I was recently asked to comment on Gourmet/Houseware consumer trends. Here are my thoughts....
Over the weekend, I read three separate recent articles (between Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Bon Appetit) about the “back to basics” cooking styles of South American countries. It seems that eating meat is back in vogue (especially pork) and foodies may be looking to the more current agrarian cultures of Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile for a refresher course on more basic techniques of cooking/grilling meats and vegetables. I think that an interest in the incredible wine values and an interest in Pisco will push more American consumers into looking further into South American culinary techniques.
We see a strong interest in the kids cooking category. This year eating out less has become a common theme and as a result, cooking at home has gained speed. Because families are more apt to be cooking with each other, children are allowed the opportunity to help out. What a wonderful result. Children have endless opportunities to learn when they are cooking. Most importantly, they learn about the food they eat, but they also learn about food chemistry, measuring math, and food hygiene. In addition, hopefully they are eating healthier and broadening their palettes. As a retailer, I should probably be singing the blues about the current economic climate, and yet I can't help but notice the many good outcomes due to our poor economic situation.
Vegetable gardening is gaining ground this year. If all the the novice gardeners can
"produce" :), we will see a resurgence in canning. We have seen an interest in preserving fruits and vegetables in the last couple of years, but I think all gourmet retailers need to be ready for a rush on canning products. I for one will be looking for more modern, more attractive packaging solutions for preserving food.
Happy Mother's Day!
Fresh from the Kitchen in Elko, Nevada
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