Sauces and marinades address consumers' desire for ethnic flavors

A new Mintel report titled "Cooking Sauces, Marinades, and Dressings -- U.S." says the market reached a total of $7.4 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach $9.1 billion by 2018. Consumers poled in the report showed an interest in international/ethic, exotic, spicy/hot, and authentic regional flavors. Also trending in marinades and sauces is the need for transparency, consumers want to know how authentic their products are and what ingredients are in them. Clean label texturizers are on the rise to provide sauces with a rich appearance, smooth texture, and creamy mouthfeel without compromising shelf-life stability.

Mark MacKenzie, Managing Director with Passage Foods, North America says the key drivers of new regionally inspired products, like Vietnamese, Malay, Indonesia (instead of just Asian) are due to younger generations more adventurous food tastes. These consumers, mainly ages 22 to 34, are eating out at ethnic restaurants, watching food and travel shows on TV, and are interested in diversifying the way they cook and eat. Home cooks looking to expand their weeknight dishes to include flavors inspired by restaurant dishes and global food trends can now find slow-cooker sauces, classic American sauces infused with ethnic flavors, and ready-to-use simmer sauces in stores.

Read the full Food Technology article at http://www.ift.org/food-technology/past-issues/2014/february/features/sauces-marinades.aspx