Canadians looking for more global flavours when it comes to food
New Canadians are starting to drive major changes in the types of cuisines and flavours coming to Canadian frozen food and prepared meal aisles in grocery and convenience stores.
According to Conagra Brands Canada’s research, Canadians are searching for more global flavours and recipes both at home and in the grocery store, a trend that was seen in 2024 and will continue into this new year, 2025.
According to the latest census from Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada, July 2024), Canada’s population is some 41.2 million and holds more than 450 ethnic and cultural origins (Statistics Canada, October 2022). This change in Canada’s demographics has profound implications for the country’s grocery and convenience food industry.
For example, IPSOS Canda (L12M PE, June 2024), finds the multi-cultural cuisine category has grown +24% since 2020 with gen Zs and millennials with kids driving demand in this category, as 60% of Canadians who identify as “multi-cultural” are under 34 years old (IPSOS Canada, L12M PE, June 2024). The top multi-cultural meals prepared at home are Italian (19%), Chinese (14%), Mexican (14%) and Indian (12%) (IPSOS Canada, L12M PE, June 2024).
Conagra Brands Canada has been incorporating for some time now global flavours into its frozen and prepared meals, such as its popular P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Frozen & Sauces, Swanson Chicken Taco Bake and Healthy Choice Chicken, to name a few.
READ: How changing demographics and tastes are shaping Canada's grocery stores
Convenience Store News Canada recently has a chance to speak with Paul Hogan, vice-president and general manager, about these global food flavour trends emerging in Canada
How have Canadians come to embrace global flavours and foods and what is driving this change?
There are a number of factors driving the popularity of global flavours and different food cultures in Canada. The underlying factor is Canada’s population growth . . . which means there’s so many needs and wants for cultural foods and flavours. Canada's rich diversity fosters a vibrant exchange of cultures and cuisines among various groups, including newcomers and long-term residents. We’re also seeing consumers get more inspiration for global recipes on social media. Cooking recipes are the most popular form of influencer-created social media content, according to 51% of worldwide social media users, per a February 2024 report from Snap Inc. and IPG Magna (Unleashing Influence: A Marketers' Guide to Influencer's Success, February 2024). Social media really has the power to connect people from all over the world from all different backgrounds, which opens an exciting new path for food companies in the current world.
What are some of the major flavour and food trends in 2024 and what are you expecting to be major trends in 2025?
Many of the food trends we observed this year reflect a desire for bolder flavours, cultural diversity, convenience and sustainability. We expect these trends to shape the food landscape in 2025:
- Asian flavours: This year we’ve seen notable growth specifically for Indian and Japanese food and we expect this to continue into 2025.
- Spicy Foods: Spicy chips and other bold-flavoured snacks are gaining popularity, driven by social media challenges and a growing appetite for heat. Conagra Brands’ Angie's Boomchickapop Sweet Chili Puffs, a new flavour launched in 2023, has been very popular and won Best New Product award 2024.
- Plant-Based Innovations: Plant-based protein continue to grow in popularity as more people seek sustainable and healthy food options.
- International Snacking: The snack aisle is seeing a transformation with global flavors and pairings of cultural ingredients fused into traditional snack foods like popcorn and chips.
- Convenience: Gen-Zs prioritize convenience when it comes to mealtime. This is why they lead the pack when choosing “ready to heat and eat” meal options at dinner, above any other demographic cohort.
- Sustainability: They prioritize environmentally friendly products, including those with sustainable packaging and ethically sourced ingredients.
- Health and Wellness: There's a strong focus on health and in recent years, foods that promote weight loss. Many gen-Zs and millennials opt for organic, non-GMO, and plant-based foods.
- Local Produce: Supporting local businesses and buying products with the label “Made in Canada” is important to younger consumers as they place more value in ESG factors when making purchasing decisions altogether.
What do younger Canadians (Gen Z and Millennials) look when for purchasing F&B?
Gen Zs and millennials have distinct preferences when it comes to purchasing food, some key factors include:
- Convenience: Gen-Zs prioritize convenience when it comes to mealtime. This is why they lead the pack when choosing “ready to heat and eat” meal options at dinner, above any other demographic cohort.
- Sustainability: They prioritize environmentally friendly products, including those with sustainable packaging and ethically sourced ingredients.
- Health and Wellness: There's a strong focus on health and in recent years, foods that promote weight loss. Many gen-Zs and millennials opt for organic, non-GMO, and plant-based foods.
- Local Produce: Supporting local businesses and buying products with the label “Made in Canada” is important to younger consumers as they place more value in ESG factors when making purchasing decisions altogether.
What are some purchase drivers for Canadian newcomers when it comes to F&B?
Many newcomers look for foods that remind them of home and are familiar to them, which is one of the reasons global flavours have become so popular in Canada. Budget-friendly options are also important along with convenience. This is an exciting space for us to play in. We recently launched Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa in Canada. Swiss Miss is a popular brand in many markets outside of North America, so having it in Canada felt like a natural way to welcome new Canadians.
How are these food and flavour trends impacting convenience store and grocery stores?
There are many things were seeing change in the space; as mentioned previously, with Canada’s population growing and diversifying we are seeing the international aisles expand and foods historically considered ethnic moving into mainstream aisle. Additionally, the number of holiday programs in-store is expanding with greater emphasis on moments like Diwali and Lunar New Year.
Can you tell us a little about Conagra Brands’ innovation process?
Our position is that we study what consumers do, not what they say to identify trends that shape emerging behaviour. We’re driven by data and having a deep understanding of consumer behavior is our foundation. To understand where demand will be, we study social media, emerging technologies, economic forces, environmental concerns, and trends in health and wellness to help predict emerging behaviour trends. This also helps us identify the right brands within our portfolio to support specific drivers, ultimately to craft provocative products that excite consumers.
What will we see from Conagra in the convenience space going forward into 2025 when it comes to food and flavours that Canadians desire?
Conagra continues to focus on snacking, which is highly relevant for the convenience space. Popcorn is eaten all over the world, so we look forward to introducing more new Canadians to the Orville Redenbacher and Angie’s Boomchickapop brands. We recently ran a campaign for Angie’s Boomchickapop in Hindi, which we will expand in the new year. We also have great global brands in our portfolio, like Swiss Miss and Act II. Conagra Brands’ P.F. Chang’s Home Menu, which launched in Canada last year, was among the Top Frozen Innovations in the meals category for the Best New Product award 2024. Continuing to innovate our P.F. Chang’s line to complement the meal experience is one of our priorities in 2025, with new products planned to launch in the Spring.
