Explore the World Without Leaving Your Home

Travel Asia and Mexico Right From Your Dinner Table

2020 didn’t start off how all of us thought it would. I had a trip planned to Sydney, but with the wildfires in much of Australia, we decided to postpone the holiday until things “got back to normal.” Then came COVID-19, and much of the country shut down. It not only changed the way that we travel, but it changed the way that we cook and bake at home. Welcome to the new “normal.”

I recently took part in a webinar put on by the Specialty Food Association, which discussed global and regional flavors in foodservice. When respondents were asked what food related activities they had participated in since shelter in place restrictions were put forward, most said the typical “baking from scratch, eating comfort food, and ordering out”.

However, when the SFA dug deeper, they started to uncover that more and more people are experimenting and trying to make more regional cuisines in their own kitchen – especially Gen Z and Millennials – with almost 75% of them attempting to whip up samosas or kimchi. Across the board, appetizers, entrees, deserts and cocktails are all seeing a rise in ethnic influences that help people feel like they are leaving their home quarantine and having a little escape.

Cooking ethnic dishes seems daunting to some. Having to purchase spices that you don’t have when opening up your pantry can be costly – and a risk if you don’t like the recipe. But stepping out of your comfort zone and your basic recipe repertoire can add some excitement and interest to your nightly meal. A way to travel and explore the world without leaving the safety your own home.

Meal Kits for Cultured Home Enjoyment

Consumers want to elevate their home dining experience. Wanda, a company out of the UK, has seized on the opportunity to bring the excitement, color and vibrancy of international cuisines (while you’re unable to physically travel) to your table. The first box to launch is MEXICO. Inside your Wanda box you will discover authentic Mexican ingredients to use for your meal as well as a syrup for your cocktail and chili salt to coat your glass for an extra kick.

To even further the travel-like experience, Wanda provides two cocktail glasses, a Mexican salsa bowl, a cake plate, two linen napkins, a vase with dried flowers and a seagrass wall hanging to bring the complete Mexican evening together. Wanda has even put together a ready-made playlist that will provide the soundtrack for your evening until the early hours. Your dining room will be turned into a Puerto Vallarta restaurante in no time.

“Peruse your local Target and you will find Locale Crate’s Beef Bulgogi Bowls in the fresh section and The Food Network’s Chicken Pad Thai in the shelf stable aisle.”

The idea of Wanda was born out of many trends we are seeing. Most people are uncomfortable with traveling at this time. And consumers are getting bored with pizza and burgers - they are craving more ethnic flavors like Mexican and Asian. They’re also able to experiment with ethnic cuisine at a lower financial investment. And, part of Wanda’s profits go to the World Food Programme, which addresses hunger related community outreach.

While Wanda makes your meal a full-blown travel experience, many meal kits that are sold at retail and for home delivery have added more ethnic spices and flavors to their meals as well.

Peruse your local Target and you will find Locale Crate’s Beef Bulgogi Bowls in the fresh section and The Food Network’s Chicken Pad Thai in the shelf stable aisle. In addition, you can partake in meal subscription services like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron. Both of these services have paid close attention to what is happening in foodservice and carrying these global cues over to their meal kits.

What does this mean for CPG?

Brands shouldn’t wait for the reopening of the country to be introducing ethnic foods or flavors to consumers. Brands should be innovating and capitalizing on it now. 41% of Millennials will be looking for global flavors and will continue to be a key target - they are more likely to experiment with their meal prep and plan to into the future.

Whether it’s a soup, frozen appetizer, entrée, premade cocktail or tea, food and beverage companies should take a look at what is trending from a regional, flavor and spice perspective and see what innovation they could be putting forward to meet consumer wants and needs. What can be done to fill the gap that currently exists in the marketplace?

Pay attention to what is happening with food service – because that’s where many of the mainstream trends start. Take your cauliflower bites and coat them in a harissa sauce. Toss your fries with sumac. Nashville Hot chicken has seen a growth rate of over 700% in the last four years – what else could be Nashville Hot?

While it’s difficult at this time to travel internationally, use your kitchen to begin your global journey.