HOW GLOBAL FLAVORS ARE TAKING OVER DAIRY, DELI, & BAKERY
Asian Flavors Bring the Excitement How Global Flavors Are Taking Over Dairy, Deli, &
Bakery Maeve Webster, President, Menu Matters
Mike Kostyo, Vice President, Menu Matters Seven of the top ten biggest air travel days in U.S. history have occurred in 2025 so far according to the Transportation Security Administration. Those numbers break previous travel records that were set only a year prior.
Consumers clearly want a taste of what the world has to offer.
That has been true for years, as consumers have discovered new international foods and flavors through travel, social media, and our globally-connected world. Today global flavors are simply how many consumers eat every day, whether it’s a Japanese egg sandwich for breakfast, a banh mi for lunch, or a birria meal for dinner — or all of the above.
So what does that mean for the dairy, deli, and bakery sections of the supermarket? More importantly, what does that mean for their future? How can you harness these global flavors to capture new customers?
Latin Flavors - Must-Haves for Today’s Consumers
For many consumers today, Latin and Mexican flavors are a regular part of their meal rotation. While pizza may have been the go-to comfort food for previous generations, for younger consumers that demand is now transitioning to tacos and burritos.
That reflects demographic changes in the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the Hispanic population will grow from about 20% of the population today to well over a quarter — 27% — by 2060. That growth impacts preferences overall, with the wider population discovering new Latin-inspired foods and flavors from their friends and neighbors as well as the new eateries opened by Hispanic owners.
That has inspired a range of on-trend options in recent years, from birria to Tajin and elote. For today’s supermarkets to be relevant, they need to offer options like build-your-own street taco kits, esquites (the salad version of elotes), grab-and-go fruit cups topped with chamoy, and plenty of Mexican-inspired sandwiches. If you’re looking for your next rotisserie flavor, make it chili lime.
While Latin flavors have established themselves as everyday staples, for younger consumers, Asian-inspired flavors are exciting and attention-getting. In fact, Asian countries and cultures are having an outsized impact on U.S. culture overall. Korean culture, in particular, is capturing interest, with U.S. consumers streaming K-Pop songs nearly 10 billion times in 2023, according to Luminate (the U.S. is now the second biggest market for K-Pop, after Japan), while movies like Parasite and streaming shows like Squid Games win awards and rack up views. Meanwhile, K-beauty brands such as Laneige, Sulwhasoo and Dr. Jart+ dominate the skincare aisle.
Today that influence can be found at many supermarkets, whether it’s in kimchi on a sandwich, gochujang drizzled over a bowl, or grab-and-go bibimbap options for a quick lunch or dinner. Next- generation foods and flavors are also starting to make their mark, from a wider range of gochujang “cousins” like salty doenjang and thick ssamjang to extra-crispy Korean fried chicken. If these options aren’t already on offer, consider them as part of your innovation pipeline.
“Asian flavors” encompasses a wide range of countries and cuisines, from Japan to Vietnam to Thailand to India. Consider these trending options to upgrade your dairy, deli, or bakery departments:
• Japanese-inspired sweets and beverages are becoming go-to options for many younger consumers. Matcha is doing double duty in both categories (matcha and fruit iced beverages, with combinations like matcha and peach and matcha and strawberry, are particularly popular), while Japanese fruit sandos (fluffy cream-and-fruit-filled sweet sandwiches) are inspiring cake options (as seen at the IDDBA show this summer).
• Indian-inspired pizza concepts are opening across the country, topping pies with flavor-forward options like butter chicken and tikka masala, which can inspire next-level pizza options in the prepared foods or take-and-bake section.
• Like tacos, ramen has become a favorite comfort food for many consumers. The platform works well for a soup option that allows customers to add toppings from the nearby salad bar, while dumpling soups and pho take it to the next level.
WHAT’S IN STORE | 2026 © 2026 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association
Industry Landscape
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