In this article, we discuss the 20 countries that have the most variety of food. To skip the detailed analysis of the food industry, go directly to the 5 Countries That Have the Most Variety of Food.
There are nearly 8 billion people in the world in around 195 countries with different beliefs, races, and cultural practices. Apart from technology, food might be the most important factor in bringing people around the world together, as humans can distinguish between nearly 10,000 flavors. Apart from the comfort and enjoyment that food brings, it is also one of the two most important necessities of life, the other one being water.
With a growing population, the demand for food is also increasing. The global food production was around 9.8 billion tons in 2020 and is expected to double in 2050, according to Sysco Corp (NYSE:SYY). Additionally, the food industry is also quite important, as it is estimated to add $9.43 trillion in revenue to the global economy and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.21% by 2027.
Recent Developments in the Industry
One of the most devastating blows to the global food industry was the COVID-19 pandemic. The labor shortages and supply chain disruptions dramatically affected the industry but also changed the industry for better or for worse. One of the changes that the industry has experienced is the surge in food delivery compared to take-out or dine-in. Between February and December 2020, food delivery transactions almost doubled. By 2021, the food delivery services tripled the 2017 levels to $150 billion. Some of the major companies that rose to fame were DoorDash, Inc. (NYSE:DASH) and Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), which account for 65% and 23% share of food delivery services in the United States, respectively.
After the pandemic, when the global economy was recovering, the Russian invasion of Ukraine created another cause for concern which affected the food industry drastically. The war created a major shortage of some major food products, such as grains and oilseeds, which the two countries export. It also affected the food companies that have significant operations in both countries. For example, PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) generated around 4.5% of its revenue from the two countries, and in the first 15 days of the war, the company’s stock price declined by around nearly 9%. Furthermore, the high energy prices also boosted the food prices, and in March 2022, they reached their peak. However, things have started to cool down, and between March 2022 and 2023, food prices saw 11 back-to-back price declines and experienced a decrease of 19%.
While we talk about the countries with the most variety of food in our list below, some companies that offer the most diverse foods are Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR), Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), and Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI). Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR) owns some of the largest restaurant chains, such as Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons. Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) is the top contender in diversity when it comes to fast food as it owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, along with a few others. The company is also aggressively expanding as mentioned by its CEO, David Gibbs, in the company’s earnings call for the period ending June 30, 2023. He said:
“Two of Yum!'s differentiated capabilities are bold restaurant development engine, including 1,025 gross new units in the current quarter; and our distinctive digital capabilities, which drove record digital sales, fueled the second quarter 13% growth in system sales.”
Lastly, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) offers one of the most diverse cuisines and food styles in the world. It owns three fine dining and six casual dining chains. For the most valuable food companies, you can check out our report on the 25 Most Valuable Food Companies in The World.
For this article, we used several metrics to rank the countries. Firstly, we used Bott+Co’s list of the Top 50 Food Capitals in the World and checked the gastronomical diversity of the countries where the top 50 cities exist. Then we searched the culinary diversity of the countries in our article, 25 Most Diverse Countries in the World. To make the list more conclusive, we also researched the most diverse cuisines in each continent and then searched individual countries to see how diverse their cuisine is and added them to our list.
20 Countries That Have the Most Variety of Food
20. Philippines
The Philippines is one of the countries on our list with the most variety of food, as it has been inspired by dozens of ethnolinguistic groups that live around the Philippines archipelago. Apart from that, Spanish rule and colonialism also added many flavors to the country’s cuisine.
While Philippines is one of the countries with the most varieties of food, companies like Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR), Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), and Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) also offer a lot of diversity in their foods.
19. Kenya
Overall, African food is highly diverse. However, Kenyan food diversity comes from the 42 tribes that call the country their home. They bring their unique styles, techniques, and ingredients to their cooking. On top of that, the colonial influence also shows in Kenyan cuisine, which makes the country’s food scene highly diverse.
18. Italy
Italy might be the country with the best food in the world but it ranks 18th on our list of countries with the most diverse food because most Italian people are not receptive to changes in their traditional recipes, a common example would be their contempt for pineapple on pizza. However, Italy hosts many tourists over the year, leading to a remarkable amount of diversity in their food. One example would be Milan, which is one of the fashion capitals of the world and has 45 different national cuisines. Nevertheless, the diversity in the country’s 20 different regional cuisines is also enough to make it to our list of countries with the most diverse food cultures.
17. Malaysia
The Malaysian local cuisine has influences from all over Southeast Asia. The country also hosts several different national cuisines, including Chinese, Indian, and parts of Europe. Some of the major tourist cities of the country include Kuala Lumpur and Penang, which have some of the highest varieties of food. Kuala Lumpur alone has 43 national cuisines.
16. Morocco
Moroccan food's diversity doesn’t come from international restaurants but from the influences of different cultures that have had their impact on the region at one point or another. The country’s food is inspired by Berbers, Italians, French, Spanish, and Arab people. Additionally, being an African country, its gastronomy also includes cuisines from sub-Saharan Africa.
15. Israel
Israel is one of the countries that have the most variety of food as over the centuries, the country has been invaded by several religious groups, mostly belonging to the Abrahamic faith. It is home to at least 15 diverse cultures that coexist. On top of that, a large amount of Jewish people from around the world immigrated to Israel since it became the State of Israel in 1948, and they brought their own ideas and techniques with them. Most of the influences that can be seen in the country’s food scene are from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
14. Spain
Spanish food diversity is owed to several things, including geography, climate, and influences from cultures around the world. The Spanish cuisine shows Roman, Visigoth, Vandal, and Arab influences, which makes its food unique and highly varied. Moreover, Madrid and Barcelona are also known for offering a plethora of international cuisines with 53 and 48 national dishes, respectively.
13. Switzerland
Switzerland is one of the most diverse countries in the world, which gives the amount of diversity to its culinary scene. In Geneva, there are close to 1,650 restaurants, and over 85% are international. The majority of restaurants in the country include Thai, French, Indian, Italian, and Chinese food.
12. Thailand
Apart from Bangkok offering 48 national cuisines, Thai national food is also highly diverse and is inspired by Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Portuguese cultures. Furthermore, Thai street food is considered one of the most diverse and inexpensive compared to the rest of the world. Thailand also has an abundance of different ingredients that add something unique to their local cuisine.
11. India
India’s local cuisine is diverse enough to put it on our list of countries with the most variety of food, mostly because of the country’s size, cultures, climates, and influences from around the world. Moreover, India is also home to people from several religions who have their own restrictions and preferred diets, which allows the country to show diversity in its food even in a single region. Apart from vast diversities in cultural food, the Persian conquests and English colonization also added to the already vast amount of flavors found in the country. Apart from these two cultures, Indian cuisine is also influenced by Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Thailand.
10. China
Even though China might not have many restaurants with diverse foods from other nationalities, the sheer size of the country with its 14 different climate zones and varied cultures make Chinese food one of the most diverse cuisines in the world. While the mountainous North is full of ingredients such as wheat, barley, millet, soybeans, and corn, the Southern subtropical region sees an abundance of tropical fruits and vegetables. The Eastern part of the country loves its light seafood dishes, and the Western part of the country likes its food a little spicy.
9. France
France is an obvious pick in this list as its food culture is artistic, diverse, and technical. Apart from Paris hosting over 65 different national cuisines, the French local cuisines also have a significant amount of diversity. The Southwest of France loves cooking with duck meat, fats, and liver, along with mushrooms, and the Northwestern French people love the use of dairy products such as cream and butter. The Southeastern part of the country shows an Italian influence with the use of olive oil, herbs, and tomatoes, while the Northeastern part has German influence with sausages, beer, and lard.
8. Germany
Even though German cuisine is diverse in itself, a high amount of immigrants have added legions of different foods to German gastronomy. Most of the influence comes from Italy and Turkey due to a significant amount of temporary workers joining the country’s workforce in the 1950s. Bigger cities of the country offer a much more diverse culinary scene with a lot of French, Indian, and Middle Eastern restaurants. Berlin alone offers 64 national cuisines.
7. New Zealand
New Zealand is home to several different cultures, including the native Maori and Samoans, in addition to South Asian and Southeast Asian people who bring their flavors to the country’s gastronomy. Most diversity in the New Zealand food culture can be found in the city of Auckland which is home to 37 different national cuisines.
6. United Arab Emirates
Dubai, UAE, has emerged as one of the most diverse food capitals in the world, just like New York and London. The 1,590 square mile city is home to 62 different national cuisines. Even though Abu Dhabi is also home to countless national cuisines, its glamorous and glittery neighbor city is the one that brings the UAE to one of the top countries that have the most variety of food.
Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR), Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), and Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) also offer their services in the UAE.
