Jim Olson, SPINS Senior Retail Insights Manager
Hispanic Heritage Month is a perfect opportunity for INFRA retailers to show their support for the history, culture, and contributions of Latin Americans across the United States. After all, they make up 20% of the US population and account for $2.5 trillion in buying power. According to SPINS data, products representing Latin & South American countries account for four of the top 10 international-coded product types at INFRA, with El Salvador, Chile, Guatemala, and Venezuela-coded products all showing between 30-100% growth over the previous year.
That last statistic perfectly demonstrates that Latin American cuisine is so much more than just “spicy food.” It is a vibrant tapestry woven from many diverse cultures, so your product ordering plans should try to account for the many unique culinary identities it contains.
Shelf Stable Salsas & Dips (+3% at INFRA), Tortilla Chips (+6% at INFRA), and Mexican Entrée Seasoning Mixes (+47% at INFRA) are well-suited for a Mexican-American audience, while Plantain Fruit Chips (+4.5% in Natural Channel) and Juice & Juice Drinks – Mango (+2%) may appeal more to Central and South American appetites.
There are also countless brands doing new and innovative things with classic Hispanic foods. For beverages, Tuyyo offers their take on the classic Mexican drink Aguas Frescas, but in a powdered drink mix that’s dye-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO verified. While only sold in a few dozen stores currently, expect big things from this brand in the coming years.
Within the appetizers space, Maspanadas brings a classic pan-Colombian snack to the masses with their heat & eat Empanadas which come in a variety of flavors and 6 grams of protein per serving. Also packing a punch is their INFRA sales performance, up 4% over last year.
And for easy snacking options attractive to Latino shoppers of all types, you can’t go wrong with some dehydrated fruit chips from BranchOut Foods. Whether you choose pineapple, banana, or avocado, every purchase of a BranchOut product supports their goals to reduce the 55% of all Latin American-grown fruit that goes to waste, and their Peru-based factory strives for an increasingly low carbon footprint while directly supporting local farmers for the freshest produce available. All these efforts have resulted in an 8% increase in INFRA sales over the previous year.
Regardless of your choice, supporting the inclusion of more diverse food brands in the natural space is always in season and those of us in the Latino community thank you for your efforts to increase our representation. Mil gracias to the respective brand websites mentioned, and to SPINS for the data highlighted in this segment. Disfruta la comida Latina, and we’ll see you at the show!
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