Posted on 10/18/2013 1:23:25 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Tortillas and salsa are now outselling popular American foods like burger and hot dog buns, and ketchup.
Experts say that as the Hispanic population in the U.S. grows, the consumption of Latin American foods, and Mexican foods in particular, continues to increase as well. This is similar to the way that Italian food became integrated into U.S. culture.
“When you think about pizza and spaghetti, it's the same thing,” said Jim Kabbani, CEO of the Tortilla Industry Association. “People consider them American, not ethnic. It's the same with tortillas.”
According to consumer research firm Packaged Facts, Latin American foods and beverages were an $8 billion market in the U.S. last year, and that number could reach $11 billion by 2017. Retail tracking service InfoScan Reviews reported that tortilla chip sales increased at a faster rate (3.7 percent) in supermarkets than potato chips (2.2 percent) this year.
Research suggests that individuals born between the 1980s and the year 2000 have embraced the culinary shift.
“They are looking for products that are not necessarily big brands anymore,” said Michael Bellas, chairman of the Beverage Marketing Corporation. “They like brands that have character. They are looking for authenticity and purity, but they are also looking for new experiences.”
Food from south of the border is considered healthier than some traditional U.S. foods. “When it comes to health, the Mexican cuisines cater better to that with salsas and vegetables,” said Alexandra Aguirre Rodriguez, an assistant professor of marketing at Florida International University.
I eat Mexican (and Italian) more often than I eat hamburgers/cheeseburgers.
Well yeah. They’re both more versatile, given their flexible nature tortillas can be used for lots of different kinds of food, and with that wide variety of salsas there’s always a kind out there that will make your food taste better. The rest of the world is learning what the south west has known for a long time, always have a dozen tortillas and 3 jars of salsa on hand.
Just don’t buy the salsa made in NEW YORK CITY.
Let them compare Tortillas and Salsa to French Fries & Ketchup.
UGH Time for Alka Seltzer =)
Good, I despise ketchup.
Just don’t buy the salsa made in NEW YORK CITY.
You don’t have to be a health expert to understand that “enriched,” white hamburger buns and HFCS-infused ketchup is bad for you.
Haha, McDonald’s illegal workers wont eat their gArbage.
GlobalizTion they said.
>>I eat Mexican (and Italian) more often than I eat hamburgers/cheeseburgers.
Me too. And I put salsa on hamburgers and scrambled eggs now. The only thing I eat ketchup on is french fries. Plus, I can buy a giant pack of tortillas and use them for months. A pack of HB buns is stale in a week.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Last week you said something nice about FSU, and now you despise ketchup! Good God man, what’s next?!?
And the salt and preservatives from a typical store bought salsa is good for you?
Potato chips and dip are.
No normal person buys a bag of hotdog buns as a snack.
This article is quite silly.
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