Hispanic Heritage Month is still in full swing, and with consumers overwhelmingly seeking Mexican cuisine, food manufacturers are paying close attention.
McCormick & Company said year-over-year shopping trends show that nearly half of Gen Z consumers call Mexican food their “forever favorite” cuisine.
The trend has prompted the spice maker to launch a line of products that brings a Latin American-inspired punch.
Meanwhile, brands like Jarritos, the flavored soft-drink company that sources its ingredients from Mexico, also is catering to evolving consumer preferences with the release of its first zero-calorie soda nationwide in late September.
Spicy dominates
“Mexican cuisine, in particular, continues to shape the way Americans eat today,” according to McCormick.
The new line of products includes McCormick Mayonesa con Jugo de Limones, Cholula Chiles & Pepitas Chili Crisp and Cholula Birria Cooking & Simmer Sauce.
The company said the Mayonesa brings a zesty twist to the condiment and bright lime flavor. Mexican consumers already prefer the citrusy mayo, which makes up 70% of the mayonnaise market south of the Rio Grande.
Chili crisp also is skyrocketing in popularity, and the new Cholula-branded product brings the heat, according to McCormick.
The Baltimore, Md., spice and condiment giant said its new cooking and simmer sauce also adds a spicy kick.
“With 81% of US consumers more likely to choose spicy foods when cooking at home (vs. 77% when dining out, according to a recent McCormick survey), this sauce brings authentic, craveable flavor at a fraction of the time, to everyday meals,” the company said.
A new generation
Valda Coryat, vice president of marketing at McCormick, said Gen Z consumers’ strong preference for Mexican food is the result of their lifelong exposure to the cuisine.
“Gen Z grew up with these flavors – hot sauces on the table, spicy snacks around the house and international food content in their social feeds,” she said. “Mexican cuisine delivers exactly what they crave in multiple forms with endless ways to customize.”
They’re also heavily influenced by social media, which encourages them to experiment with “fusion formats” that blend Mexican flavors with other cuisines, she said.
“Gen Z and Millennials are more engaged with Mexican cuisine than other generations. They cook Mexican food for any time of day, use a wide variety of authentic ingredients such as whole dried peppers, queso fresco and crema, and embrace bold spice levels with diverse chili varieties,” Coryat explained.
The younger cohorts value ingredient transparency, sustainability and authenticity, while their Gen X and Baby Boomer counterparts are less likely to cook Mexican food, focusing instead on Tex-Mex staples that use Americanized ingredients.
Younger consumers also gravitate toward brands with “proud origin stories,” she said.
“For example, from 2021 through the end of 2024, McCormick Mayonesa grew at an average rate of 30% per year, and in the US, the 28-ounce Mayonesa product is the No. 1 McCormick item for the entire Consumer Products Division in terms of sales,” she said.
Proud tradition
One Mexican drink manufacturer with a proud tradition, Jarritos, launched in 1950 by Don Francisco “El Güero” Hill, also is chasing consumer demand with the September release of its first nationwide zero-calorie drink, Jarritos Mandarin Zero.
“The launch of Mandarin Zero underscores Jarritos’ commitment to evolving with consumer preferences while maintaining the brand’s hallmark fruit-forward authenticity,” the company said.
The fruit-flavored drink maker said the new drink followed a series of blind taste tests, where Jarritos owner, Novamex, said test subjects were unable to tell the difference. The zero line uses sucralose as a zero-calorie sweetener.
“Fans have asked for a Jarritos option that fits zero-calorie lifestyles without losing the real fruit taste they love,” said Eric Delamare, Novamex director of marketing.
The beverage is now available in 4,500 retail locations nationwide, rolling out at Walmart, Publix, Kroger, Safeway and Jewel-Osco grocery stores.
