Spice-lovers are more loyal
The old saying, "if you can't take the heat, get out the kitchen" isn't as applicable for today's shoppers. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, a new wave of consumers who enjoy spicy food are inspiring CPG companies to release products of a hotter variety. Kraft Foods Group in the U.S., for example, has injected its standard cheese slices with habenero peppers, while General Mills is beginning to sell Helper Bold, a version of its boxed line of pasta, in Firehouse Chilli Macaroni, among other flavours. So why are packaged foods bringing the heat? Apparently spicy-food lovers are known to be more loyal customers. The article says consumers get endorphins when they eat something spicy, which feels adventurous to flavour-seeking eats. This in turn can create a lot of loyalty. READ: Spicier sauces bring the heat to grocery aisles A past Canadian Grocer article also speculates spicy foods are more popular today because younger consumers want exciting new flavours, while retiring baby boomers have time to experiment with sauces. Read the full article here.