Demand for Asian cuisines extends from restaurant menus to grocery aisles
Lunar New Year is nearing on Feb. 17, but the spotlight on Asian flavours is extending beyond in-store seasonal displays and product packaging. Across Canada, Asian-inspired dishes are increasingly earning a permanent place on restaurant menus and, as a result, on at-home dining tables, too.
In fact, according to 2025 research from Technomic Ignite, Asian cuisine is now featured on 61% of Canadian restaurant menus. Chinese (31%) and Japanese (24%) cuisines are among the top preferences, with the latter increasing 2.3 points over the past five years.
“Menu penetration for Asian cuisine has been climbing steadily for years,” says Caroline Nadeau, general manager, Conagra Brands Canada, which has a host of products, including VH Sauces and P.F. Chang's Home Menu brands, to help consumers recreate their favourite Asian-inspired restaurant dishes in the comfort of their own home.
“At home, Canadians are reaching for many of the same formats they love when dining out, with stir-fried noodles, fried rice and protein bowls among mainstream favourites–all quick builds that can be pulled off on a weeknight,” says Nadeau.
Canadians are gravitating towards flavours such as sweet chili and gochujang (Korean chili paste), with younger customers—keen to experiment with bold flavours— driving this trend, she says.
But, recreating Asian-inspired restaurant meals at home is about more than just curiosity —it’s economic. Dining out has become approximately four times more expensive than cooking at home, according to the Restaurant Canada 2025 Foodservice Facts Report.
As a result, “75% of Canadians say they are eating out less often due to the rising cost of living, which is driving households to recreate restaurant-quality meals in their own kitchens,” explains Nadeau.
This trend aligns with grocery categories that offer convenience without compromising authenticity. Sauces, frozen meals and globally inspired pantry staples are seeing increased demand, designed to help home cooks recreate authentic flavours without specialized techniques.
READ: Bold, flavourful options are leading the charge in the frozen aisle
Lunar New Year as a gateway
Lunar New Year remains a key cultural touchstone, but its influence extends well beyond a single-holiday window.
“Chinese cuisine continues to encourage Canadians to explore a broader spectrum of Asian flavours," says Nadeau. "Lunar New Year amplifies this curiosity and brings families together around dishes that are flavourful, comforting and rooted in tradition.”
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One of the clearest examples of Asian cuisine’s mainstream appeal is the rise of protein bowls. Once considered a niche or strictly foodservice item, bowls are now a staple on both restaurant menus and in-home kitchens.
“At home, Canadians gravitate to these bowls because they’re easy to customize with different proteins and vegetables, making them flexible, weeknight friendly and adaptable to dietary needs,” Nadeau says.
For grocers, bowls offer a significant cross-merchandising opportunity, linking sauces, grains, proteins, frozen components and fresh produce into a single, solution-oriented meal.
Even as consumers become more adventurous with their palates, there is still a clear preference for simplicity and accessibility.
“Canadians are becoming more adventurous with their palettes, but they still want approachable ways to bring bold flavours into their kitchens,” says Nadeau.
