There’s a growing segment of shoppers who want a culinary adventure, to travel through their tropical food choices. Others are seeking a taste of their native cuisine.
And then, there’s always the desire to eat healthier.
The U.S. is filled with specialty retailers who serve the consumer looking for food from a particular region of the world outside North America. After all, 18.5% of the U.S. population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Black or African American alone and 5.9% Asian alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 estimates.
More and more big-chain retailers also have fresh produce sections devoted to the favorites of different demographics.
Depending on their market, the produce hops from continents to global regions from Asia and Africa to the Central and South Americas.
The top 10 sources of U.S.-imported fresh or frozen fruits come from Mexico, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Canada, Colombia, Honduras and Brazil, according to the USDA’s data updated March 14.
The world total of U.S. fruit imports rose from $5.2 billion in October 2020-January 2021 to $6.4 billion in October 2021-January 2022.
For vegetables, the top 10 imports include Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador and Dominican Republic. That world total rose from $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion in the same time period.
Quince Supermarket in Tamarac, Fla., caters to shoppers who want food from the tropics, especially Central America and northern South America — right near the equator.
Shoppers who head there are usually already versed in the produce they want, but many consumers at the big-box chains need a lot of education on unfamiliar items: flavor, texture, preparation, storage and culinary uses.
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