As a young professional in California, Gloria Allorbi craved the flavors of her family’s country, Ghana, but rarely found them in local restaurants and supermarkets.
So, she started a company revolving around a culture-rich condiment, Shito, which is now sold at Erewhon and specialty markets nationwide.
At Natural Products Expo West, Allorbi participated in a conversation about next-generation global cuisines alongside others from diaspora communities.
“Consumers are curious, which is only going to continue increasing. This ‘wanting more’ is translating down to the ingredients on a granular level,” said Allorbi.
While consumers want cultural ingredients, they don’t always view them as high-quality, especially those from negatively perceived regions, underscoring the need for brands to highlight their premium quality and smallholder farmers.
Although the term is outdated, the “Asian/ethnic” aisle has grown significantly, nearly quadrupling its sales between April 2023 and 2024, according to Circana.
The Food Institute recently covered the topic in the “Diverse Shopper, Global Needs” report, which is free for FI members.
Finding Community
Allorbi shared the stage with Loisa co-founder Kenneth Luna, Hotpot Queen founder Jia Liao, Fila Manila Filipino American Kitchen founder Jake Deleon, and Reprise Health CEO David Yu, who discussed opportunities and next-stage headwinds.
Luna described the education required to transform Loisa into a brand found at 2,000-plus locations.
“In many places in the U.S. when people say ‘Latino’ they think Mexican. From an educational standpoint, we had to show consumers where the foods were coming from,” said Luna.
Many assumed the herbaceous food would be spicy or that the brand would launch Mexican products.
Luna noted that data was integral to their expansion strategy and recommended that globally diverse brands find relevant communities using empirical data.
“The customer base is a diaspora that is spread throughout the U.S… I was surprised to find there was a Dominican population in Charlotte,” said Luna.
Offering Education
The pandemic accelerated interest in diverse cooking, enabling consumers to travel with their tastebuds, said Allorbi – and interest in global CPGs and flavor connections grew simultaneously.
“Social connection will be the driver for the next generation,” Allorbi asserted.
Hotpot Queen’s Liao noted how her brand started with a dream – introducing Americans to authentic hotpot experiences – but tempered it to prime its community.
She started by distilling the “mala” flavor into a sauce representing the Chinese soup by combining spiciness with the Sichuan peppercorn’s unique effects to incorporate into non-traditional dishes.
Then, she launched a SKU to translate hotpot into noodle kits akin to instant ramen to deliver a new experience in a familiar form. Two years after launch, Liao finally merchandized hotpot kits.
“We couldn’t just start with hotpot. We built brand loyalty and [a base of] consumers who were willing to try something out of their comfort zone with the brand,” said Liao.
Reprise Health’s Liu said his brand reconciled authenticity and accessibility by introducing customers to Eastern medicine via gummies infused with functional Chinese herbs.
“With a gummy, more people are willing to try it,” he explained.
The Power of Labeling
Labels are another effective way to educate shoppers about a product’s use case(s) and cultural origins.
In retail, when consumers aren’t browsing websites or videos, these cultural exchanges are especially crucial.
One audience member noted how her Indian spice brand struggles to balance traditional label components with cultural authenticity, as some decisions may isolate the target audience.
Panelists answered that authenticity, however important, is a personal decision for entrepreneurs.
“No one has to be the czar of authenticity. You get to decide what makes it authentic,” said Lu.
This line of inquiry demonstrates how CPGs don’t need to showcase every cultural experience to be relevant.
However, FDA and USDA regulations also dictate label components and product nomenclature.
Allorbi noted how she must explicitly call out her chili oil, despite its inconsistency with West Africans’ views of the product.
Her solution: incorporating “Shito” into the brand’s name.
Similarly, Lu referred to the gummies as “ancient Asian superfoods” over “herbal medicine” to better explain their use cases.
Liao also underscored the importance of product naming, first calling it “Chongqing Chili Crisp,” which was authentic but unfamiliar to most. After changing it to “Tingly Mala Crunch Garlic Chili Crisp,” it became the brand’s most successful product.
The Food Institute Podcast
This Episode is Sponsored by: City National Bank
How are macro-economic factors and changing consumer preferences impacting the natural grocery sector? City National Bank’s Justin D’Affronte steps in as guest host as he speaks with Mother’s Market CEO Dorothy Carlow about inflation, tariffs, consumer preferences, and more.
