Milling & Baking News - December 28, 2010 - 21

Food Ingredient Solutions



A health market for Hispanic product
Produce and whole grains add ethnic flair and health appeal

wo merging Hispanic trends
may present an opportunity for inclusion of produce,
whole grains, folic acid and perhaps even low-calorie sweeteners in grain-based foods. First, the
Hispanic population of 49.7 million
has climbed to 16% of the total U.S.
population in 2010. The U.S. Census
Bureau predicts that by 2050, the
U.S. Hispanics population will be
nearly 133 million, making it 30% of
the total U.S. population.
Next, the U.S. Hispanic population has some health issues. According to the Atlanta-based Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
23% of Latino males in the United
States are obese while 27.5% of Latino females are obese. Rates for nonLatino whites are 22% for males and
21% for females. Also according to
the C.D.C., 10.4% of men and 11.3%
of women in the Latino population
have diagnosed diabetes. The general population is 7.2% and 6.3%,
respectively, for men and women.
Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, a registered dietitian and founder of Hispanic Food Communications, Inc.,
Hinsdale, Ill., said she stresses to
Hispanics that a healthier diet may
involve foods familiar to them. Born
in Puerto Rico, she moved to Mexico
City at age 8 and eventually came to
the United States to attend college.
"I do not like to blame one particular thing (ingredient)," she said
of Hispanic health problems. "At
the end of the day it is the calories
we consume. And that is the problem with Hispanics. We just don't
know when to stop. If you put it on
the table, we will finish it."
Released in July, the Packaged
Facts report "Hispanic Food and
Beverages in the U.S.: Market
and Consumer Trends in Latino
Cuisine," touched on the need for

healthy Hispanic foods. It said,
"Product designers also have the
opportunity to create traditional
products with healthier profiles,
especially since many Mexicans in
their home country and in the states
have significant health problems exacerbated by obesity."
According to the report, the U.S.
market for Hispanic foods and
beverages was almost $7 billion in
2009, marking a 7% increase from
2008 and a 29% increase from $5.4
billion in 2005. Packaged Facts projects sales of Hispanic foods and
beverages will go over $9.5 billion in 2014. Eight Hispanic food
and beverage categories, including

bakery items at 10%, will experience double-digit compound annual growth rates during the 2010-14 f
orecast period.
Food service is another opportunity for Hispanic products. According to Technomic, limited service
Mexican restaurant chains increased
sales by 2.7% and unit counts by
1.8% in 2009. The number of Mexican entrees on U.S. restaurant
menus increased 3.3% from the first
half of 2009 to the first half of 2010.
"The rise in popularity of Mexican food is the culmination of a
number of factors all converging
in food service at this moment,"
said Mary Chapman, director of

Pumpkin may be a healthy inclusion in
empanadas.
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News December 28, 2010 / 21

http://www.bakingbusiness.com http://www.world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News - December 28, 2010

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