bake - September 2014 - PAN38

Flavor Trends in
America
One key to capitalizing on new
opportunities in the bakery lies in
understanding the fl avor preferences
of your customers.
Of note, fl avors like strawberry
and mango are widely popular with
US Hispanics of Mexican origin
because those two fruit crops are
prevalent in Mexico.
Guava is very popular for the
same reason among Cubans and in
El Salvador.
Popular flavors can vary by
Hispanic country of origin, so it can
prove benefi cial to know where the
customers who shop your bakeries
originate.
POPULAR FLAVORS BY
COUNTRY
Mexico: strawberry, mango,
pineapple, garlic, onion, chili
powder, oregano, cinnamon, anise
Puerto Rico: papaya, guava,
plantains, lime, oregano
El Salvador: mango, pineapple,
banana, plantains, yucca, guava
Cuba: guava, citrus, plantains,
raisins, cinnamon
KNOWING YOUR CUSTOMERS
As Hispanics make up a growing
share of the younger generations, this
population shift will have a major
impact on the country's eating behaviors
over the next fi ve years, according
to a study by The NPD Group.
NPD's research suggests
Hispanics, including those born in
the US, will continue to prepare and
cook traditional Hispanic foods.
The consumption of Hispanic
foods is forecast to increase by 7
percent over the next fi ve years among
Hispanic Millennials.
This group's preference is also
for foods that are fresh and natural.
Whole grains, protein, and low in
sodium will be important to younger
groups now and in the coming years.
"Generation Z, Millennials, and
Hispanics will be the growth drivers
of this country's eating patterns over
the next fi ve years," says Darren Seifer,
NPD food and beverage industry
analyst. "This is a pivotal time for
manufacturers and retailers to gain
their favor as many of their habits
are being formed now. Most are still
at a life stage when their behaviors
are fl exible and they are receptive."
Hispanic flavors, in particular,
moving more into mainstream food
channels, positioning Hispanic bakery
products and other fresh foods for
major growth.
More than ever, consumers crave
diversity and dimension.
Widespread acceptance of
nontraditional flavor pairings is
growing, with such complex combinations
as Sriracha and salted caramel
surging in popularity over the past
year.
A rise in international cuisines
combined with the prevalence of
social media is stoking a hunger
for fl avor synergy that has trickled
into mainstream applications.
FLAVOR TRENDS
A recent report from Technomic
shows that more of today's consumers
than those polled in 2009 are interested
in nearly all of the basic fl avor
profi les and combinations measured,
with sweet and tangy pairings experiencing
higher growth in demand
than other fl avor fusions.
Millennials are driving the movement,
with a greater portion of individuals
ages 18 to 24 than those 35
and older reporting an interest in new
38 SEPTEMBER 14 | PANADERIA
bake - September 2014

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