overall population, November 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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