It has been a summer of record-breaking travel as American consumers take advantage of a strong dollar and continue to prioritize experiences. On July 7 the Transportation Safety Administration screened more than 3 million air travelers in one day for the first time in its history, breaking a record that had been set only a few weeks before.
That travel is impacting the foods, flavors, and ingredients that these consumers want to indulge in when they return to the States. According to a Menu Matters survey, nearly 70% of consumers say they look for the foods, beverages, and ingredients from a country they recently visited when they return back home, with 37% of those saying they do so often or all the time.
That includes Aussie beef, lamb, and goat. With America being the third largest source of tourism to Australia according to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission – plus American consumers’ general positive sentiment towards Australia – there’s an opportunity currently being missed to take more inspiration from the continent and feature Australian or Australian-themed dishes, limited-time offers, promotions, recipes, etc.
Also – there are a lot of countries – think Asia and the Middle East – where Aussie Beef & Lamb are featured loud and proud on menus and on retail shelves, and travelers have quite likely indulged in some Aussie beef or lamb in the form of that region’s local cuisine, so will be more likely to try it again.
But the premium nature of Aussie meats can also make a wide range of global dishes from current travel hotspots more accessible for consumers. Consider lamb dishes from Greece and Croatia, Wagyu in Japanese preparations, goat from Caribbean destinations, and beefy dishes from London and Paris.
For those U.S. consumers returning from abroad (and the friends, family, and social media followers they share the experience with), vibrant dishes featuring the premium proteins they experienced on their trip can get them excited and transport them back to their vacations. And those same global dishes and promotions can delight consumers who may not be able to make it to overseas in person but are looking to indulge their FOMO in a local, budget-friendly way.