Supermarket Perimeter - February 2022 - 14

more Caribbean jerk chicken offerings in 2022. When
it comes to Mexican foods, look for foods that are
particular to specific regions of the country to take
a step forward this year in US channels, Badaracco
said. Regional comfort foods in particular could be
in high demand. Mexican street food should also be
popular. A grocery deli, Badaracco said, could jump
on the bandwagon with a roasted corn and black
bean street corn salad.
Sales of grillers and smokers
increased 39% from April
2020 to February 2021.
Source: The NPD Group
Perimeter implications
Supermarkets that want to tap into the resurgent
demand for international foods would be wise
to look to their fresh perimeter departments,
Webster said.
" I think offering a range of prepared options or
partially prepared in the form of kits is a great way
for most grocery stores to leverage this shift in
behavior, " Webster said. " With the kits, it's possible to
provide additional background and information on
the dishes so consumers feel even more connected
to what they are eating. "
While departments like deli-prepared, meat and
seafood could benefit from providing such meal
options, other departments, like fresh produce, could
have a harder time.
" With produce, it becomes a bit trickier given
the supply issues that will likely continue well
through 2024, " Webster said. " But any exotic or
unfamiliar produce should come with some context,
information or recommendations on use. "
Regardless of the category, if it's possible, grocery
stores should engage consumers much in the same
way restaurants chefs have done so with online
classes/ tutorials about new foods and flavors
that allow the stores to showcase what's available
throughout the store and how to use it.
The ability to travel (or at least the possibility of
doing so) definitely impacts consumer interest in
different food and food cultures, Webster said.
Travel cravings can often be satisfied by food
experiences, so the two are very closely tied. The
travel restrictions over the past two years, she said,
refocused interest on domestic food cultures (e.g.
black foodways and indigenous foods, which also
gained greater interest due to the social justice
movement). But as travel abroad increasingly
becomes a possibility, world cuisine interest will
continue to grow. " Though there are still some
significant challenges to innovation in food going
14 - FEBRUARY 2022
supermarketperimeter.com
Foreign
adventures
Unique twists on
traditional and
familiar flavors
Virtual " traveling "
through the
tastebuds
Tapping into brand
power to share
exotic cuisines
African and
Mediterranean
to the fore
Adherence of
the glazes or
powdered sugar
Source: 2022 trends list,
KeHE Distributors
into 2022 - labor shortages, supply issues, inflation
- I think 2022 will be the year the prepared foods
(foodservice, fresh grocery, etc.) really start to get
their feet under them, Webster said. " Though the
pandemic could easily raise its ugly head again, I
think increased vaccination rates and just a general
sense that this is something we'll need to learn to
live with will allow more consumers to get back to
behavior that was abandoned when the pandemic
began which will, in turn, allow operators to get back to
more significant experimentation. "
Global BBQ
Many Americans who couldn't travel via air during
the pandemic went camping instead, and it's now
starting to manifest itself in food choices, Badaracco
said. Grills that got fired up in record numbers at
campsites over the nation got BBQ on Americans'
minds (even more than usual), and now we want
exotic takes on the old favorite.
Badaracco said that should translate to strong
demand for Mexican barbacoa, Argentinian asada,
Indian tandoor, Korean gogi gui, African braai,
Caribbean jerk chicken and many others.
" Barbecue is super approachable for Americans,
but at the same time, this is something new. "
In 2022, Americans are coming out of their
psychological cocoons, Badaracco said, and that's
showing up in the foods they're gravitating towards.
And more many, that means more international
experimentation.
" People are vaccinated, now they're getting
boosters, the death numbers are going down, the
recession is over, " she said. " Confidence has started
coming back. The comfort food trend is over. "
Melville, N.Y.-based Comax Flavors listed barbecue
in its 2022 flavor trends. Global barbecue-flavored food
and beverage launches grew 19% from 2015 to 2019,
according to Innova Market Insights. Comax's new BBQ
collection includes classic barbecue, smoky bourbon
barbecue and Korean barbecue. The flavors may be
used in a variety of applications, including animalbased
protein and plant-based alternatives, seasonings,
coatings, sauces, marinades and snacks.
JOSHUA RESNICK, EZUME IMAGES, ALLEKO, GINO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Supermarket Perimeter - February 2022

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