Home cooking and everyday wines

Euromonitor International conducted a global survey covering more than 70 countries in August 2012. Results showed differences in cooking and home dining in emerging and developed markets. By emerging markets, this survey covers responses from BRIC whilst those from developed markets include respondents living in G8 countries. Below are some interesting highlights from the results:

In developed markets, most respondents either cook for themselves or they cook for themselves and their partners. Only one-fourth respondents cook for their families. On the contrary, in emerging markets, the difference among whom the respondents cook for is less obvious. The majority goes to those who cook for their families, whether they have children or not.

Globally, the gender makeup on whom the respondents cook for reveals a socially entrenched expectation on women being the home cook, especially when there are children in the family. Interestingly, there are more men (41%) than women (38%) who cook for themselves and their partners. The ratio reverses when it comes to cooking for families with children, only 23% of male respondents sign up for cooking duties, whilst 38% of female respondents take up the responsibility.

The most remarkable difference between emerging and developed market lies in the length of time spent on preparing lunch. Respondents from emerging markets most likely spend 30 to 60 minutes to prepare for lunch whilst those from developed markets would perhaps spend 5-15 minutes to do so.

The scene reverses when it comes to dinner preparation. Those from developed markets tend more likely to spend 30 to 60 minutes to prepare dinner than those from emerging markets, whom doubly likely spend just 5 to 15 minutes to prepare dinner.

Breakfast aside, the meal that is most likely to be prepared and eaten at home is dinner. Globally, more than 50% of respondents prepare and have dinner at home for 2-5 times a week, closely followed by 39% of respondents who do so more than 5 times a week.

The question which may concern the wine trade is whether these findings how everyday wines should be marketed in emerging markets? In sophisticated wine markets like United Kingdom, academic study* shows that “more women than men buy wine; many do so as part of the grocery shop and do not consider themselves to buy wine”. In a way, the prevailing role played by women in home cooking and the consumption of everyday wines seem to correlate in developed markets.

In emerging markets where wine consumption has yet to become a daily habit, those who are drinking regularly come from affluent homes and more likely than not, they send their domestic helpers to buy “everyday” wines. Does this call for a different marketing strategy for everyday wines in emerging markets? We invite you to comment.

*Ritchie, C. (2008) The Culture of Wine Buying in the UK Off-Trade. [report] Siena: 4th International Conference of the Academy of Wine Business Research, p.1.