Sources: Packaged Facts and SN research
sales: $305.9; 2009 retail sales: $1,325.0; % Change: 333.14%
Nuevo Latino, often described as a modern interpretation of traditional Latin food, or traditional cooking with an American twist, started in South Florida in the 1990s and has gained popularity across the country, helped by new players and greater distribution. Thus flavors like tamarind, guava and papaya are making their way into mainstream beverages, and American fare, especially desserts, are taking on indulgent flavors like dulce de leche.
2 Bakery items
2004 retail sales: $126.7; 2009 retail sales: $439.9; % Change: 247.10%
After the supermarket, the panderia, or bakery, is the second-most-important channel for Hispanic shoppers, who visit the bakery 3.4 times per month, according to the Food Marketing Institute. Improved distribution and more players entering the category have helped spur sales of baked goods like tres leches cakes, conchos and bolillos.
3 Entrees/handheld items
2004 retail sales: $505.9; 2009 retail sales: $814.8; % Change: 61.05%
The category is benefiting from a lift in frozen foods in general and consumer demand for foods that can be eaten on the go. Product makers are moving beyond the mainstream frozen burrito and tamale with items specific to regions with cuisines that are gaining popularity, like pupusas from El Salvador.
4 Dips
2004 retail sales: $71.1; 2009 retail sales: $114.5; % Change: 61.04%
Salsa may still be the king of condiments, but now that tortilla chips are everywhere, there's plenty of dipping to go around. Cheese and sour cream, common Hispanic condiments, form the basis for many other dips, and national and store brands cater to Hispanics with flavors like jalapeno and Hispanic-sounding brand names.
5 Cooking sauce/marinade
2004 retail sales: $170.2; 2009 retail sales: $274.1; % Change: 61.04%
Marinades are staples in Hispanic cooking, from garlicky adobo and mojo used to marinate meats, to mole, a sauce for meat made with red chilies, spices and cocoa bean.
6 Drink mixes
2004 retail sales: $7.7; 2009 retail sales: $12.4; % Change: 61.03%
Fruit- and cinnamon-flavored hot chocolate drink mixes are mainstays of this category. Ethnic players like Fiesta, maker of juice concentrates, and Klass, which makes drink mixes in tropical flavors like tamarind, prickly pear cactus and mango, figure large here, as do global companies like Nestle.
7 Soda
2004 retail sales: $15.8; 2009 retail sales: $25.4; % Change: 60.75%
A heavy soft-drink culture and young population fuel consumption of Hispanic sodas. Hispanics crave the brands and tropical flavors that are familiar in their countries of origin, like guava, mango and pineapple. Single-serve beverages are where the activity is, fueled by dining on the go.
8 Refrigerated desserts
2004 retail sales: $20.2; 2009 retail sales: $30.8; % Change: 52.40%
Creamy treats, like flan, rice pudding and bread pudding, are among Hispanics' favorite desserts. They're often available in single-serve packages, feeding the desire for convenience.
9 Cheese
2004 retail sales: $97.9; 2009 retail sales: $137.1; % Change: 40.00%
Often used in cooking, traditional Hispanic cheeses are made with raw milk, although some American companies are making Hispanic-style cheeses with pasteurized milk. The most popular ones are fresh white cheeses, like queso blanco and panela, which are eaten as a snack or ingredient.
10 Tortillas/taco shells
2004 retail sales: $1,335.8; 2009 retail sales: $1,770.0; % Change: 32.50%
Mainstream Mexican items like tortilla chips and taco shells have become as commonplace as the potato chip, helped by chains like Taco Bell and Baja Fresh, and packaged-goods makers.
