Asian is the taste America Craves

Just one look at the skyrocketing popularity of Asian food and it’s easy to see why Asian is the taste America craves:

  • Consumers are seeking bolder and spicier flavors. (NRN)
  • Asian food is customizable, fresh and mobile, three qualities that make it a big draw for time-pressed, health-conscious customers. (R&I)
  • “Chinese” recently rated as the third-most-common take-out food overall. (Food Technology)
  • 40% of young adults call Chinese food their favorite cuisine. (Food Technology)
  • Asian menu items grew 27% at the top 200 chain restaurants in 2004. (Technomic, Inc.)
  • The average number of Asian items on a menu (per chain) grew from 4.8 to 5.3 between 1998 and 2005. (FRI Newsletter)
  • U.S. consumers are more interested in ethnic foods and flavors. “Consumers have become flavor-fanatics,” says Gene Gagliardi, industry consultant. “They’ve drifted from Italian to Mexican to Asian.” (USA Today)