Consumers continue to expand their palates, seeking new ethnic foods and flavors. This trend is pushing operators and suppliers to add new and exciting ethnic varieties on menus.  Ethnic foods most commonly consumed by Canadians are Chinese (89%), Italian (84%) and Latin American/Mexican (82%).

The increasing immigrant population is considered a significant driving factor for the ethnic flavor growth in consumer foodservice.  They’re a group is not afraid to try out different cuisines and flavors, have a strong knowledge of food and its cultures, and encourages foodservice operators to offer different ethnic food on their menus. 61% of consumers would rather go to a restaurant and rely on professional chefs to feed their ethnic food cravings, prior to attempting to prepare a similar meal at home.

Other drivers of ethnic food consumption are the search for an adventurous eating experience, recommendations from family and friends and a getting tired of typical cuisine.

What cuisines are Canadians most looking to try? Southeast Asian (44%) flavors top the list, followed by Korean (38%), Caribbean (35%) and Eastern European/Russian (29%).

Canadians are open to global flavors, and restaurants are their chosen path to trying ethnic inspired foods. Barilla pasta is a natural choice for foodservice industry leaders to help make less familiar flavors approachable and a comfortable order for the guest. A superior pasta built with the finest durum wheat, Barilla products stand the test of various foodservice environments – holding against high cooking stress, resilient against breakage, clumping and sticking. Always uniform in size, shape and color, Barilla pasta serves as a blank canvas for your choice of ethnic flavors.

Take a look at some of our favorite globally-inspired recipes below and think about how you can adapt your business and menu to the changing demographic landscape.

Gemelli with Roasted Cauliflower and Coconut Curry Sauce

Spaghetti with cilantro pesto, chipotle crema and shrimp

Winter Italian Ramen – Use Capellini, or replace with any long cut of Barilla pasta!

Source: Technomics: 2018 Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report
Source: Statistics Canada, 2016