Introducing global flavors and cuisines consumers want often requires a dose of cultural education for both shoppers and investors, according to brands showcasing at Natural Products Expo West.
Specialty restaurants and niche products in stores like Costco are driving consumer interest in regionally specific flavor profiles, Jia Liao, founder of noodle and sauce company Hot Pot Queen noted during a panel discussion at Natural Products Expo West.
Liao attributes the boost in consumer interest in diverse cuisines to increased international travel over the past decade and the pandemic, during which consumers sought to escape while cooking at home.
Before the pandemic, “you go to a Chinese restaurant and it is more like orange chicken, kung pao chicken – now they have hot pot restaurants, dumpling stores, ramen stores and those got very niche,” Liao said.
Consumers’ curiosity not only fueled a demand for authentic flavor profiles and dishes, but also for health benefits from these foods, she noted. Ingredients like ginseng, matcha and citrus are gaining attention, as young consumers seek new flavors and wellness-driven options beyond their comfort zones, Liao added.
Social media also forged an experiential connection between consumers and access to global flavors.
For Ghanian sauce brand, Gloria’s Shito, developing a social media presence that educated consumers on shito, a chili oil condiment, played a key role in introducing UK and US consumers to the region’s cuisine, explained Founder Gloria Allorbi.
Born in Ghana, raised in the UK and living in the US, Allorbi did “not see the customers of Africa,” until the pandemic’s recipe sharing surge on social media, which helped consumers develop a deeper cultural connection through food, she said during the panel.
While hot sauce is nothing new in the US, introducing traditional West African foods and flavors to an unfamiliar audience was a challenge, according to Allorbi.
She emphasized the need for education in overcoming barriers, as American consumers are willing to learn about global flavors like sriracha and shishito peppers.
Allorbi outlined three key strategies for introducing unfamiliar foods:
Positive country of origin perception – Consumers often associate certain countries with quality (e.g. Italy for luxury goods), and presenting Ghanaian cuisine in a way that builds trust is crucial.
Product standardization – Since traditional pairings might not be accessible in the US, allowing consumers to experiment with shito in non-traditional ways (e.g., on pizza, eggs or oatmeal) helps with adoption of the traditional Ghanaian chili oil sauce.
Cultural fusion – Positioning shito as a versatile ingredient that complements different cuisines (Japanese, French, etc.) makes it more approachable.
Convenience is also important when introducing more nuanced, regional flavors. Ready-to-eat or heat-and-eat formats provide consumers with a simple way experience new cuisines – such as West African brand Ayo Foods' sauces and frozen appetizers and meals, like jollof rice (a notoriously difficult-to-prepare but richly flavored dish) and coconut stew.
While regionally diverse Latin foods spark excitement and interest among consumers, educating investors about the value proposition and distinguishing attributes of Caribbean cuisine was a challenge for Kenneth Luna, co-founder of Caribbean sauce and seasoning brand Loisa during the panel.
In the early years of Loisa’s growth, raising capital was difficult because many investors in the US defaulted to associating Latin food with Mexican cuisine, which did not align with Loisa’s focus on flavors from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba, Luna said.
“From an educational standpoint, when we talked to investors, the second they ask” about Mexican mole sauce, “we knew it was game over,” Luna said, emphasizing the challenge of bridging the gap “between the cultural foods that we are trying to sell and whether they’re going to be able to capitalize on it.”
Increased cultural momentum driven by figures like Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny and Caribbean athletes has helped raise awareness, he noted.
Over time, through proactive education and shifting perceptions, the brand has faced fewer hurdles when seeking investment.
Fusing together Caribbean and Vietnamese flavors for hot sauce brand Mr. Bajan was an opportunity to create a healthy condiment and a unique flavor combination, Alyssa Cervantes, the brand’s marketing director, explained during Expo West.
“A lot of people are more adventurous these days. They are allowed to travel again. So they are tasting other dishes when they are overseas and when they come back to the States, they want something that is pretty authentic to what they experienced abroad,” Cervantes said.
Flavor-wise, Mr. Bajan offers two levels of heat and blends Caribbean sweetness with the heat of Vietnamese spice, which brings together consumers who have an affinity for both regions’ cuisines, Cervantes said.
With only eight ingredients, Cervantes points out that the sauce’s natural ingredients align with consumers’ preferences for healthy products.
“You can taste the onion, you can taste the shallot. I think that the all-natural attribution is a big driver on people discovering our product. A lot more health conscious consumers go out of their way to do research,” she added.
