Ethnic variety spices sales

When I got out of college to pursue an advertising career there was a big tumult over placing minorities in commercials. It was not racism per se (I hope not anyway), but advertising agencies were afraid to pitch the client a commercial with minority actors for fear of having their work shot down.

Things have changed. In most groups of people in commercials today, you'll find a white person, a black person, an Asian, and a Hispanic. Are commercial makers trying to correct evils of the past? Hell no. They want to sell products and ethnicity is in.

More money is spent out for out-of-home eating in ethnic restaurants than in-home, but frozen foods are moving more aggressively to counter that trend than any other section of the supermarket. Frozen food sections are looking to capture this market with foods that have an ethnic feeling about them. Many stores are casting their net by offering Calzones (made by Sara Lee!), Chinese/Japanese entrees, made by Uncle Ben's (Teriyaki Bowls), Yu Sing (made by Michelinas) and scads of bagel-type products. And as for Tex-Mex, a hybrid of Mexican food, tortillas have now become a staple in every market.

Fusion Frozen*

The frozen, classic bagel has peaked somewhat, but people are demanding bagels in new forms and varieties. Chocolate chip, cinnamon and sugar, and various berry flavors still keep the category interesting. Bagel pizzas and other hybrids are getting good play They're part of the vast new category called fusion foods - blends of various types of cultures.

Hispanics, black, Asians-virtually all ethnic groups-have their own buying habits, but all groups are being homogenized to a certain extent-including Anglo shoppers, who are always in search of something new and different. Fusion foods are meldings of different cultures in one product, or different food types in one product, that appeal across ethnic lines.

Tex-Mex is still on the cutting edge. Quesadillas are going to be the next breakthrough product. They are essentially Tex-Mex pizzas, but they can be adapted for breakfast or lunch.

Teriyaki Chicken and Chicken Biryani are two of the varieties in the Ethnic Gourmet line of frozen entrees manufactured by Ethnic Gourmet Foods Inc. of Framingham, Mass.

Ethnic entrees are no longer considered specialty items, but mass market items. Italian foods are the most popular, Mexican, and Chinese are next in line. Retailers must recognize the people they service now are different from 10 years ago. They have to offer products and services to meet those needs.

It's Gotta Be Authentic

The approach to marketing and purchasing ethnic cuisine has drastically changed over the years. The buzzword for massproduced ethnic foods used to be "bland," but no more. Americans' consumption of chili peppers has doubled to almost six pounds per year. Customers don't want bland any more. They want increased intensity. Hot and spicy foods are considered different and adventurous, exciting and stimulating. Americans are craving flavor, which only warehouse stores and specialty outlets seem to be supplying.

Caribbean cooking is also set to be a hot item. Caribbean cooking is the essence of fusion food, combining the essence of Spanish, Dutch, French, British, and Danish cooking (all at one time settled in the islands). Africans, Indians, and Chinese who worked as slaves also added their own culinary flair.

Fruit flavors are big in all food categories, and mango is one of the hottest flavors in a variety of products. Stores offering premarinated frozen meats with added fruit flavors such as apricot, mango, apple, and raspberry are reporting strong sales.

The public now equates ethnic foods, spices and seasonings with healthy eating. Chili peppers, garlic, ginger, cloves, and others, have been touted for their health benefits.

Don't miss out on the Hispanic Boom. By the year 2005, Hispanics will surpass blacks as the nation's largest minority group, according to U.S. Census Bureau projections. Also, the U.S. is now the fifth largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Goya, a Hispanic foods manufacturer originally targeted all Hispanics but say their products' appeal is spreading rapidly to non-Hispanics. They also note that convenience is key, as is taste.

Now can anyone tell me where I can get a good frozen knish (potato pie) in New Mexico?