Consumers consider their own financial and health situations, along with flavors and quality of the product, when making their protein-purchasing decisions.
In a perfect world, everyone’s cholesterol and credit levels would be right where they needed to be, and consumers could enjoy their meals without any outside interference. Unfortunately, the wallet and the waistline have as much say in what consumers eat as the latest taste trends from overseas or the newest recipe from a cable TV cooking show.
In spite of those constraints, this is a wonderful time to be a foodie. The proliferation of ethnic restaurants and creative chefs gives consumers the opportunity to try foods from around the world — or prepare them in their own kitchens, if they’re feeling particularly brave. With regard to chicken alone, Laura McGuire, senior content and editorial manager for Technomic, says that chefs are experimenting with unconventional ethnic preparations, including Indonesian, African-Portuguese fusion, Peruvian and Lebanese influences.