Research and Markets: Specialty Foods - The NASFT State of the Industry Report - The Consumer in the United States 2008 Is Out Now

DUBLIN, Ireland-(Business Wire)-December 22, 2008 - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/740e55/specialty_foods) has announced the addition of the "Specialty Foods - The NASFT State of the Industry Report - The Consumer in the United States 2008" report to their offering.

This report, a companion to the NASFT State of the Industry Report, examines an array of consumer attitudes and opinions to specialty foods. By clearly defining the term "specialty food," the study identifies the typical specialty food consumer and examines the way in which that consumer's shopping, cooking, and eating habits differ from consumers in general.

Also included is an analysis of attitudes and opinions concerning food, entertaining, and specialty food purchases, as is an examination of restaurant and travel habits of consumers in general and the specialty food consumer in particular.

The typical specialty food shopper tends to be younger and more affluent than average. These consumers are more interested than the average consumer in food, recipes, and entertaining, and they tend to be well traveled, within the United States and abroad. They buy a number of specialty products, ranging from coffee, tea, and chocolate to relishes, pickles, and vinegar.

Specialty food shoppers are more likely to buy natural, organic, and kosher/halal products than are average consumers, as revealed by the responses to this study. They are also more likely to shop for food in a broad array of channels, from traditional supermarkets to specialty food stores, natural food stores, and delis.

Finally, this study makes observations and suggestions to help manufacturers and retailers of specialty food products leverage the survey results to reach a wider audience, attracting new consumers to the world of specialty foods and finding ways to deliver more of what current specialty food consumers want. Also included, where possible, are verbatim replies from specialty food consumers-and from consumers who do not purchase specialty foods-so that manufacturers and retailers can understand more clearly what these respondents feel about specialty foods.

This report contains US IRI InfoScan data.

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