A leader in creating the building blocks needed to develop ethnic foods is Symrise Savory Business, North America (Teterboro, N.J.). The company has identified and created the latest trends in ethnic tastes. “These seasonings and flavors help add that touch of 'authenticity' to foods that we crave, and add variety to the menu to satisfy our need for diversity and exploration,” says Kathleen Doran, business development manager for the savory division of Symrise.
Packaged Facts projects retail sales growth for Asian foods will increase from a total of $855.5 million in 2003 to $953.7 million in 2008. According to MarketResearch.com, this may be a conservative estimate when taking into account the rising Asian population in the U.S., and suggests the real market could exceed $1 billion. The Asian category of ethnic flavors includes many Asian countries, and features flavors such as coconut, lemongrass, sesame, soy and teriyaki. Symrise has created seasonings in this category such as Five Spice, Oyster Sauce and Wasabi Seasoning.