Electrolux Asia Pacific Food Survey 2014 reveals a region of ‘foodies’

"Bún Đậu mắm tôm" - Hanoi

“As a global leader in household appliances, Electrolux provides innovative solutions that are based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and improve their quality of life,” said Suresh Balan, president of Electrolux’s Major Appliances, East Asia. “By conducting a survey of this scale with consumers from diverse backgrounds from all over the region, we gain an invaluable insight into their lifestyles and habits, which will help shape our future innovations and ensure that we continue to make a positive difference in their daily lives.”

The Electrolux Asia Pacific Food Survey, one of Asia Pacific’s largest food surveys, was first launched in 2007. Today, the survey boasts a sample size of 5,000 across the Asia Pacific region. The online survey is conducted in 10 countries including Australia, China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. 

The survey comprised a questionnaire of multiple-choice questions about food preparation, cooking and dining habits. This is the fourth time Electrolux has conducted the survey since 2007.

The key findings from the 2014 survey have revealed that:

• 94 per cent say they are passionate about food, yet 60 per cent describe their cooking skills as limited or a disaster

• 79 per cent of over 50s taught their children to cook, but only 33 per cent of under 30s see it as a priority to teach their kids

• 85 per cent of all respondents prefer to eat at home but just 40 per cent have the confidence to move beyond recipes

• 34 per cent of cooks are self taught, showing an appetite for self improvement

Thailand tops region of foodies

With a plethora of cultures and cuisines, the survey revealed that Asia Pacific is a region of ‘foodies’, with 94 per cent of respondents describing themselves as passionate about food. However, this love for food does not translate into budding home cooks, as the majority of respondents (48 per cent) feel that ‘limited’ best describes their ability in the kitchen, with a further 12 per cent admitting to being a culinary disaster.

Thailand comes up top in the battle of the foodie nations, with 100 per cent of respondents in the country sharing a strong passion for food, despite just 34 per cent enjoying cooking as a hobby. Experimental cooking is less likely in Taiwan, with a quarter of respondents claiming to be a nightmare in the kitchen and just a fifth of respondents feeling proud of their cooking skills.

Culinary future

For the current generation, parents have been the main source of knowledge when it comes to cooking, with 79 per cent of respondents over 50 teaching their children to cook. Just a third of respondents across the region believe that sharing the joys of home cooking with their children is a priority. This includes respondents of all age groups in Indonesia (27pc), China (27pc), Singapore (25pc) and Taiwan (20pc).

Of all the nation’s surveyed, Vietnam demonstrates the strongest desire to ensure the skills are passed down, with almost half of respondents claiming teaching children is a top priority and a further 35 per cent making sure that they cook a few dishes with the kids when there is time to do so.

The kitchen: his or hers?

So who is doing the cooking in the region’s households? Although 40 per cent of men claim they are the primary meal preparer in the household, the women surveyed did not back this up. Just 17 per cent agreed that their husband does the lion’s share of the cooking!

While they think they are having an impact in the kitchen, men lack in confidence more than their female counterparts, with 66% across the region choosing ‘limited’ or ‘a disaster’ to best describe their kitchen ability. This includes male respondents in Singapore (66pc), Malaysia (70pc), Thailand (69pc), Indonesia (78pc), and the Philippines (65pc).

If men are looking for motivation to improve their skills, the food survey has it. 87 per cent of respondents across region find the ability to cook in a partner an appealing attribute, a rise from findings in the Electrolux Asia Pacific Food Survey 2012 (85pc). This figure has grown particularly in Thailand (9pc increase) and Australia (12pc increase). Across the region, this attribute is most important in China, with 95 per cent finding partners with cooking skills more attractive. 

Room for improvement

While 60 per cent of the region doesn’t have the confidence to move beyond recipes, it seems the home is where the heart is – 85 per cent of respondents across the region prefer to eat at home rather than eat out, which includes 92 per cent in Indonesia, Vietnam and China.

“There is a clear message in the survey; consumers want to improve their cooking skills. At Electrolux, we are uniquely positioned to address this. Our cooking appliances take the hassle out of cooking with innovative and intuitive features that make it easier to achieve success in the kitchen,” said Elizabeth Png, Electrolux’s Brand & Consumer Communication director. “If cooking skills fail to be passed on from generation to generation, there is a real danger of losing the unique culinary heritage that most are so fiercely proud of. We hope to re-ignite the passion for cooking in the next generation of homemakers and inspire them to continue cooking the food they love with their families.”