Hispanic Millennials Shape Eating Attitudes, Behaviors

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Millennials, aged 22 to 35, comprise 65 percent of the U.S. adult Hispanic population. As the largest Hispanic sector, they significantly influence the ethnic group's overall eating attitudes and behaviors.

According to The NPD Group's National Eating Trends (NET) Hispanic research, heritage plays an integral role in food preparation for U.S. Hispanic millennials, with ready-to-eat, fresh and from scratch revealed as the most common forms.

"U.S. Hispanics are youthful and therefore represent future opportunities for food and beverage marketers, especially now that their population growth is coming more from births than immigration," said Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst for Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD.

Stove-top preparation dominates Hispanic meals more so than non-Hispanic meals due to the types of dishes prepared, especially at lunch when Hispanics typically prepare large meals. NPD's research also concludes that Hispanic dishes — excluding frozen — are included in 7 percent of all meals consumed by Hispanic millennials, compared with 2 percent of non-Hispanic millennial meals.

Likewise, sandwiches are included in 16 percent of non-Hispanic millennial meals and 10 percent of Hispanic millennial meals. Rice, a popular U.S. Hispanic food, is included in only 3 percent of non-Hispanic millennial meals.

"Understanding which product categories appeal to each Hispanic consumer group will be critical to effectively connecting with these consumers, and understanding the situations and motivations that drive category consumption will enable food companies to influence future sales to these groups," Seifer added.

The NPD Group provides consumer and retail information to more than 2,000 manufacturers, retailers and service companies to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national and local market levels.