Food is one of the best ways to experience a different culture, and an easy way to do so can be a quick trip to the frozen food section in any supermarket. In this globalized world, it is easy to find Chinese Dumplings, Mexican Burritos, Italian Pizzas, and even Norwegian Meatballs readily available in many stores. Frozen food products have become a staple in many households, especially in fast-paced cities where people work long hours and often do not have time to cook; it is one of the fastest-growing categories in the food industry.

According to The Business Research Company’s forecast, the global ethnic food market is expected to grow to $77.55 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 10.2%. The key factors driving this astonishing growth rate in the ethnic food market are primarily due to increases in immigration, including educational purposes, employment opportunities, and several other factors. The US accounts for over 50% of the global ethnic food consumption, while Europe accounts for a revenue share of over 30% of the worldwide market based on information from 2021. The nostalgic feelings and craving for the taste of food from home are reflected in the growth of ethnic food consumption and the sales of ready-to-eat frozen food products. According to Technavio, the frozen ready-to-eat meal market is expected to reach US $37.98 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.78% growth rate. This is especially true in urban areas where more than 55% of the world’s population lives. Advanced cold chain technology, storage, and logistics improved the quality of reheated frozen food products and increased nutritional and food safety standards. Ethnic cuisines are made with better tasting using modern technology, and the varieties are limitless. The challenge lies in the quality of automated food production, storage, and logistics and how companies can create unique flavors and experiences that stand out from their competitors.

The growing migration of Asian people to many different nations is propelling the Ethnic Food market growth; Asian cuisines accounted for the largest revenue share of around 40% in 2021. Italian Cuisine remains popular, highlighting two of the world’s most popular food items, Pizza and Pasta. Mexican cuisines charm the world with exciting spices and exotic flavors, and with American market support, the growth rate for Mexican cuisines is reaching 8.8% annually. According to the Specialty Food Association, Chinese cuisines accounted for 32% of Asian-inspired foods sales in the United States in 2021, followed by Indian cuisines in the Ethnic Food Market.

The broad and flavorful world of ethnic cuisines packaged into various ready-to-eat and carbohydrate-based, convenient, and delicious meals has become very popular. These items include Chinese-style Fried Rice, Japanese Style Fried Noodles, Pasta, and Paratha. Snacks such as Dumplings, Turnovers, and Dim Sums, including Shumai, Bao, and Meatballs, are now widely consumed. People worldwide are embracing fast and easy food to prepare and cater to their modern-day lifestyles.

In this fast-paced business world, food production companies focus on the Millennials and are concurrently preparing products and marketing campaigns to attract Gen Z online.

Gen Z were born in the age of the Internet and are very active on social media; they grew up in a fast-changing and open world, making them culturally inclusive and concerned about a wide range of global issues. TikTok has more than 600 million active Gen Z users every month, and those users are more likely to make a purchase based on what is trending on TikTok than most other social media platforms. This is why many companies and food brands are learning to engage with the Gen Z community on TikTok.

An outstanding example is Chipotle Mexican Grill, an American fast-casual Mexican restaurant that created the #ChipotleLidFlip challenge on TikTok. This campaign has resulted in over 110 thousand contestants and generated video content contributing to a historically high online sales revenue. This event also combined a guacamole giveaway and dance challenge, recording a record high of over 1 billion views. Another example of this phenomenon is “Little Moon,”; a mochi ice-cream company that created and posted reels of their friendly business practices, increasing sales by over 700% in a week.

These examples have the common features of being authentic, fun, and interactive. They all look to take their consumers to the next level of interaction with social media influencers and integrate social issues into marketing activities like the fudge brand Gushers. These are new, innovative, and effective ways to approach Gen Z and increase exposure to your branding and products.

ANKO has many years of experience expanding the ethnic food market and various professional equipment. We can help you efficiently create competitive and delicious products suited for the ethnic frozen food market. Please feel free to contact us anytime; our professional consultants will gladly assist you.