Ethnic foods marketers: do try this at home

Brandweek, Feb 9, 1998 by Stephanie Thompson

We've heard it before and the import marketers are quick to tell us again: ethnic foods are in. Having expanded their palates in restaurants, consumers are now eager to try their hand at preparing exotic delights at home. And that is more than encouraging to the specialty manufacturers at this winter's National Food Distributors Association convention and trade show in Palm Springs, Calif., many of whom are looking to gain wider distribution for their ethnic lines.

"Everyone's getting in on the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern foods trend," said Nassem Ziyad, general manager of Ziyad Brothers Importing, Cicero, Ill., which is now looking to market its Ziyad brand products such as Tahini, chick peas and hummus dip to a mass audience. Ziyad has developed concepts for a full four-foot section of their products to place in standard supermarkets that, based on consumer interest, are increasingly building store-within-a-store concepts for international cuisine. And while competition from major food manufacturers who have been developing a slew of Mediterranean-style products may seem a threat, Ziyad said, "The larger marketers are opening up the public to the concept of ethnic foods and then consumers come looking for us, with the authentic products."

Quaker Oats, one of those larger manufacturers bringing attention to ethnic foods, is expanding its Near East line beyond its traditional couscous with a new four-SKU Creative Grains subline that includes a combination of familiar flavors such as chicken and herbs with Middle East-inspired grains such as bulgur, barley and pearled wheat. Examples include Roasted Garlic with Brown Rice, Pearled Wheat and Bulgur and Creamy Parmesan with White Rice and Pearled Wheat. The new line, which will hit stores this month, will be supported by FSIs, likely in March.

In addition to a rise in Middle Eastern fare, Asian cuisines popularized in restaurants are also on the rise for home preparation. According to Richard Crisfield of JFC International, South San Francisco, Calif., "Albertson's was given a directive to stock sushi-at-home products because sushi consumption is on the rise by upscale yuppies." JFC offers a complete line of ingredients, from wasabi to chopsticks, for simple sushi preparation. Andre Prost, Old Saybrook, Conn., is continuing to offer simple ethnic meal solutions straight from Thailand with a new "perfect everytime" Pad Thai Sauce and new pasta-style-cut Rice Noodles under its A Taste of Thai brand. In addition to featuring ads daily on the Food Network, A Taste of Thai also promotes its recipe ideas on packages and in FSIs, a CD-ROM Cookbook, cooking videos and its own Web site. Epicurean International, Oakland, Calif., is also looking to capitalize on the trend toward Thai with a new five-SKU line of Jasmine rice noodles under its Thai Kitchen brand that come complete with a variety of sauces--Lemon Grass & Chili, Roasted Red Pepper and Fresh Herb & Garlic--for five-minute preparation.

Also taking a page from restaurants, packaged-goods manufactures are noting a need to spice things up with a little hot sauce.

"There has been a tremendous surge in sales of hot sauces," said Tom Murphy, Western Division sales manager for Bri-Al, which markets the Dan.T's Inferno line of fiery sauces.

These aren't for everyone. In some cases, it's the names of the various elixirs that keep the faint of heart away--such as Tampa, Fla.-based Jamaica Hell Fire--and in some cases it's the labels, such as those on the self-proclaimed political incorrect Pepper Girl Brand bottles that feature a variety of buxom beauties illustrating the particular SKU, whether it be "Bad Girls in Heat" or "Sultan's Main Squeeze." For more sensitive folks, Van Nuys, Calif.-based Peppertown USA also produces the same sauces under the Peppertown USA brand with more discreet bottles.

But for all those who might be afraid, there are plenty who are braving the heat and the growing consumer taste for hot sauce is also evident in the appearance of McIlhenny's Tabasco name on a variety of products that have licensed the famed brand to spice up sales. For example, Covington, La.-based Shoda USA has licensed the Tabasco name for its Spanish olives and spicy soy sauce, which will be featured in ads in such West Coast magazines as Sunset this fall, and Heinz U.S.A. is successfully marketing its Hot Ketchup with the Tabasco logo.

Taking "all natural" to new heights, Lifestyle Beverage, founded by a Park Forest, Ill., beer wholesaler, is expanding Above Ali Soda, claimed to be the first line of whole grain soda made with barley, all five flavors of which are lightly carbonated and filled with essential vitamins and minerals and 19 amino acids. The soda, in sixpacks; of 12-oz. cans, was developed by a former Heileman brewmaster and launched early last fall in natural-foods grocers, but now is entering general-market players like Osco and Walgreen's.

On the water front, Mississauga, Ontario-based Echo Springs has developed a unique stand up pouch for single-serve waters that come in 12-pack boxes and are intended for school lunches. The tear-tab design, also used for milk in Canada, will be available in the U.S. in April or May.