Report: Hispanic population growth influencing eating trends

The U.S. Census indicates that the Hispanic population is expected to grow 34 percent from 2010 to 2020. Foodservice market research company NPD Group has found that this growth is beginning to influence national consumption patterns.

One of the categories where Hispanics are influencing consumption patterns is at breakfast, according to NPD's NET (National Eating Trends) Hispanic, which is a year-long study that captures the in-home and away-from-home food and beverage consumption habits of Hispanics in the U.S. by level of acculturation.

For example, NET Hispanic reports that while non-Hispanics include non-toasted bread in 2 percent of their breakfast meals, 12 percent of Hispanics' breakfasts include non-toasted bread. Throughout the last decade, typical consumers decreased the number of times they include non-toasted bread with their breakfasts.

While non-toasted bread appears to be the breakfast carbohydrate of choice in Hispanic homes, other breakfast options are consumed less often compared to non-Hispanics' consumption. For example, hot cereal/oatmeal has a 10 percent share of non-Hispanic breakfast eatings, while that number for Hispanics is 6 percent. Also, eggs are found more often on the table during breakfast in Hispanic homes than in non-Hispanic homes in the U.S.

"This shift could bode well for bread makers and bakery departments, and they should make efforts to connect with Hispanics sooner rather than later," said Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst at NPD. "On the flip side, hot cereal marketers will need to appeal to this group in ways that differ from traditional efforts. For example, the warmth and convenience of hot cereal could be important aspects to highlight, as Hispanics are already consuming warm breakfasts at above average rates."

Lunch and dinner

Dinner meal side dishes are another category that is being influenced by Hispanic consumption behavior, according to NET Hispanic. Hispanics eat rice more often at lunch and dinner compared to non-Hispanics; and in a time when side dish consumption has been declining across all major categories, both plain and flavored rice are being included in more meals as a side dish among the overall population.

"Hispanics are a large and quickly growing group, and they will likely move the needle on national consumption trends over the next 10 years," Seifer said. "Marketers who wish to stay ahead of this growth should invest in understanding not only U.S. Hispanics' behaviors, but also the traditions they honor at the dining table."