Potatoes, onions at home in multicultural cuisines
Marketing to different ethnic and demographic groups requires flexibility and a diverse portfolio of products, marketers say.
Packaging — or lack of it — is an example, said Jessica Peri, retail sales manager with Yerington, Nev.-based onion grower-shipper Peri & Sons Farms.
“We have found that most markets that cater to specific demographics purchase mostly bulk and not in bags,” she said.
“This is preferred by most ethnic groups.”
Tradition plays the biggest role when it comes to consumer preferences, Peri said.
“We do our best to educate consumers on the uses of different onions and to encourage them to switch it up, try something new,” she said.
Potato preferences seem to vary by region, although the reason isn’t clear, said Andreas Trettin, marketing director with Houston-based grower-shipper MountainKing Potatoes.
“Yellow potatoes sell very well in the East in addition to Florida, Texas and California; we also know reds sell best along the Mississippi River and throughout the Southeast,” he said.
“It’s hard to pinpoint if these preferences are due to ethnic makeup, cultural traditions or perhaps both.”
Younger consumers also seem to have their own preferences, said Christine Lindner, marketing manager with Friesland, Wis.-based potato grower-shipper Alsum Farms & Produce Inc.
“Millennials seek convenient, flavorful, fast and easy ways to prepare fresh potatoes,” Lindner said.
“Potatoes are a blank canvas that consumers can add seasonings that appeal to diverse palates and create a potato-centric recipe that appeal to their families taste and preferences.”
Flavors a key
Offering “on-trend seasonings” with potatoes is a value-added offering to market to ethnic groups that appeal to their taste and preferences.
More important, regardless of demographic or regional subgroup, is having usage ideas at the ready, Lindner said.
“Having a fresh, well-uniformed and merchandised potato category with POS recipe ideas, educational signage on storage and preparation of fresh potatoes is key to increasing sales of potatoes at retail,” she said.
Sweet onions are a match with numerous culinary specialties, said John Shuman, president and CEO of Reidsville, Ga.-based sweet onion grower-shipper Shuman Farms.
“Our consumer research has also shown us that after salads, sweet onions are most used in ethnic dishes,” he said.
“Their versatility and premium quality allow them to be the perfect ingredient in any recipe, including an array of ethnic dishes.”
Although potato-specific research is limited, there are a number of marketing points to ponder when trying to reach Hispanic consumers, said Rachel Atkinson-Leach, category and brand manager with Bancroft, Wis.-based grower-shipper RPE Inc.
“Hispanic consumers shop more often and visit a greater variety of stores than the rest of the U.S. consumer-base, according to a new Why Behind the Buy report by Acosta and Univision Communications Inc.,” she said. “Hispanic shoppers make more frequent, varied grocery trips than others.”
They also are 22% more likely to purchase grocery brands that they identify as “authentic to their ethnic heritage, which are often found at ethnic-focused stores,” Atkinson-Leach said.
“The survey found that 30% of Hispanics have purchased some or all of their groceries at these locations.”
This does not mean, however, that this demographic is abandoning traditional grocery stores and supermarkets, Atkinson-Leach said.
“The survey shows that 91% of Hispanic shoppers purchased at least some household groceries in traditional retail stores within the past six months,” she said.
The study also noted that Hispanic consumers are significantly more likely to make a grocery trip a group activity and are 12% more likely to shop with their spouse or partner than other consumers are, and Hispanic parents are about 40% more likely to bring their kids to the store, Atkinson-Leach said.
“Hispanic shoppers feel it is either ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important that new products be released each year in several grocery categories,” she said.
Transcending culture
Potatoes’ versatility work to their advantage, regardless of demographics, said Dana Rady, director of promotions, communication and consumer education with the Antigo-based Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association Inc.
“There are so many different varieties of potatoes and ways of preparing them that go well beyond fries, chips and loaded bakers,” Rady said.
Consumers with certain dietary restrictions also represent another marketing opportunity, Rady said.
“While those are fantastic options with any meal or snack, there are plenty of people experimenting and using potatoes to make recipes gluten-free,” Rady said.
“You can use specific spices for an ethnic twist to a dish like masala and Indian spices that combine with mashed potatoes to make an aloo sandwich. Another recipe uses mashed potatoes as a replacement for rice in sushi. You can also take homemade baked fry wedges or potato planks and put your favorite taco toppings on top for a twist on a Mexican favorite.”
New creative ideas seem to be popping up all the time, Rady said.
“It’s really great to discover recipes that are outside the box,” Rady said.
