New Study: Latino Food Purchases Driven By Functional and Emotional Values

Insights Help Marketers and Retailers Compete for Latino $1.3 Trillion Buying Power

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Aug 01, 2013, 09:15 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Every 30 seconds, a Hispanic turns 18 years old in the U.S., amplifying the influence of the country's fastest growing ethnic minority. A new study called The Multi-Cultural Latino Consumer finds that though Latinos are far from homogenous, diverse segments overall stay true to significant commonalities when it comes to food, in particular their preference for fresh, local and whole ingredients and traditional dishes that help preserve their connection to their family and country of origin.

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The study was jointly developed and conducted by consumer research firm The Hartman Group and MSLGROUP.

The Multi-Cultural Latino Consumer study looked closely at how the majority of Latinos, driven by the desire to create an appetizing social experience around each meal, will:

Choose fresh foods over packaged food (82 percent)
Buy more local products today than a year ago (51 percent)
Eat meals influenced by country of origin (63 percent)

"Food brands looking to make a Latino family's shopping cart need to recognize and respect what motivates the purchase – the family experience," said Vickie Allande-Fite, MSLGROUP multi-cultural practice leader. "Working with Hartman, we are confirming and developing insights to provide clients with strategic, relevant ways to capture awareness and elevate engagement with U.S. Hispanics."

Family-centric study results illustrate that Latinos identify food as an important element of daily life, leveraging meals as a central enabler of together-time, one third (32 percent) emphasizing the value of sitting around the table to share a meal compared to one fifth (22 percent) of non-Latinos.

"Cooking is a labor of love and the study affirmed how gatherings are a treasured everyday opportunity to savor authentic flavors and enjoy recipes passed down for generations," said Laurie Demeritt, CEO at The Hartman Group. "To market food focused on nutritional strengths fails to capitalize on its greater role as being a social conduit. Meal time helps keeps Latinos stay connected to one another as well as to their culture and traditions."

About the Report

"The Multi-Cultural Latino Consumer" is an in-depth qualitative and quantitative study fielded February/March 2013 in the U.S. marketplace. Qualitative ethnographies were fielded in two major U.S. markets in English and Spanish and more than 1,200 U.S. adult consumers of Hispanic/Latino origin participated in the online survey. In addition to providing insights into social media use, the report provides strategic recommendations on how companies can leverage social media to build meaningful and profitable relationships with consumers.

About MSLGROUP

MSLGROUP is Publicis Groupe's strategic communications and engagement group, advisors in all aspects of communication strategy: from consumer PR to financial communications, from public affairs to reputation management and from crisis communications to event management. With more than 3,700 people, its offices span 22 countries. Adding affiliates and partners into the equation, MSLGROUP's reach increases to 4,000 employees in 83 countries. Today the largest PR network in EMEA, Greater China and India, the group offers strategic planning and counsel, insight-guided thinking and big, compelling ideas – followed by thorough execution. Learn more about us at: www.mslgroup.com + http://blog.mslgroup.com + Twitter + YouTube.

About The Hartman Group

The Hartman Group is the principal provider of global research on consumer culture, behaviors and demand and a leading advisor on market strategy to the world's best-known brands. Through a unique suite of integrated custom, primary research capabilities, market analytics and business strategy services The Hartman Group uncovers opportunity spaces and avenues for growth for clients across the consumer-driven marketplace. The Hartman Group is internationally recognized for breakthrough perspectives on emerging and evolving consumer behaviors in health and wellness, sustainability and food culture. Since its foundation in 1989, The Hartman Group helps clients apply the knowledge of the "why behind the buy" to brand development, innovation, categories, retail, marketing and more. For more, visit: www.hartman-group.com