The mix in the melting pot: American mealtime options are as diverse as ever. While Chinese, Italian and Mexican foods remain the "Big Three," other ethnic cuisines are entering the mix. As food varieties expand, manufacturers are awakening to the vast opportunities

Prepared Foods, May, 2005 by William A. Roberts, Jr.

While Hispanic flavors and foods may have mainstream appeal, the Hispanic demographic is powerful and growing. The group is the largest minority in the U.S. and is expected to account for 24% of the country by 2050. Present-day Hispanics hold a sizable degree of purchasing power (see sidebar "La Energia"), estimated at $700 billion by Hispanic Business magazine (Santa Barbara, Calif.). As such, it may be surprising to some that many categories have yet to tap the potential of this group.

Jim Corcoran, vice president of the National Confectioners Association (Vienna, Va.), believes, "There is no bigger opportunity for confectionery manufacturers today (than the Hispanic population)," and certain manufacturers are responding. While Atkinson Candy Co. (Lufkin, Texas) and Pop Rocks Inc. (Falls Church, Va.) have made tentative moves into Hispanic candies, Hershey Foods Corp. (Hershey, Pa.) has introduced a line of sweets targeting the demographic. "With over 40 million Hispanics influencing all areas of American culture--from food to music to fashion--and with purchasing power of $630 billion, the U.S. Hispanic market represents a tremendous growth opportunity," explains Thomas K. Hernquist, senior vice president and chief marketing officer with Hershey.

To appeal to the group, aside from a multi-year marketing agreement with Latina entertainer Thalia Sodi, Hershey has developed a line of products tailored to Hispanic tastes. Expanding its Jolly Rancher line, La Dulceria Thalia features Frutas Enchiladas Spicy Fruit & Chili Lollipops in three flavors: lime, mango and tamarind. La Dulceria Thalia Hershey's Kisses are made with white chocolate and filled with dulce de leche, while the Cajeta Elegancita Candy Bar consists of wafer sticks layered with cajeta-flavored creme and drizzled with milk chocolate.

C What I Mean

The emerging Hispanic influence also is being felt in c-stores, and new products are taking the authenticity seriously. For Lettieri's Inc.'s (Shakopee, Minn.) line of Buenos Amigos empanadas, "We had food experts take a look at it and try to mimic some of the authentic recipes out there currently," explains David Poplau, the company's director of marketing and sales support. "We did a focus group this past summer, which was a half-dozen panels of c-store customers, and it is amazing how sophisticated that customer is. They are demanding that authenticity, rather than a quasi-Mexican type food." Such adventurous gringos are the primary target for Nueva Cocina Foods Inc. (Miami), though the company hopes to attract second- and third-generation Hispanics as well, assures company president Celeste De Armas. "In many ways, Latin food is where Italian foods were 30 years ago," she believes, "where everybody knew Italian: spaghetti, lasagna and pizza. It was almost a staple, but the last 30 years has seen a jump from just the basics to the richness of the cuisine and all the variety. With Latin cuisine, we are at the tip of development or maturation of the cuisine in the U.S. and getting much more sophisticated. It will take a little time, but it will be there."

Cindy Ayers, vice president with Campbell's Kitchen (Campbell Soup Co., Camden, N.J.) shares a similar forecast. "As a basic cuisine becomes more popular in more mainstream venues, chefs at higher-end foodservice operations begin to 'deconstruct' that cuisine, looking for ways to leverage the growing interest of their patrons, while retaining their own uniqueness and creativity. For example, once salsa and tacos and enchiladas were firmly ensconced on America's tables, high-end chefs were using ingredients like chipotle chilies and huitlacoche mushrooms, and menuing dishes from Oaxaca and Veracruz ... but it does take time for these very authentic foods and ingredients to move from restaurant menus to supermarket shelves."

Keep It Real

Whether due to increased travel or more-adventuresome palates, consumers are looking for an authentically ethnic food experience and realize that foreign cuisines are far from homogenous. Chinese food suffices no longer: now, the consumer wants Cantonese, Hunan or Szechwan varieties and, instead of Americanized Italian, the consumer is seeking Sardinian, Ligurian, Bolognese or Tuscan cuisines, which have prompted several recent introductions.

Companies also would be well-advised to draw inspiration from elsewhere in the region, considering the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Various studies have boasted of the cuisine's ability to help lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, decrease cholesterol and increase life expectancy. The foods of Greece and southern Italy have been of interest to researchers, as these locales have a particularly low incidence of chronic diseases and high life-expectancy rates.

The positive health benefits of the Mediterranean diet were not lost on Campbell Away From Home, the foodservice division of Campbell Soup, when looking to expand its award-winning V8 line of soups, chilis and entrees. Amy Galgon, associate marketing manager with Campbell Away From Home, recalls. "In developing the new soups, we leveraged the creativity of our culinary resources, which led us to explore beyond the expected Italian and French into Greek and other Mediterranean cuisines. The Greek Minestrone variety features ingredients consistent with those recommended in the Mediterranean diet--tomatoes, orzo pasta, red lentils and olive oil, and it fits very well into the nutritional profile of the V8 product line."