Sacred Foods and Food Traditions - US

Sacred Foods and Food Traditions - US

The sacred food market includes products that are certified kosher, Halal, or ethical (e.g. vegetarian, organic, fair trade, natural). This report focuses on consumer attitudes and behavior concerning sacred food.

In this report you will learn that religion and religious traditions are not the major drivers of the sacred food industry. Rather, consumer concerns about the integrity of the food supply and the quality of the food they buy inspire the majority of sacred food purchases.

This report provides a discussion on consumers’ religious, spiritual, ethical, and moral beliefs, as well as analysis and recommendations on the following topics:

• The size of the sacred food market and its potential for growth
  
  
• Food safety and security
  
  
• Convenience
  
  
• The extent of consumers’ knowledge about sacred and religious food Consumers who follow religion-based food traditions, both at home and away from home
  
  
• The extent to which they are loyal to these plans
  
  
• Where consumers shop for sacred foods

SCOPE AND THEMES

What you need to know

Definition

Data sources

Sales data

Consumer survey data

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Market size

Kosher and halal product introductions

Ethical foods get line extensions

Religious affiliation not a major driver—only 5% give up food for faith

Safety and convenience are bigger drivers

Sacred food is an aspect of religious, ethical, and moral life ways

Food, faith, and ethics

Knowledge of food traditions

Knowledge does not translate into interest

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Sacred and ethical foods as “shortcuts”

How to reach these consumers:

Kosher and ethical food for “safety”

How to reach these consumers:

The halal food market

How to reach these consumers:

The ethical food market

How to get the message across:

THE MARKET

Market size

Figure 1: Sales of sacred food in the U.S., 2007

Kosher

Figure 2: U.S. new product launches, kosher and halal foods, 2002-07

Figure 3: New launches of kosher food products in the U.S., by type of food, 2007

Kosher, but not religious

Halal

Halal, but not religious

Ethical foods

Figure 4: New U.S. product launches of ethical foods, 2002-07

Foods for charitable causes

Kindness to the environment

Kindness to animals and humans

The value of “Brand Halal” can build quickly due to the success of “Brand Kosher”

Figure 5: “Global minus U.S.” new product launches, kosher and halal foods, 2002-07

MARKET DRIVERS

Religious affiliation

Figure 6: Respondents’ religion, by age, November 2007

Sacred = safety

Sacred = convenience

Figure 7: Incidence of avoiding various protein-based foods, by age, April 2007

Sacred food is an element of religious, ethical, and moral life paths

FOOD, ETHICS, AND FAITH

Figure 8: Spiritually based opinions, November 2007

Figure 9: Spiritually based opinions, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2007

Figure 10: Spiritually based opinions, cross tabulated with religion of respondent, November 2007

Ethical food attributes

Figure 11: Ethical food attributes, by age, November 2007

KNOWLEDGE OF FAITH-BASED FOOD TRADITIONS

Figure 12: Knowledge of faith-based food traiditons, by age, November 2007

Interest in practicing specific food traditions

Figure 13: Interest in practicing specific food traditions, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2007

GIVING UP FOOD FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS

Figure 14: Giving up food for religious reasons, by faith, November 2007

Religion and food restrictions

Figure 15: Type of food restrictions practiced, November 2007

Care in following food restrictions

Figure 16: Strictness in following food restrictions at home and away from home, November 2007

Figure 17: Shopping for faith-based foods, November 2007

APPENDIX: DEFINITIONS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND TERMS

Definitions, abbreviations, and terms

Figure 18: Major religions and their food restrictions, November 2007

Religion in America

Figure 19: Self-described religious identification of U.S. adult population: 1990 and 2001

Kosher food

Halal food

Abbreviations

Terms

APPENDIX: SUPPLEMENTAL CONSUMER DATA

Religion

Figure 20: Respondents’ religion, by income, November 2007

Figure 21: Respondents’ religion, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2007

Food, ethics, and faith

Figure 22: Spiritually based opinions, by age, November 2007

Knowledge of faith-based traditions

Figure 23: Knowledge of faith-based food traiditons, by income, November 2007

Figure 24: Knowledge of faith-based food traiditons, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2007

APPENDIX: TRADE ASSOCIATIONS