An increase in wholesale orders for international foods suggests younger consumers are broadening holiday traditions and embracing global flavors, creating new merchandising opportunities for grocery retailers.
For all the change going on all around us, the traditional American holiday table isn’t going anywhere. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie aren’t about to move over for matcha, chili crisp and Swedish candy. But the assortment surrounding those familiar favorites is changing, and younger consumers appear keen on bringing those international flavors into their holiday celebrations.
New research from wholesale marketplace Faire offers an intriguing look into this trend. According to the company’s 2026 Independent Retail Pulse holiday report, wholesale orders for food products imported from East and Southeast Asia increased 63% from June through September compared with the same period last year. Spending on imported food and beverages overall rose 20%.
Those are convincing increases, even allowing for the fact that Faire’s figures measure independent retailers’ wholesale purchasing rather than actual consumer sales. It looks as though retailers are placing a bet that shoppers will want something beyond the conventional American holiday assortment.
Here’s why I think that bet will pay…
A More International Holiday Table
Holiday food traditions have always evolved – particularly in the United States. From the Feast of Seven Fishes to sufganiyot to paneton and tamales; countless cultural traditions shape our November and December meals.
What’s different today is how readily consumers cross old culinary boundaries.
An Asian-inspired appetizer might appear alongside a traditional roast. Imported chocolates and specialty beverages might accompany familiar holiday desserts. A gathering built around conventional American holiday foods could also feature Korean snacks, Japanese sweets or Southeast Asian condiments.
None of this calls for people to abandon established traditions. In fact, I expect the appeal is precisely the opposite: introducing something unexpected into an otherwise (very) familiar celebration. As it goes for shoppers, so it goes for grocery retailers. International foods don’t necessarily have to replace existing holiday merchandise. They can expand the assortment and, potentially, the size of the basket.
Gen Z Looms Large in the Assortment Change
Unsurprisingly to anyone who’s been watching, Faire’s report identifies Gen Z and Millennials as important influences on holiday retail trends; younger consumers show interest in experiences, nostalgia and products that make gatherings more personal.
Food is both an experience and a relatively accessible indulgence. As we see so often nowadays, a shopper who won’t spend hundreds of dollars on an elaborate holiday outing might readily spend another $15 or $20 on interesting snacks, imported beverages or specialty ingredients for a gathering at home. Unlike a lot of discretionary purchases, these products are meant to be shared – they’re a part of the occasion itself.
As we’ve talked about before with this cohort, there is also a discovery component. Younger shoppers encounter international foods through restaurants, social media, travel and online communities. Products that might once have been confined to specialty ethnic markets now have recognizable appeal among mainstream consumers – to the tune of double-digit increases.
The commercial opportunity then is to recognize which ones have moved beyond novelty and become part of everyday food culture.
Independent Grocers Take Note
Of particular interest is the independent-retailer aspect of Faire’s research – there’s a lot to take away here.
Smaller grocery operators have often been exceptionally good at understanding the tastes of their immediate communities – just ask Krasdale. An independent serving a neighborhood with a substantial Korean, Filipino, Indian or Hispanic population might well have carried specialized international assortments for decades.
But their merchandising potential changes when these products attract a broader customer base. In 2026, one shopper’s trusty, beloved comfort food or staple is another’s holiday-party sleeper hit or unforgettable gift.
In other words, there are huge opportunities for cross-merchandising, seasonal displays, specialty food promotions and the like. Imported crackers can be merchandised with domestic cheeses. Asian condiments can accompany meat and seafood displays. International confectionery can find a place alongside conventional holiday candy.
Independents probably have the advantage here because they can respond more quickly to local demand. Yes, larger chains have considerable buying power and sophisticated category management, but their standardized assortments usually make experimentation more complicated.
Of course, novelty alone doesn’t guarantee repeat purchases. Grocers still need products that taste good, offer recognizable value and generate sufficient movement to justify shelf space.
Tradition and Experimentation Can Coexist
It would be a big mistake to underestimate or mis-time this trend. The holidays are among the few occasions when shoppers actively look for foods outside their regular purchasing routines. They buy ingredients they seldom use, prepare dishes they make only once or twice a year and spend more time thinking about presentation and entertaining.
That makes the season particularly fertile ground for culinary experimentation.
The broader holiday picture in Faire’s research reinforces the point. Independent retailers also increased orders for games, puzzles, crafts and nostalgic seasonal decorations. The common thread is a consumer interest in making gatherings distinctive and memorable. Food naturally dovetails into that behavior.
At the same time, it’s unlikely younger shoppers will replace traditional holiday meals with international cuisine. But then again they don’t have to for the trend to move the needle, commercially speaking.
More important is that holiday grocery shopping is becoming a bit less predictable. Consumers can remain loyal to familiar family recipes while making room for new flavors, ingredients and entertaining traditions.
A grocery operation, large or small, that gets both sides of that equation has a chance to sell a lot more than the conventional holiday staples.