REPORT EXAMINES DAIRY BUYING HABITS AMONG HISPANICS

MADISON, Wis. -- A large majority of Hispanic consumers in the United States purchase national brands from the dairy case of their favorite supermarket rather than store or Hispanic brands, according to new research sponsored by the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association.

ely to say they often buy national brands from the dairy case are those earning more than $50,000 a year (53%), Caribbean Islanders (58%) and South Americans (51%). Only 49% of Central Americans said they did so.

Among those who say they are more likely to buy Hispanic brands from the dairy case are Caribbean Islanders (42%), Central Americans (32%) and Puerto Ricans (30%). Similarly, 31% of foreign-born Hispanics said they preferred Hispanic brands, as compared to U.S.-born Hispanics at 24%.

Hispanic brands were also preferred by those with lower incomes -- 26% of those earning less than $20,000 a year and 31% of those earning $20,000 to $35,000. That compares to 23% of those earning $35,000 to $50,000 and 18% of those earning more than $50,000 a year, the study noted.

Hispanic brands were naturally the preference of those who told IDDBA researchers they shop mostly at Hispanic supermarkets (46%), compared with 30% of those who shop at American-style chain supermarkets that sell a variety of Hispanic products and 19% of those who shop at American-style chain supermarkets that sell few Hispanics products.

In regard to age, 34% of Hispanics ages 18-29 preferred Hispanic brand names; Hispanic labels also were the primary choice for those with children under 18 years of age in the household (31%), almost twice the number of those with no children in the household (19%).

Examining by region, the IDDBA study discovered that Hispanic brands were preferred by shoppers in the Northeast (35%) more than those in the Midwest (24%), South (26%) or West (25%).