More than ever, big brands make Latino flavors mainstream

November 22, 2012
Strolling the aisles of your local supermarket, you can dig into a bag of potato chips flavored with chile, lime and Tapatio hot sauce , or if you’re in the mood for a burrito, stop by your nearest Taco Bell or Chipotle to get your fix. And with the news that McDonald’s has just added café con leche to its popular McCafé line of offerings in New York City metro-area and Miami stores, it’s clearer than ever that Latinos can get a taste of home in fast food restaurants and grocery stores, while simultaneously exposing American taste buds to Latin products.

“The Hispanization of the American palate has been a strong trend for the past five years,” says Stephen Palacios, executive vice president at consulting and marketing research company Added Value Cheskin. Citing research by the Food Marketing Institute, Palacios says that the trend has steadily gained value in the mainstream market and hasn’t yet reached its peak.

“Chipotle is one of the most popular quick service restaurants to date – its IPO was one of the most successful in that sector, perhaps ever,” notes Palacios. “That success is clear evidence of the fact that all across America, there’s been a cultivation and preference for Latino flavors and we’re seeing that more than ever with mainstream brand offerings.”

With a collective purchasing power of $1.2 trillion dollars, Latino consumers have earned the attention of big box stores, brands and restaurants. Add to that hefty figure the fact that U.S. Latino shoppers make an average of 26 grocery store trips per month – three times greater than the general U.S. shopper, according to the most recent figures published the Food Marketing Institute – there’s understandable justification for those boxes of cinnamon churro cereal and cases of lime-infused beer in the supermarket.

“The Hispanization of the American palate has been a strong trend for the past five years,” says Stephen Palacios, executive vice president at consulting and marketing research company Added Value Cheskin. Citing research by the Food Marketing Institute, Palacios says that the trend has steadily gained value in the mainstream market and hasn’t yet reached its peak.

“Chipotle is one of the most popular quick service restaurants to date – its IPO was one of the most successful in that sector, perhaps ever,” notes Palacios. “That success is clear evidence of the fact that all across America, there’s been a cultivation and preference for Latino flavors and we’re seeing that more than ever with mainstream brand offerings.”

With a collective purchasing power of $1.2 trillion dollars, Latino consumers have earned the attention of big box stores, brands and restaurants. Add to that hefty figure the fact that U.S. Latino shoppers make an average of 26 grocery store trips per month – three times greater than the general U.S. shopper, according to the most recent figures published the Food Marketing Institute – there’s understandable justification for those boxes of cinnamon churro cereal and cases of lime-infused beer in the supermarket.

Doritos amped up the flavor with lime and chile dusted chips, which it introduced to the U.S. market in 2012

Tataptio partnered up with Frito-Lay in a new line of snack products including Ruffles potato chips in 2011.

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