Oreo Becomes the Latest Snack to Add a Latin Touch by Launching Churro Flavor Creme

The Internet was abuzz on Wednesday Morning as OREO announced the launch of OREO Churro, which is set to hit the shelves on March 27.

"Add a little 🔥 spice 🔥with OREO Churro", read the caption for the tweet, which at the time of writing had amassed over 43 thousand views. The popular cookie follows a recent trend by U.S. snack brands of incorporating Latino flavors to their catalogs, including Frito-Lay's popular Doritos Dinamita Sticks, which launched this year, and the recent announcement of Coca-Cola Spiced, the soft drink's first new flavor in three years.

It should be noted that, although the origins of churros are not Latin American — some historians say they were originated in China, while Portuguese and Spaniards also claim to have invented them— the truth is they're widely consumed all over Latin America and their popularity in the U.S. has strong ties to the Latino community.

So what's behind the Latino-flavored trend? One of the reasons can be traced back to the overall impact Latinos are having on the local economy. According to the Latino Donor Collaborative's official U.S. Latino GDP Report, U.S. Latino GDP is currently valued at $3.2 trillion and is growing 2.5x faster than non-Latino equivalent. As a result, the impact of Latino purchases is being felt across many industries, and food and beverages is no exception as Latinos shop more frequently and spend more per trip than all other groups, according to the study.

"The Official LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report is crucial for decision-makers across all industries who rely on data-driven analysis to give them the edge in reaching new audiences, increasing awareness and influence, and driving sales", concluded the aforementioned report, adding that "none of that is possible without tapping into the U.S. Latino economy."

Another reason behind the trend of Latino flavors can be found in the fact that consumers across all demographics seem to be embracing new flavors. When launching Coca-Cola Spiced, Lynne Cha, Vice President of Marketing for Coca-Cola North America, said that they "know that consumers are more willing to try new and unique flavors."

This idea is heavily supported by research. A recent study by Nestle, for example, concluded that, in the past year, consumers have increased their hot sauce consumption by 23%, while salsa holds the second place with a 22% gain. During the launch of the aforementioned Doritos Dinamita Sticks, Antonio Escalona, senior vice president and general manager of PepsiCo Foods North America's Hispanic Business Unit, expressed a similar sentiment: "consumers increasingly value intense flavors, and the young Hispanic consumer is influencing tastes not only in the Hispanic group but among the general population in the United States."