By Culinary Visions Panel

Permanent or pop-up food venues and food-focused market style experiences are captivating consumers throughout the U.S. and abroad. A new 2017 study, titled "Food Market Culture Report," highlights how experiential dining concepts tap into consumers' desire to explore, learn, sample and shop for food.

The research explores consumer attitudes toward experiential-based dining opportunities such as food halls, farmers markets, emporiums and arcades. The inspiration for this emerging market report was a recent study by Culinary Visions Panel which found 85 percent of consumers saying they love to attend food-focused events and food festivals.

"Food experiences, such as visiting an artisanal foods market or a food truck festival, attract consumers with their variety of foods and cuisines, as well as the chance to connect with the people producing them," says Sharon Olson, executive director of Culinary Visions Panel.

The food culture in the U.S. is pervasive among consumers of all ages and consumers crave an experience when they are looking for more than a fast fueling experience. Sixty percent of the consumers surveyed say shopping at food markets is one of their favorite types of food experiences while 67 percent of the respondents wished there were more farmers markets in their local areas. Sixty-two percent of consumers surveyed said they were more impressed by visiting a farmers market than a supermarket.

The food market culture provides a food experience that allows consumers to feed multi-tasking lifestyles. At food markets and food halls, consumers can have a dining experience, socialize with friends and pick up some grocery items for home all in one venue. Fifty-seven percent of the consumers surveyed said that they enjoyed going to the market because it's just as much a social occasion as it is a shopping trip.

Besides shopping, consumers gravitate toward food markets because of the invigorating atmosphere found in food halls, arcades and emporiums. Sixty percent of consumers surveyed for this report said they like to roam around with a beverage and absorb the whole environment of the market. Sixty-two percent of the consumers surveyed said that they love the collaborative energy at a food market.

There is also a strong desire for multicultural variety in the form of food halls where you can have tacos and ramen in the same meal. Fifty-nine percent of the consumers surveyed said they loved going to food halls because of the variety of food vendors, while 54 percent said they were inclined to start going to food halls because “they had a little something for everyone.”

Other factors driving consumer interest in food markets is the desire for trust and knowledge in the foods they consume. Consumers crave connection to vendors who produce the food they eat and that personal connection builds trust. Sixty-seven percent said they trust vendors at the farmers market because they see who grew and handled the food. Consumers find that talking to farmers and artisan producers is a first-hand way to learn about foods they buy.

About the Survey
Culinary Visions Panel explored experience-based dining attitudes, expectations and behaviors of more than 1,000 consumers in the United States. The study, titled "Food Market Culture Report," was released in March 2017. Topics included experience-based shopping, food trust and quality standards.

About Culinary Visions® Panel
Culinary Visions®Panel (www.culinaryvisions.org), a research and trend forecasting firm that conducts surveys in more than 30 countries, explores a wide range of culinary topics with food industry professionals and consumers. For more information on Culinary Visions Panel, please contact by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone at 312.280.4757.

Photo credit: NatalieMaynor, Farmers Market, Jackson Mississippi.