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Internationalization of African Ethnic Cuisine: a Situation Analysis

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Journal of Research in International Business and Management (ISSN: 2251-0028) Vol. 3(2) pp. 66-72, February, 2013 Available online @http://www.interesjournals.org/JRIBM Copyright ©2013 International Research Journals Full Length Research Paper Internationalization of African ethnic cuisine: A situation analysis *1Geoffrey Bakunda and 2Samson Omuudu Otengei ’ *1Department of Marketing and International Business, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda. 2Department of Leisure and Hospitality Management, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda. Abstract Despite a number of benefits, “African food” is not as widely served in public eating places world wide as many others, a situation reflected in the near-total absence of international literature on African cuisine. As a result, African ethnic cuisine is less internationalized. The paper reports on a case study undertaken in one African country Uganda, to assess international visitors’ exposure to African cuisine and their perceptions of requirements to effectively internationalize African ethnic cuisine. The study confirms that international visitors’ exposure to African ethnic cuisine is low and the level of Internationalization primarily influenced by perceived food quality although other aspects also play a part. The paper identifies managerial and policy implications for promoting Internationalization of African ethnic cuisine . Keywords: Internationalization, African Ethnic Cuisine, Africa, Brand strength, international visitors. INTRODUCTION The level of Internationalization of most African Cuisines 2005; Tamar et al., 2001) suggesting that these are has remained low. African food has remained largely among the most internationalized and internationally “local” and is not as widely served in public eating places popular. However, although there is generally no world wide as many international cuisines. This situation international consensus on the most tasty among the has been largely reflected in the near-total absence of most internationalized cuisines, recent surveys of ethnic international literature on African cuisine (Osseo-Assare, cuisines suggested that by 2008, the top ten most rated 2006). Food as a cultural commodity if accepted and (internationally popular) cuisines were as follows, in internationally helps promote a people’s culture globally. that order: French cuisine, Italian cuisine, Chinese It boosts a country’s image, national pride and cultural cuisine, Indian cuisine, Thai cuisine, Mexican cuisine, nationalism. Effective Internationalization of ethnic Japanese cuisine, Spanish cuisine, Greek cuisine and cuisine also helps promote cultural and gastronomic Lebanese cuisine (Source: http://blog.hotelclub.com/top- tourism (Sunanta, 2005). Other economic benefits 10-international-cuisine/). include accelerated value addition on local agricultural According to recent literature, Internationalization of and food products, and generation of international ethnic cuisines has generally followed a sequential currency earnings through sales and service of food in process characterised by: international markets. Despite these benefits, African Stage1: Exposure to, and acceptance by foreign visitors cuisine seems to lag much behind in the level of in the home country, either as tourists, business or with Internationalization compared to several ethnic cuisines foreign armies during wars worldwide. For instance, most of the literature on Stage2: Opening of ethnic restaurants in metropolitan international cuisine refers to five main cuisines – French, cities across the world by either nationals or others (Van Italian, Chinese, English and Indian dishes (Sunanta, Esterik, 1992) and raising international popularity Stage3: Increasing concentration of ethnic restaurants in metropolitan cities and globally marketing to non-ethnic audiences (Sunanta, 2005) *Corresponding Author’s Email: [email protected]; Stage4: International publication of cuisine [email protected] cookbooks and other literature (Osseo-Assare, 2006) In Bakunda and Otengei 67 general, it is clear that internationalization of cuisines has • presentation attractiveness, attractive restaurant emphasized the “authentic taste ” but at the same time, environments, et cetera- (Pierson et al. 2005) restaurants have had to adapt the recipes, serving • Systematic documentation (Osseo-Asare, 2006) processes and service systems to suit the local cultures’ • International entrepreneurship - opening up ethnic dining customs. Adaptation is, according to ethnic restaurants in metropolitan cities abroad (Sunata, 2005) restaurant owners, a necessary step taken to ensure • Cultural marketing – Systematic efforts by business survival and sustainability (Sunanta, 2005). respective governments to support cultural marketing None the less, a key feature is that traditional abroad (Sunata, 2005) terminologies for various dishes are largely maintained • Adaptation to suit international demand and and any adjustments made are not allowed to standards (Tamar et al., 2001; Sunata, 2005) compromise the original flavours. Additionally, to further While the foregoing relates to already well established increase the level of Internationalization of ethnic ‘international cuisines, the situation of ‘African Cuisine’ cuisines, there has been liberalisation of ownership of seems to be slightly different. The brand strength of most restaurants serving ethnic cuisines. According to Sunata African cuisines seems to be low with no significant (2005), ethnic restaurants are not necessarily owned by international appeal (Gonahasa, 2002; Otengei and ethnic people but sometimes by non-ethnic owners. This Bakunda, 2010). There appears to be very limited has helped to increase restaurant numbers serving ethnic systematic documentation of traditional African cuisines cuisines in different metropolitan cities of the world. (Osseo-Asare, 2006) and cultural marketing by many Another key factor that has helped increase the level of African governments seem to be non-existent, as such cuisine Internationalization has been an emphasis on efforts are not reported any where. There appears to be creating and maintaining a unique cultural identity of the minimal adaptation of African cuisine to suit international ethnic restaurants. Sunanta (2005) and Tamar et al. demand and standards, coupled with relatively limited (2001) point to this fact. Referring to Thai restaurants entrepreneurship focusing on establishing “African abroad, Sunanta (2005) observes that the restaurant restaurants” abroad (Tamar et al., 2001; Otengei and atmosphere in ethnic restaurants emphasize the Bakunda, 2010). The net effect seems to be a low level of traditional (home) atmosphere and maintain a cultural Internationalization of African cuisines despite the touch at all times. The restaurants are often decorated in numerous cultures and languages that offer a greater ways that emphasize traditional culture. They also tend to potential for attracting a varied clientele around the world. display traditional paintings, sculptures, furnishings, and Only the Ethiopian cuisine seems to be the most pictures of people and places in the home countries. accepted outside Ethiopia and Africa and therefore more Most restaurants play home music and serve food in internationalized (http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/). attire that reflects the home cultures. The serving Ethiopian cuisine is served in ethnic restaurants in major equipments and ware, designed to ensure artful cities worldwide while Ethiopian restaurants exist in all presentation of food, are often decorated with traditional the major cities in the USA and in Africa. Only recent design to ensure food presentation reflecting the home efforts have been recorded to export and internationalize cultures (Sunanta, 2005). South African cuisine (Tamar et al., 2001) but this seems It is also possible to pinpoint the role of governments to have remained at a minimal scale. in promoting traditional cuisines as a key factor for the The situation of many African countries such as successful Internationalization of some cuisines. For Uganda further illustrates the low level of example, the participation of the Thai government Internationalization of African ethnic cuisine. For (Sunanta, 2005) in deliberately promoting the example, African ethnic cuisine in Uganda has limited establishment of Thai restaurants abroad, setting goals to international presence within and outside Africa, there increase them three fold by 2008, quality certification of seems to be a trend whereby food served in local Thai restaurants abroad through the “Thai Select” label, restaurants is prepared and served based largely on organisation of promotional events such as Kitchen of the recipes, ingredients and technology drawn from outside World events in 1998 that aimed to promote Thai Africa and as a result, international dishes and cuisines restaurant business overseas, linking the operations of have slowly replaced African dishes in hotels, restaurants Thai airways to the transportation of raw materials for and other public eating places (Gonahasa, 2002). Most Thai restaurants abroad were key initiatives that chefs are reported to have trained on curricular termed by contributed significantly to Thai cuisine exports (Sunata, Foskett et al. (2003) as “traditional classic cooking” that is 2005). Therefore, it appears that government promotional based on foods, dishes and gastronomic practices as efforts are salient to successful Internationalization
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