Global Cuisine Cravings: Mediterranean Cuisine

Consumers’ obsession with international cuisine has only continued to grow as they seek out new and exotic food and flavor experiences. They’ve been exploring cuisines from every corner of the world, with Gen Z and Millennial consumers being particularly adventurous in their explorations.

Which global cuisines are consumers going to be craving in 2023? With so many choices when it comes to global inspiration, it can be difficult for brands to decide which cuisines, foods, and flavors to focus on. Although brands really can’t go wrong with any global cuisine, there are a few cuisines that are expected to be particularly trendy in the coming months. Among them is Mediterranean cuisine.

Why Mediterranean?

Mediterranean cuisine wins big with consumers for several reasons. First of all, health and wellness has been top-of-mind for consumers over the past few years, and with its heavy use of healthy ingredients like spices, lentils, fish, and vegetables, Mediterranean cuisine is typically perceived to be healthier than many other global cuisines. As consumers continue to prioritize their health and gravitate more towards natural, fresh ingredients, they’ll make more of an effort to integrate Mediterranean recipes into their diets.

Mediterranean cuisine is also ideal for appealing to the masses. There are some cuisines within the Mediterranean region, like Italian and Greek, that are familiar to consumers and don’t push them too far out of their comfort zones. There are also, however, more exotic cuisines, like Egyptian, Lebanese, and Turkish that are perfect for appealing to younger consumers who are looking for something new and different. Mediterranean cuisine, therefore, is mainstream enough to attract a broad range of consumers, but still exotic enough to capture the attention of the most adventurous.

Satisfying Consumers’ Cravings

Knowing your target demographics and how much they want to expand their horizons is one way of focusing in on which cuisines, dishes, and flavors to feature. In addition, consider which ingredients are trending and look for Mediterranean dishes that feature those ingredients. For example, functional ingredient trends have pushed spice blends into the spotlight, meaning that featuring authentic Mediterranean spice blends like Za’atar is a great way to embrace the latest trends and appeal to trend-conscious consumers.

One option for satisfying consumers’ cravings for all-things Mediterranean is by bringing exciting, authentic dishes and food items from this region directly to consumers. Consider bringing popular items from the Mediterranean to the grocery store aisles in the form of new dessert, beverage, baked good, and frozen food items. Think baklava, tzatziki sauce, and Egyptian style dukkah bread.

Another option? Bring Mediterranean flavors to familiar favorites for new twists on beloved products. Think a Turkish coffee ice cream or a zhug potato chip. There’s no shortage of inspiration when it comes to Mediterranean food and flavors!

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