Ready to Launch Research partnered with a leading national food producer to explore how multicultural families shop, cook, and make food choices. The objective was to gather culturally relevant grocery market research insights that could guide innovation in deli product development and in-store experiences.
We conducted a year-long ethnographic study with 10 diverse families across the U.S., representing a range of cultural backgrounds. Each family participated in weekly online activities and monthly in-home sessions with ethnographers who were matched to them as a “culture fit”—meaning they shared the same ethnicity and lived locally. This approach fostered trust and enabled open, meaningful dialogue. Research topics included grocery shopping behavior, nutritional needs, meal planning, cultural food rituals, and brand loyalty.
This food market research provided deep, longitudinal insights into real household behaviors and decision-making processes. The client gained an authentic view of how families interact with grocery products in their daily lives. Findings are now being used to shape the client’s innovation pipeline for deli offerings and inform culturally responsive retail strategies across the U.S. grocery landscape. The study exemplifies how long-term, relationship-driven research can generate powerful food innovation insights grounded in cultural nuance and lived experience.
