f&c final version

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Culinary JourneyMapping the historical reservoir of

Vietnamese, Malaysian and IndonesianCuisines

November 2011

Crafting Winning StrategyBased on Consumer Insight

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Flow of the Presentation

Section 1 :

The Starting Point

Objective of the Presentation

Section 2 : Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia

Country Overview

Tracing the historical reservoir

Tracing historical reservoir of the cuisine

today & and the sensorial

Section 3: Marketing Implications


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Section 1

3


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The Starting Point : Food & Culture

Apart from satisfying biological needs, food is alsoan expression of culture/ historical reservoir i.e.

An essential symbolic function of food is cultural

identity. Beyond self-identification, incorporation of

food can signify collective association.

What one eats defines who one is, culturally

speaking, and, conversely, who one is not. In the

Middle East, for example, a person who eats pork is

probably Roman Catholic or Orthodox Christian, not

Jewish or Muslim.

While most people believe that consumers make

consumption choices based on personal preferencesBourdieu (1984) showed that consumer preferences

are highly predictable once their economic status &

cultural capital is known.

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Objective of this Presentation

Help provide a birds eye perspective of the

historical reservoir of local Vietnamese,

Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine.

Map implications for marketers

5

Based on the indelible link between Food & Culture :


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Research Approach : Secondary Data & IDIs

Discussions with NUS Post Scholars: Dr. Nir Avieli

Secondary Research.

Food & Culture Kittler/Sucher

Davidson, Alan. The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford: Oxford University

Press, 1999

Goody, Jack. Cooking, Cuisine, and Class: A Study in ComparativeSociology.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.

Ling, Kong Foong. The Food of Asia. Singapore: Periplus, 1998

Robson, J. R. K., ed. Food, Ecology, and Culture: Readings in theAnthropology of

Dietary Practices. New York: Gordon and Breach, 1980.

Owen, Sri. Indonesian Regional Food and Cookery. London and New York:

Doubleday, 1994.

Owen, Sri. The Rice Book: The Definitive Book on the Magic of RiceCookery.

London: Transworld, 1993.

Rice Talks: A study of food and culture in Vietnam by Dr.Nir Avieli, 2003

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Kittler P G , Sucher K P Diabetes Spectr2004;17:200-204

Role of food within a culture is a function of:

(1) the frequency of food consumption, as

described through the core and complementary

foods model;

(2) the ways in which a culture traditionally

prepares and seasons its foods, as examined byflavor principles;

(3) the daily, weekly, and yearly use of food, as

found in meal patterns and meal cycles;

(4) changes in food functions that emerge during

structural growth in a culture.

The Research Framework Used:


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Section 3a- Vietnam

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Overview of Vietnam

Vietnam

Population:Over 83 million - 85% ethnic

Vietnamese, 3% ethnic Chinese,

members of 55 ethno-linguistic

groups.

Languages: Vietnamese,

French, Chinese, English and

local dialects.Religions: Buddhism, Taoism,

Confucianism, Hoa Hao, Cao

Dai, Muslim and Christian

minorities

10

Food forms a critical part of fabric of Vietnamese life In fact a closer look reveals that the

shape of country resembles two rice baskets on a rice pole. Further exemplified by their

greeting Eat teti.e. Have you eaten? Many proverbs anchored on Food -Father eats

salty food, the children will be thirsty." = Bad actions will later bring bad luck/consequences

to descendants, . Eating lying down= A rather polite folksy way of saying having sex.


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Tracing the Historical Reservoir of Vietnam

Time Line

300BC :

Dong Sonculture Wet ricefarming,domesticationof waterbuffalo, bronzecasting

111BC-938 CE-

ChineseDominationwith occasionalresistance fromthe Viets

10-15 centuryIndian

BuddhistinfluencedChampas inCentral andSouth Vietnam

13th century CE-

Mongol Invasion

1292 CE Marco

Polo visits 13th

century-Japanese

and Chinese trade

begins and

flourishes

Early 16th century

Portuguese and other

European traders and

Missionaries

1858- 1954- French

Invasion followed by

formation of French

Indochina

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Historical Reservoir drawn from .

IndianStemming from

Hindu-Buddhist

Champas

Chinese Domination

French

Stemming from

colonialism

The Viets have through the decades sought to establish their unique & separate

identity; specially in context of the Chinese. The Vietnamese value system is based onfour closely interelated tenets: allegiance to the family, yearning for a good name, love

of learning, and respect for other people. Vietnamese's daily behaviors and perceptions

are influenced from the synthesis of concepts which may be followed from numerous

religions, specially Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism

Rest of Asia:Cambodia / Malay

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Vietnamese Cuisine

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The Story of the Rice Cake: Purity & Most Basic Ingredients

Two kinds of cakes: one was round and the other was square in shape. The round cake wasmade with glutinous rice dough and was called "banh day" by Tiet-Lieu. He named the

square shaped cake "banh chung" which he made with rice, green beans wrapped in leaves.

Rice is the most precious food item in the land and yet also the most abundant. I have

created dishes that symbolize the harmony between the earth and heaven so that all of our

people can enjoy.


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Kittler P G , Sucher K P 2004;17:200-204

Vietnam : Mapping The Core and Complementary Foods

Model

Seasonings

Herbs : Basil, Coriander, Mint, lemongrass, Lime leaves, dill, spring

onions, Spearmint,

Vietnamese Mint

Sauces : Fish sauce, Soy sauce,

Shrimp paste, Hot chilly sauce

Black Pepper, Chilly

Snacks/Sweets/

Feasts

Fruits, Tapioca

Flour,

Mung Bean paste,

sugar,

Sesame seeds,

Coconut milk

Foods eaten sporadically, by

individual preference, not a

cultural habit

Ingredients Rice and Noodles

Wheat, Mung beans

Vegetables, Beef,

Chicken, Duck, Pork,

Fish and shrimp, Tofu

Snacks are often purchased from street vendors. Popular handheld snacks include spring rolls or pork meatballs on astick. These foods and pho (beef noodle soup) are the equivalent of fast food in Vietnamese cities. Also common

between meals are sweet fruits and ice cream, introduced during the Vietnam War era (1960s and 1970s). Another"imported" snack food is a baguette with pt, a holdover from the years when Vietnam was a colony of France.


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Dynamics of a meal

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Meals are taken communally; using bowls, chopsticks andceramic spoons, and is accompanied by an array of sauces,

flavorings, dips, salads.

A meal is a complete entity with many dishesthere is no

concept of courses apart from soup .

Eating out in Vietnam is far more common than in Western

countries usually, only the main evening meal is cooked at

home. Breakfast is a light meal, but is considered important .

Street breakfast in towns and cities of the north is mostly a

variation of pho. Lunch is usually taken at a com bui.There is

no tradition of desserts in Vietnam.


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Tet The Feast

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Tet marks the beginning of a new year on the

lunar calendar, and the beginning of Spring.

Food plays a major role in the Tet

celebration. Tet is a time of excess, one does

not enjoy Tet, one "eats" Tet.

3 or 5 duck eggs is offered to ancestors who

have returned to their homes.

Sticky rice and salt are also offered in the

streets to any hungry ghosts who might be

wandering in the neighbourhood.


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Key Influences on Vietnamese Food

The Indianised

kingdom ofChampa gave the

Vietnamese curry.

Ca ri is a popular

dish in central

and South

Vietnam.

From Cambodia,

Vietnameseadopted Bo Hoc(Prahok), a centralingredient of a ricenoodle soup calledbun Nuoc leo.From the Thais,the Vietnameseadopted XoiXoai(Mango stickyrice) and Lauthai(Hotpot), verypopular in Saigon.

Introduced the

Baguette and pt,this with local

stuffing became

BanhMi. Introduced

Onions, Potatoes,

Tarragon,

asparagus, Coffee

with cream, milk,

butter, custards,

and cakes

Chopsticks, wok,

stir frying,steaming, braisingand clay potstewing. Dishes likeWonton, dumpling,Ka tieu, wheatnoodles, Popiah,youtiao, Baozi,Yangzhou Fried riceetc .Adaptations- TheChinese soy saucehas been replacedby Nuoc mam orfish sauce and Nuoc

Cham

IndianVia

Indianised Khmers

ChineseRest of Asia

:Cambodia /

Thailand

FrenchStemming from

colonialism

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Yin & Yang has a significant influence on

Vietnamese Food


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Incorporation of The Principal of Yin & Yang

The principle of yin and yang as represented in Taoism by the Taijitu

influences the Vietnamese food habits significantly. Influence :

Principal of Yin and Yang, seek to match dishes with

seasonal/climatic conditions and current physical state of the

diners.

Duck meat is considered "cool" so is served in summer, which is

hot, and with ginger fish sauce, which is "warm." On the other

hand, chicken, which is "warm," and pork, which is "hot," are

used in cold winters.

Seafood ranging from "cool" to "cold" is suitable to use with

ginger ("warm").

Spicy, which is extremely yang, must be harmonized by sour,which is extremely yin.

Balut- "Htvtln," meaning Upside-down egg" ("cold"), must

be combined with Vietnamese mint "Rau rm" ("hot").

Cold and flu patients must drink ginger water ("hot").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_saucehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Balut(egg)&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_minthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_coldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_coldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_minthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Balut(egg)&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_sauce


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Sensorial Vast Regional Diversity

SouthNorth

More flavorsome and varied

Hot chilies Coconut milk

Tropical fruits

raw vegetables

herbs

Less Spicy, Fewerspices/herbs.

More MSG Black pepper for hotness Preference for beef

Central

Spicier than North

Multiple dishes around Rice

owing to a history of royaltraditionGlutinous riceVegetarian Buddhisttradition, so manyvegetarian dishes

Vietnamese food is fresh and light. Appeals to senses via Five spices, Five types ofnutrients, Five colors - attractive to the eye, crispy and crunchy, spices on the

tongue, aromatic herbs and touch. Ideal meal needs to have a balance betweenspicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water) and sweet (earth)

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Thus in Sum

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Purity, freshness, balance of Yin & Yang key to Vietnamesecuisine.

Rice , Fish and Vegetables form the core of the Vietnamese

meals. The largest influence on Vietnamese has been that of

Chinese (largely on the cooking styles, core and

complementary food) & the French (largely on the peripheral

and secondary food; exception Banhmi) Food Sensorials:

Well rounded taste profile,

Aromatic owing to herbs and vegetables

Mouth Feel: Light , fresh and crunchy

Colors : Attractive

Flavor: Fish Soy Sauce Traditional to Adapted Food:

Chinese :Fish Sauce

French : BanhMi


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Section 2b- Indonesia

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Overview of Indonesia

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Indonesian culture has been shaped by long interaction between original indigenous

customs and multiple foreign influences. Owing to its vantage position on along ancient

trading routes between the Far East and the Middle East has resulted in a complex

cultural mixture very different from the original indigenous cultures.


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DutchStemming from

colonialism

IndianStemming from trade

ChineseStemming from

trade and

migration

ArabStemming from

trade and scholars

PortugueseSpanish

Traders

Indian merchants brought Hindu Buddhist religions whereas Chinese traders and immigrantscontributed Confucianism and the Arab Traders Islam. These contrasting influences in turn

resulted in the archipelago exhibiting high level of heterogeneity. Therefore an island like

Bali remains predominantly Hindu and the rest of the worlds most populous Islamic nation

continues to respect its earlier animist, Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

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Impact on Indonesian Cuisine

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Ri I t l t Lif d W ll B i


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Rice Integral to Life and Well Being..

Dewi Sri is believed to have dominion over the underworld and the Moon. Thus, DewiSri encompasses the whole spectrum of the Mother Goddess- having dominion over

birth and Life: she controls rice: the staple food of Indonesians; hence life and wealth or

prosperity; most especially rice surpluses for the wealth of kingdoms in Java; and their

inverse: poverty, famine, hunger, disease (to a certain extent) and Death. She is often

associated with the rice paddy snake .


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The Dynamics of Home Eaten Meal

Indonesian tables generally bear not only serving platters

with dishes to be shared and individual plates or bowls butalso little satellite dishes for dipping sauces, spices, chopped

herbs, and relishes like shrimp paste and fish sauce. Each

diner has the right and freedom to fine-tune the dish to his or

her individual taste by dipping, pouring, mixing, and

sprinkling

Close look at different aspects of a meal :

Preparation

Rural Areas typically done by the lady of the house

Urban- Lady of the house & domestic help

Food could be freshly cooked or in the morning

Presentation Rice coupled with a couple of meat/seafood and/or

vegetables the norm. All the dishes are served at the same

time.

Crunchies like Keropak

Consumption

Family usually eats together. 28


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Food & Social Status in Indonesia

Celebration/

Selamantan

Home

Prepared

Economically

less affluent

Economically

more

affluent

Difference lies in

number of dishes/desserts. Rice &

meats remain

common

Variety and richness of

food on table key

indicator of affluence

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Indonesia Mapping The Core and Complementary Foods


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Indonesia: Mapping The Core and Complementary Foods

Model

Seasonings

Fresh: Red shallots, galangal,Turmeric. Garlic, spring onions,

ginger, lemon grass, Kaffir lime,

Pandan, Chinese celery

Dried: Coriander seeds, cardamom,

cinnamon, cumin and fennel, chilies

Tamarind water, Lime juice and

Vinegar

Terasi -fermented shrimp paste

Snacks/Sweets/Feasts

Fruits, Tapioca Flour,

Mung bean paste,Palm Sugar,Cane

sugar

Sesame seeds,

coconut milk

Foods eaten

sporadically, by

individual

preference, not acultural habit

Ingredients Rice

Ambon Sago

Irian Jaya-Sweet

Potato, Cassava, Corn

Seafood, Chicken,

beef,

Vegetables


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Key Influences on Indonesian Food



trade and migration

ArabStemming from trade

Portuguese

brought chili

peppers from the

Americas

Spanish introduced

corn and chili

peppers

Indian merchants

brought curries

and dried spices

like cardamom,

cumin and caraway.

Vegetables

cucumbers,

eggplants and

onions

Arab traders and

scholars

introduced kebabsand Arabian spices

The Arab traders

bought the

concept of halal

meat.

Dutch planted

tomatoes, cabbage,

cauliflower, carrots,

radish, green beans

lettuce and coffee

Also contributed

pastry, cakes,

cookies , bread,

cheese & steaks

Soybean, noodles

and stir-frying.

Vegetables likeOriental radish,

Chinese cabbage,

horse tamarind,

bean sprouts and

broad leaved

mustard.

Soybean paste

(tauco) and tahu(Tofu).

Portuguese/Spanish Traders

DutchColonies

The tempeh(Soybean cake

with wholebeans) is anIndonesianadaptation,

Kecap Manis

Kebabs became

Satay

Curry, Stews

The Dutch invented

the Rijstaffelbased

on the

Selamantan-

celebration meal32


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Sensorial Vast Regional Diversity

JavaSumatra

Overall taste profile

skewed towards sweetEvery dish seems to have a

few spoons of Kecap

Manis(sweet Soy sauce).

Use of aromatic herbs,

sourness and spice

moderate

Very high use of spices andaromatic herbs

Minangkabau cuisine fromWest Sumatra is known forits fiery-hot, spicy Padang

cuisine. They use hot chilieswith abandon!

Diversity in sensorial key example: the tribes in Borneo mostly retain their indigenous

foods. Further islands across the archipelago exhibit island specific preferences. In a

country with such diverse food traditions, the food sensorials can be broadly described

as spicy, aromatic and rich.33


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Thus in Sum

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Indonesian cuisine as it exists today is a potpourri of

different cuisines. However what is unique to Indonesiais the diversity in flavors that are seen across the country.

Rice , poultry, mutton & seafood and vegetables form

the core of the Indonesian meals. The largest influence

has been that of Chinese , Arab and Indians (largely on

the cooking styles, core and complementary food). Dutchinfluence limited to ingredients and secondary/

peripheral foods.

Food Sensorials:

Overall taste profile- spicy, aromatic & rich

Key Adaptations :

Chinese :Tempeh, Kecap Manis

Arabs : Satay, Halal

Indians: Spices & biryani adaptations


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Section 3c- Malaysia

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Overview of Malaysia

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Owing to its unique vantage position fusion characterizes all facets of Malaysian

culture. A unified Malaysian culture is however something only emerging in the

country. The important social distinction in the emergent national culture is between

Malay and non-Malay, represented by : the Malay elite that dominates the country's

politics, and the largely Chinese middle class.


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Thai/

IndonesianStemming from

Geographical

proximity

IndianStemming from

trade and

migration


trade and

migration

ArabStemming from

trade

EuropeansStemming from

colonialism

Kinship a key facet of Malaysian Culture evidenced by Kampong spirit. Integral part eventoday of village life; has however seen erosion in recent times in urban centers .

Socialization with family & community key. Family integral to simple & good life.

Legends abound in adventure and sagas about fairies, heroes, magic curses and heavenly

celestial beings.

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Malaysian Cuisine

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Meal Dynamics..

No concept of courses, food is eaten /served

simultaneously. Preparation: Typically done by mother; often ladies

from two generation i.e. grandmother/ mother

Presentation: Rice coupled with a couple of

meat/seafood and/or vegetables the norm. Condiments

used include a small crunchy salad, pickled vegetables& sambal condiment

Consumption: Family usually eats together.

Preference for freshly cooked meals high

Urban centers there is a growing preference for fast

food; in rural areas, local cuisine still preferred. With people increasingly traveling long distances to

work coupled with women increasingly joining the

workforce the hawker food is being increasingly seen

as a substitute for a home cooked meal. Packaged &

supermarket are also seen as viable alternatives40


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Food & Social Status:

Celebration

Fasting & Feasting

Home

Prepared

Economically

less affluent

Economically

more

affluent

Variety on table key

indicator of affluenceRice & meats remain

common

Variety on table key

indicator of affluence

Difference lies in number

of meat & vegetable &

deserts served.

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Malaysia: Mapping The Core and Complementary Foods


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Malaysia: Mapping The Core and Complementary Foods

Model

Seasonings

Herbs: Lemongrass, shallots, ginger,Chilies, garlic, galangal, Turmeric, Kaffir

Lime, Laksa, Pandan leaves

Spices: Fennel, Cumin, Coriander,

cardamom, cloves, Star anise, Mustard,

cinnamon, fenugreek, Nutmeg,

Sambal and Sambal belacan

Tamarind, Mango, Asam, Carambola,

Lemon and coconut

Snacks/Sweets/ Feasts

Cakes and

desserts made ofCoconut milk,

palm sugar,

glutinous rice etc.

Foods eaten

sporadically, by

individual preference,

not a cultural habit

Core IngredientsRice and Noodles

Breads

Seafood- Fish, shrimps &

cuttlefish,

Meat: chicken, mutton,

beef

Vegetables


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Thus Sensorials

ThaiStemming from

Geographical

proximity



trade and migration

ArabStemming from trade

EuropeansStemming from

colonialism

Overall profile

aromatic but

taste profile is

well balanced

despite high

use of chilies &

herbs.

A function ofcoconut base

Overall profile

spicy.

Use of spices

very high. Herbs

average. Cooking

Techniques-

Frying

Overall profile

bland and

aromatic.

Owing to use

of spices high

but is tempered

with use of

cream & cheese

Overall profile

bland.

Overall profilebland.

High relianceon essence of

meat &vegetables.

Use of herbs

average. Spicesusage lower

Overall profile aromatic and very spicy/tangy.Use of spices and herbs very high

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Thus in Sum

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Process of acculturation or Traditional to adopted

foodsis key to Malaysian cuisine. Fusion a hallmarkacross all spheres of its culture including food .

Rice , poultry, mutton & seafood and vegetables form

the core of the Malaysian meals. The largest influence

has been that of Chinese , Thai and Indians (largely on

the cooking styles, core and complementary food). Arab

contribution limited to halal meat & satay- a keysecondary food

Food Sensorials:

Overall spicy taste profile,

Aromatic owing to herbs and vegetables

Mouth Feel: Fried , rich , spicy & tangy owing to

coconut, spices & tamarind Key Adaptations :

Chinese :Nyonya Food

Arabs : Satay, Halal

Indians: Spices & biryani adaptations


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Dairy Food Products- Historical Reservoir

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History of Dairy

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Traditionally a non-dairying region The history of dairy consumption in South

East Asia is very short, but with an upward trend.


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Introduction of Dairy

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Malaysia & Indonesia : Colonial Trade brought early import of

canned sweetened milk to Indonesia(1875), then Malaysia. This milk

was ideal for long-distance trade as it keeps relatively well in the heat.

Adoption Triggers :

Imported for Europeans first, it spread to local elite, then

throughout the population, as the small tin pricedecreased.

In addition, milk kitchens set up by the Dutch in towns and

cities provided sweetened condensed milk for infants who

didnt get mothers milk. Around 1901, Nestl's sales network was marketing the product

in Javanese villages.

Vietnam : Colonials brought the first dairy cows at the end of 18thcentury. US army commissioned Ice cream factories in 60s and 70s.


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Key Barriers Historical Perspective

50

Negative Milk Perceptions and Poor Sensorials

Milk seen as a body excretion thus

mental barriers specially in Vietnamwhere cattle were used for draught

power, manure and meat production

but not for milk or dairy.

Milk and other dairy products

associated with a smell

Lactose Intolerance

In these regions, large proportions of thepopulation are lactose intolerant.

With time decline being seen in lactose

intolerance; function of increased

exposure to milk?

Easily available dairy substitutes Soy milk, coconut milk & Tofu seen as

substitutes for dairy milk

Genetics

Substitutes

ProductPerception &

Sensorials

Current Picture: Fast growing markets, per capita


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Current Picture: Fast growing markets, per capita

consumption low..

Fastest Growing Markets, Significantly lower versus Europe/ America and even per capita

consumption in India.For example : In Vietnam per capita has grown from around 1 kg to 10

kg now

Key Growth Triggers

Rising per capita income

Increasing association of milk and nutrition needed for agrowing child

Product range beyond liquid milk; not a part of SEA diet Government schemes for infant feeding, targeted school

milk program

Western influence has resulted in higher use of cheese &butter

ButWithin the Core & Complementary Foods Framework


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Role of Milk & other dairy products however

not integral to Core & Complementary foods

p y

Seek to make dairy based offerings a part of

core (substitute to tofu?) or complementary

food (dairy based flavor enhancers?)

Market Development:

Strengthen benefits : Recent

anthropological studies in China show

milk perceived as integral for child s

growth and nutrition; seek to establish

similar connect with other agesegments not just children

Burst Myths if widespread address

myths via support of trusted, credible

authority support:

Government

Celebrity Endorsement

ButWithin the Core & Complementary Foods Framework


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Role of Milk & other dairy products however

not integral to Core & Complementary foods

p y

RTB Simplification : Given stage of

development need to understand if

there exists a case for simplification of

RTB ?

Lactose Intolerance: On ground

activation ideas to push products that

can be consumed by a lactose

intolerant consumers like yogurt etc.

Sampling : On ground sampling of

products that help address negative

milk sensorials eg. UHT milk by adding

additives flavors like chocolate,

banana, strawberry etc, powder milk

etc..


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Key Implications

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Implication 1-(1/4)

Key Observations :

Most Southeast Asian societies have been in contact with each other and with other

societies, such as India and China,

Owing to colonialism, trade, influx of scholars & geographical proximity.

Significant Chinese populations across these markets hence have strong

Chinese dietary strains in their cuisines.

While this resulted in acculturation i.e. the process of adopting the cultural traits

or social patterns of another group ; the emergent codes specifically in context of

food were not homogeneous

Thus within Southeast Asia food serves as an ethnic and national marker,

distinguishing one group from another. Heterogeneity stems from the way people think, work, survive, and express

themselves; the economic surplus of the country of focus; social forces and the

countries' indigenous cultures.

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Implications 1- (2/4)

Acculturation is a fourfold model along two dimensions.

56

Indigenous HostCulture Absorption

Donor Culture Retention

AssimilationHigh- Low

IntegrationHigh- High

SeparationLow -High

Marginalization


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Implications 1- (3/4)

Acculturation Model examples in the context of Food:

57

Indigenous HostCulture Absorption

Retaining Donor Culture

Assimilation

Satay/ Laksa

Integration ChineseFried Rice & Indian

Biryani Adaptations

Separation

Chinese dialect groups &

the tribes in the rain forests

of Borneo

Marginalization


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Implications 1 - (4/4)

Implication 1: Host or Donor Countries as Source of Ideas for Innovation ?

Thus :For every country of focus the countries marketers should seek to identify food

categories that are assimilated, integrated or separationist and for each of these then

seek to understand consumers in both the donor & recipient countries as a possible

source of innovation ideas.

Areas that could be explored could be anchored in

Ingredients

Seasonings

Cooking Style & Medium

In fact marketers could establish protocols using research techniques like NeuroLinguistic Processing to understand taste expectations from host & donor country &

then develop options for each.

58

/


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Implications 2 - (1/2)

Observation 2 :

Food within Southeast Asia serves as a ethnic & national marker, distinguishing one group

from another. But despite the diversity, distinct commonalities exist.

All throughout the region, rice forms the core food, is the basis of cakes, desserts and

other snacks. Rice as staff of life food that shapes tastes and dietary patternscertainly

is a common denominator.

The flavor of coconut at all its stages is savored throughout the region.Ingredients like coconut milk, lemon grass, galingale, ginger, Asian basil, mint, fish sauce,

and shrimp paste are used throughout the region; although the proportion varies.

Implication: Thus processed food manufacturers should consider exploring the mass

customization for offering core complimentary or secondary food solutions for the region i.e.

Mass customization is the method of "effectively postponing the task of differentiating a

product for a specific customer until the latest possible point in the supply network.

59

An example of Range of Offerings To meet diverse needs


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(2/2)

60

Ultimate goal would be to offer solutions that individuals / local diners can customize

to their tastes & preferences at the time of cooking/ on the table.

This process of customizing to ones palate is core to the region and each diner has the

right and freedom to fine tune his dish to his or her individual taste by dipping,

pouring, mixing, and sprinkling sauce/condiments.

li i ( / )


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Implication 3 -(1/2)

Observation 3 : Influences on cuisine from the donor country are imbibed by the host

country through the process of acculturation that involves: Retaining : Retaining certain elements that are core & indigenous to its culture

(stemming from social & economic reasons). Example : use of palm sugar in

Malaysia for desserts, use of fish sauce in Vietnam etc.

Fusion : Customizing overseas influences with local preferences i.e. Kebabs to Satay

or soy sauce with sugar etc.

Implication 3:

All successful innovation for multicultural communities needs to mimic this process.

Thus for each category of interest at the outset, the flavor house must identify:

Are there any core preferences that are integral to that category for the locals.

These core preferences can be identified via heuristics- i.e. thumb rules that

consumers use in decision making. If an ingredient/ cooking style is integral

for the product meeting a key thumb rule it should be defined as core.

Explore innovation ideas that look to impact the non core elements of the

dish via looking at opportunities for fusion of local food preferences with

overseas food trends.

61

El id i h E l (2/2)


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Elucidating the Example (2/2)

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Lays a winning example of retaining the core but yet innovating to suite local palate

preferences.

K i li i 4 (1/1)


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Key implications 4 (1/1)

Observation 4: In a lot of food categories source of origin

stories are leveraged for credibility and authenticity toensure relevance and differentiation in the mind of the

consumer.

Implication 4 :

Source of origin stories can be further strengthened by

looking at origins that trace the historical reservoir of

the dish/ ingredient .

Specially for assimilated foods maybe pertinent to talk

about the process of fusion of the food in the local

cuisine . This maybe specifically relevant to markets

like Indonesia & Malaysia where adaptation of cusines

from other countries has been widespread.

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K i li ti 5 (1/2)


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Key implication 5 (1/2)

PACKAGING IMPLICATIONS

64

When it comes to food purity and tasty are generics that the overall positioning of thebrand & the packaging must deliver upon.

However, if one were to suggest guidelines inputs based on an analysis of the historicalreservoir some thoughts are: Food is seen as having an indelible link with life, purity, freshness and simplicity

key. This should be captured in packaging & positioning of the brands.

Yin & Yang balance of ingredients also remains an under-explored opportunity forfood manufacturers

In Malaysia & Indonesia given the adaptation & fusion authenticity of taste maybe

should be accorded a higher weightage

El id ti th E l (2/2)


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Elucidating the Example (2/2)

65

Indelible link of the food withlife, purity, freshness and

simplicity stands wellcaptured in the packaging ofthe local players

I li ti 6
http://heavytable.com/adventures-in-condensed-milk-how-to-make-vietnamese-coffee-and-vietnamese-yogurt/longevity/


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Implication 6

66

Observation 5 : Migration Going Forward: There are now 215m first-generation migrants around the

world: thats 3% of the worlds population. If they were a

nation, it would be a little larger than Brazil. There are

more Chinese people living outside China than there are

French people in France. Some 22m Indians are scattered

all over the globe. Small concentrations of ethnic andlinguistic groups have always been found in surprising

placesLebanese in west Africa, Japanese in Brazil and

Welsh in Patagonia, for instancebut they have been

joined by newer ones, such as west Africans in southern

China.- Source Economist

Implication 5: This is currently & more so in the future likely

to give rise to adopted foods. Thus food marketers need to

track and monitor these migrants to decide their portfolios &

innovation strategies in times to come


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Thank you!

f&c final version

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