Foodservice & Technology: Asian Cuisine Tickling Taste Buds Demand for Asian Foods Skyrockets Throughout U.S.

Whether it's supermarket sushi, frozen stir-fry or General Tso's chicken, Americans are hungrier than ever before for the widening menu of Asian foods moving into the mainstream. Sales of Asian foods - both "authentic" and "Americanized" - grew by 27 percent between 2000 and 2004, according to a report by MarketResearch, a consumer tracking firm based in Maryland. The market is being driven across the board by the nation's burgeoning Asian population, which is introducing a broader range of flavors into the mainstream, the report by MarketResearch notes. The Census Bureau states the Asian population in the United States grew by 72 percent between 1990 and 2000. “What makes Asian fare a mass market hit is the ability of companies to make it accessible to the American palate,” said Andy Harris, a restaurant operations consultant with Harris & Associates. Major companies like Hormel and The Schwan Food Co. are reaping the rewards of the rising popularity of Asian foods, too, with companies like Nestle rolling out Asian-style lines of frozen dinners. The desire for Asian-flavored foods will lead to a greater usage of Asian ingredients at home, especially given the fact Asian supermarkets have become more widely available, the report notes. Asian sauces and dressings are already used by 47 percent of the U.S. population. Those who seek out gourmet foods are also more drawn to Asian foods, the survey found. Once associated primarily with Chinese and Japanese foods, today's offerings reflect a greater range of cultures from the Asian region. Source: http://www.whittierdailynews.com