FOOD CULTURE: EUROPE GOES ASIA
It is not strange nowadays to come across Asian stores or restaurants in Europe. You can almost always find either Chinese, Indian, or Japanese cuisine in every city across Europe. In recent years, it has also become much easier for us to buy Asian food products in mainstream supermarkets.
Undoubtedly, Asian cuisine – which tends to focus more on using various spices and condiments for one dish, and so mixing opposing flavours – has become part of modern European food culture. Nevertheless, there are some differences between Asian dishes as they have evolved in Europe and the original versions.
For instance, even though Indonesian satay is well-known throughout the Netherlands, the way people in the Netherlands make satay is different from Indonesian people. Satay originally is grilled over a charcoal fire, then served with a combination of sweet soy and peanut sauce and eaten with either rice or sticky rice. But we can see that in the Netherlands, satay is usually pan-fried and served only with peanut sauce and eaten with fried rice.
What is more interesting is that we can also see some variety in how people in different regions across Europe interact with the Asian food culture. People tend to use the available local ingredients when making these cuisines, therefore taking in local flavours and cooking styles – making the dish more acceptable and giving it a sense of familiarity.
Why is this interesting?
Nowadays, with Asian and other world cuisines becoming more popular in Europe, we will see more competition in the market. Getting a deep understanding of how consumers behave and perceive these diverse food cultures is the key to seizing market opportunities, effectively and efficiently.
ADK Insights continuously monitors emerging trends in the food industry and translates its impact on consumer behaviors, providing insights to help businesses future-proof their innovation.
To know more about our experience and see what it could mean for your business, please contact Rob.
Your contact:
Rob Findlay
25 years brand planning and business management experience. Specializes in structuring research insights into clear actionable marketing strategy and brand development opportunities.