Article

Customization, versatility driving the Asian food segment

Highly versatile and easily customizable, the Asian food segment is a perfect segue for East-meets-West flavor mashups that consumers of all ages will love.

November 12, 2014

By Erin Hargis, Food IQ insights 

According to the Pew Research Center, Asian Americans are the highest-income, best-educated, and fastest-growing racial group in the US. Asians now make up the largest share of recent immigrants. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Asian cuisine has been increasing its presence on the menu in all segments; from the quick-serve drive-thru, to upscale, truly authentic cuisine.

Americans have been exposed to Asian cuisine in the form of traditional, local, mom-and-pop style restaurants for years. Thanks to technology and interest in trying new flavors, the awareness and interest in global cuisine has skyrocketed. Consumers are craving spicy sweet and everything authentic and their focus on authenticity and freshness has put Asian cuisine in the spotlight.  

“Competition for market share is the highest it has ever been, therefore operators are looking for new flavors and ideas more than ever," said Chef Brad Borchardt, director of Culinary for Food IQ.

This is directly in line with recent insight from Mintel, which predicted that Asia’s growing sphere of cultural and commercial influence will increasingly blur the lines between the East and West in the coming years. These blurred lines will create opportunities for Eastern-inspired innovation as consumers become more familiar with Asian products, services and lifestyles.

Familiar platform, new flavors

This East-meets-West flavor mashup has proved successful when introducing new, foreign flavors to consumers on traditional, familiar platforms. For example, Thai-inspired offerings like ginger-soy vinaigrettes and sweet chile dipping sauces are dazzling palates of all demographics.

Exploring new Asian offerings can be good for business: According to Technomic, 73 percent of consumers say that if they try a menu item with a new, innovative flavor and enjoy their experience, they are more than likely to return to the establishment.

The health factor

For measure, Asian food is traditionally vegetable heavy and contains raw and fermented ingredients, making it healthier than other cuisines.

“Raw foods are healthy, and fermented ingredients are full of living, healthy bacteria that fortify the system,” Borchardt said. Even though “westernized” Asian dishes are sometimes full of MSG and sodium, the health halo surrounding the Asian cuisine is appealing to consumers.

According to Chef Borchardt, the winner of the health-halo certificate goes to Southeast Asian and Japanese Cuisine.

“When you get a bowl of beef noodle soup in Vietnam (pho) you get a huge plate of fresh green herbs, freshly chopped chiles, fresh lime, and fresh mung bean sprouts. Everything is fresh and bright. In their culture, green is good," he said.

The popularity of Asian cuisine has been translated especially to the fast casual segment. According to a 2013 Technomic report, fast casual Asian/noodle restaurants experienced an impressive gain of 15.6 percent. Examples include Chipotle's fledgling ShopHouse concept and Panda Express. 

A focus on fresh ingredients and a variety of flavors means diners can pick and choose how they want their meal. Customization is arguably the fastest growing consumer trend, especially with millennials, whose pocket books are coveted by foodservice operators of all segments.

With a growing interest in global flavors and a craving for Asian offerings, it’s easy to understand why the Asian food segment is growing so quickly. By highlighting the healthy aspects and allowing for customization, consumers can explore new tastes while satisfying their appetites and their wallets.

Erin Hargis covers food and flavor trends from a consumer perspective for Food IQ's insights team. 

Photo provided by Wikimedia.