Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/173967
Other Shopping Habits and Food Interests of Specialty Food Consumers PURCHASES OF SPECIAL-INTEREST FOODS (category definitions below) PURCHASES OF INTERNATIONAL/ ETHNIC FOODS % Italian Mexican Asian—Chinese Greek Asian—other than Chinese (e.g., Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese) Regional American (e.g., Cajun, Southern) Spanish Mediterranean Hispanic—other than Mexican (e.g., Central or South American) Indian French Middle Eastern Eastern European African Other None of the above Net Hispanic/Mexican Net Asian 55 52 36 31 30 24 21 20 18 14 14 12 8 5 2 12 58 48 Base: 1,486 adults aged 18+ with internet access who purchase specialty foods SOURCE: MINTEL Nearly 90 percent of specialty food consumers buy international and/or ethnic foods, with the average consumer purchasing products from 3.4 of the 14 cuisines. Not surprisingly, Italian and Mexican are the most frequently bought, as these cuisines have become common on the American table. Greek has jumped in popularity, possibly due to the booming sales of Greek yogurt. % Specialty Food Consumers All-Natural 57 Organic 52 Locally Sourced 47 Artisanal 33 Eco-friendly 28 Fair Trade 25 Sustainable 24 Ethical 23 Non-GMO 21 Kosher/Halal 16 % Non-Specialty Food Consumers 18 16 15 3 10 5 4 4 5 5 Base: 2,000 internet users aged 18+ SOURCE: MINTEL Specialty food consumers are much more conscious of food attributes and claims. All-natural is the most significant, followed by organic and locally sourced. Specialty food consumers are more than three times as likely to buy locally sourced products and four times more likely to seek out non-GMO foods. DEFINITIONS All-Natural: Free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives Artisanal: Hand-crafted, made in small batches and with high-quality ingredients and traditional techniques Eco-friendly: Made with recyclable packaging and/or with the minimum of packaging necessary Ethical: Produced with the welfare of animals and people in mind Fair Trade: Third-party certification of products made with ingredients that take into consideration the health and welfare of workers and farmers Kosher/Halal: Products that align with religious dietary laws of observant Jews and Muslims, respectively Locally Sourced: Made with ingredients/materials from within 200 miles of the geographic location where the foods are sold at retail Non-GMO: Free of genetically modified organisms Organic: Certification meeting the USDA National Organic Program specifications Sustainable: Made with ingredients, packaging and/ or processes that have minimal impact on living creatures and the environment