Cracking the BRIC: Divergent Food Cultures in Emerging Markets
In this issue of Hartbeat Exec, we explore the power of traditional food cultures to create different historical trajectories for packaged food categories by focusing on the epitome of industrial packaged food: the convenience meal.2 Whether it is the ramen noodle bowl for one or the multi-component frozen tray meals eaten for dinner by American baby boomers, the idea of replacing all meal preparation with a cheap, industrial solution has captivated industry leaders and marketers for decades. It has also created billions of dollars of revenue for modern food companies.