ETHNIHUBTM Study Reveals Ethnic Shoppers Prefer Familiar Food Brands from Back Home
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A recent ETHNIHUB study by AV Communications reveals that over 80% of ethnic shoppers spend more than $100 on groceries during each store visit. Spending big dollars on food does not come as a surprise. Immigrants from Chinese, South Asian, and Filipino backgrounds live with extended family members.
When they arrive in Canada, they also bring with them their culture and traditions. Their style of cooking, their unique taste, and yes, their favourite food brands. The same study confirms 75% of ethnic shoppers prefer food brands they’re familiar with from back home.
This is the reason why food marketers have been paying more attention to ethnic shoppers in recent years.
According to Canadian Grocer, some $12 billion in additional grocery store sales will be attributed to immigrants. It’s a figure Canadian food retailers simply can’t ignore, and they’ve taken great strides to cater to ethnic foodies.
Loblaws acquired T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian food retailer, and has launched a halal food brand called Sufra in 2017 to cater to the Muslim community. Sobeys, the second-largest food retailer in Canada, launched Chalo! FreshCo store in Brampton, Ontario in 2015. The first store in Canada for South Asians. It was meant to attract South Asian shoppers with the widest variety of South Asian brands under one roof.
The Canadian food landscape is more diverse than ever. Proof that multiculturalism has become mainstream, especially when it comes to food. AV Communications Owner and CEO Joycelyn David explains, “A great example is Grace Foods. As a brand with roots serving the Caribbean diaspora and community, they now appeal to many diverse shoppers, including my Filipino-Canadian household, where coconut milk and corned beef are beloved food items!”