Electrolux Asian Food Survey 2010 reveals Asia’s Passion for Food

While Asians prefer dining at home, passion for cooking surprisingly runs higher in men

• Asians prefer eating at home but many unable to do so
• Passion for cooking runs higher among men
• Quality of fresh food is better than in the past
• Health is a big concern among Asians
• Thai and Chinese cooks most likely to experiment

In keeping with its “Thinking of you” brand proposition, Electrolux, a global leader in kitchen and home appliances, has completed and released the results of the Electrolux Asian Food Survey 2010. One of Asia’s largest food surveys - reaching out to over 4,000 respondents from across eight Asian countries - the Electrolux Asian Food Survey 2010 aims to provide better insights into the trends of food preparation in Asia, as well as the motivations of the consumer when it comes to food and dining.

“The Electrolux ‘Thinking of You’ brand proposition is top-of-mind in the work that we do. This is the second time we are conducting such a large-scale survey and we hope to gather views and feedback from our consumers, and in turn, better understand their desires and create experiences that mean something to them,” said Marco Paracciani, Senior Vice President, Product and Brand, Electrolux Asia Pacific.


Asians prefer eating at home but many unable to do so

Despite being a region well-known for its penchant for good food, made readily available through a myriad of hawker fare, street stalls and restaurants, most respondents would much rather enjoy a home-cooked meal in the comfort of their own dining rooms.

The average Asian working adult however finds this impossible to do during lunch. If you take the limited time available for lunch and factor in traffic and distance from work, most people would settle for an eatery within walking distance of their place of work. But this does not apply to the Indians. Nearly half of Indian respondents take the effort to lunch at home.

The reality is that although Asians do have a preference for home-cooked meals, the demands of work and friends make it difficult to reconcile their wants and their choices. Well over half of them are still dining out at least once every two weeks.

• 90% of respondents prefer eating at home.
• 45% of Indians have lunch at home compared to the regional average of 23%.
• 61% of Asians dine out at least once every two weeks.

Passion for cooking runs higher among men

In an age where home delivery numbers have made it into our speed dials and take-out is very much part and parcel of lunch and sometimes even dinner, the desire to dabble in cooking is still going strong. Indians are the most passionate cooks in Asia, followed closely by the Indonesians, Malaysians and Filipinos.

In Asian culture normally steeped in tradition, women have tended to be the mistress of the home and kitchen. However, the survey shows that there is a slight gender difference when it comes to the passion for cooking, with more men spending time in the kitchen than women.

Men are becoming connoisseurs of epicurean pleasures; and a sexy one too. Considered to be sensitive and metrosexual, men who cook are “in” and the kitchen appliances are now his power-tools; a tantalizing meal is now his pet project.

It is also precisely these tools that make time in the kitchen so alluring to men nowadays. Sleek and stylish kitchen appliances create a classy and sophisticated environment that no man would mind being caught in, and the latest and state-of-the-art in kitchen technology appeals to the tech- and gadget-savvy.

“In Asia, more people are spending time in kitchens to entertain, and as a hobby and passion. That is why at Electrolux, we feel it is necessary to design kitchens with the latest cutting-edge technology and thoughtful designer flair to fully enhance the cooking experience in every way possible for our Asian consumers,” said Dr Suresh Balan, President, Electrolux East Asia.

• 64% of Asians enjoy or are passionate about cooking.
• 75% of Indians, 71% of Indonesians and 69% of Malaysians and Filipinos enjoy or are passionate about cooking.
• 66% of men enjoy or are passionate about cooking with the fairer sex falling behind at 63%.

Quality of fresh food is better than in the past

Countries with a greater wet market tradition are in agreement that the quality of fresh food is better than in the past. However, in countries that are modernising quickly to compete as commercial and industrial hubs in the region, the figures are significantly lower.

The belief in the improvement of quality is also largely in sync with the improvement in food storage technology. As refrigerators get more sophisticated, food can be stored for longer periods and its freshness is preserved as well.

• • 51% of Asians believe the quality of fresh food is better than in the past.
• • 59% of Filipinos, 58% of Vietnamese and 51% of Indians believe the quality is better while 42% of Malaysians and 46% of Chinese believe this to be so.

Health is a big concern

With health being a major cause for concern in today’s society, it is no surprise that such concerns should be addressed from within the home. Almost all respondents emphatically believe that you can cook and eat your way to better health. Understandably, the vast majority of people worry about health when cooking a meal at home. Even when dining out, nearly nine out of 10 respondents were concerned with health issues.

Oil and salt are the two main sources of worry when cooking at home. The quality and quantity of oil used occupy the first two positions respectively with salt being a close third. As far as cooking methods go, deep fried food causes the most concern.

What’s surprising is that ‘Best before dates’ are not as strictly adhered to as one might think. Only about three quarters of total respondents refuse to use food after its expiry date. A number of them are still willing to serve it up as long as it has not exceeded more than a couple of days.

Interestingly, this trend is more prevalent in Singapore than in other Asian countries, with only slightly less than half of Singaporean respondents discarding food which have gone past its ‘Best before dates’.

“Health is and always will be a huge concern in today’s society. That is why it is never far off our minds when we design our products. Be it refrigerators for better and longer food preservation, to cooker hoods that clear the air while cooking. We believe in providing only the best for our consumers,” said Mr Paracciani.

• 95% of respondents believe you can cook and eat your way to better health.
• 96% of Asians worry about health when cooking a meal at home vs 89% who worry about health when dining out.
• 68% are concerned about the quality of oil used when cooking, 66% about the amount of oil used and 62% about the amount of salt.
• 73% of respondents will not use food after its ‘Best before date’ with 57% of Singaporeans willing to risk consumption after it.

 
Thai and Chinese cooks most likely to experiment

Thai and Chinese cooks lead the way in creativity and seldom use recipes. In fact, more than half of them are comfortable enough in their culinary skills to adapt dishes to their own personal taste or create new recipes themselves. Not surprisingly, those who opt for the creative approach are more likely to enjoy and have a passion for cooking.

• 40% of Thai and Chinese cooks seldom or never use recipes.
• 24% of Thai cooks treat cooking as a hobby and create their own recipes while the Chinese account for 26%.
• 36% of Thai cooks adapt recipes to their own taste, similar to the Chinese at 35%.
• 74% of respondents who are passionate and enjoy cooking adopt a creative/adaptive approach.

More about the survey

The Electrolux Asian Food Survey, one of Asia’s largest food surveys, was launched in June 2010 with a sample size of more than 4,000 Asians. The online survey is conducted in English, Vietnamese, Bahasa Melayu, Thai and Mandarin via each country’s local Electrolux website.

The survey comprised a questionnaire of multiple-choice questions about food preparation, cooking and dining habits. The questionnaire had been made available since June and the survey ran till the end of October.

This is the second time Electrolux has conducted such a survey with the first taking place in 2007.

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