During the Christmas and year-end season, one phenomenon stands out, the so-called nostalgia products — those that evoke positive memories and revive the authentic flavors of traditional Colombian foods that many people abroad deeply miss, either because they remind them of their childhood or because they reconnect them with their roots — have driven a surge in Colombian exports.
According to official figures from Analdex, as referenced by the newspaper El Colombiano, traditional Colombian flavors such as Chocoramo, Bon Bon Bum, arepas, arequipe (milk caramel), and iconic beverages such as Pony Malta (a soft sparkling drink) and aguardiente (anise liquor) generated US$555.4 million in exports between January and September 2025. This figure represents a 10.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Analdex notes that this trend is largely fueled by strong demand from Colombian and broader Latin American communities living abroad. El Colombiano highlights that the main destinations for these exports include the United States, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Panama, and Spain.
A report by ProColombia, as referenced by the newspaper El Colombiano, emphasizes that the ethnic food channel has become one of the most relevant for Colombian agro-industrial exports, especially in the United States, where many supermarkets now feature dedicated multicultural aisles to organize and expand their international offerings. Official estimates indicate that more than 800,000 Colombians legally reside in the U.S.
In addition, data from Nielsen shows that the 68.1 million Hispanics living in the United States represent roughly one-fifth of the country’s total population, making this group a key driver of sales for nostalgia-based products.
What Analdex, ProColombia, and Nielsen are and why they matter in this export boom
To understand the scale of this trend, it is essential to explain the role of the institutions behind the data. Analdex (National Foreign Trade Association of Colombia) is the main business guild representing Colombian exporters and importers. It collects, analyzes, and publishes official foreign trade statistics, helping identify shifts in global demand and emerging opportunities, including the growing market for nostalgia products.
ProColombia is the Colombian government’s trade and investment promotion agency. Its mission is to help Colombian companies enter international markets by improving product standards, packaging, certification, and branding, while also attracting foreign investment and promoting tourism. Its support has been crucial in helping Colombian food companies adapt their products to strict international regulations while preserving authenticity.
Nielsen, a global market research and consumer behavior firm, tracks purchasing patterns, retail performance, and shopper preferences. Its data has been central in showing how emotional and culturally rooted products influence buying decisions, especially among multicultural consumers.
Together, these institutions help explain why this export boom is not accidental but the result of data-driven strategies and a deep understanding of the emotional bond between consumers and traditional flavors.
The emotional power of traditional flavors that reconnect migrants with their roots
What makes “nostalgia products” so powerful is not only their taste, but the experience and emotion they generate. These foods work as “edible memories.” For many Colombians abroad, opening a pack of Chocoramo or preparing an arepa is not just eating, it is reliving moments of family, childhood, school breaks, Sunday mornings, and celebrations.
This emotional charge creates a level of brand loyalty that few products can match. Consumers are not only buying a snack or a drink; they are buying a feeling of home, belonging, and identity. That emotional pull is what turns these products into repeat purchases and what keeps demand stable even during economic uncertainty.
Among all nostalgia products, arepa flour and related corn-based products are currently the most demanded category abroad. Official trade data shows that this segment represents an estimated 28% of total nostalgia food exports, making it the leading product group. The main reasons are practical and emotional: It is easy to store, easy to prepare, and it allows families to recreate daily Colombian meals abroad, not only special occasions.
Closely behind are confectionery products, especially iconic brands such as Chocoramo and Bon Bon Bum lollipop. Industry export data indicates that symbolic snack cakes and lollipops account for nearly 22% of the category’s external sales. These products are most strongly linked to childhood memories, which gives them a unique emotional advantage over other foods.
Beverages such as Pony Malta and traditional spirits like aguardiente occupy another strong position, not only because of their flavors, but because they are deeply associated with social moments — family gatherings, holidays, and celebrations — turning them into emotional anchors for migrant communities.
From Colombian migrants to global shelves: How nostalgia products win non-Colombian consumers
While the initial demand comes from Colombians and Latin Americans living abroad, these products have increasingly captured the attention of non-Colombian consumers. In cities such as Miami, New York, Madrid, Santiago, and Lima, Colombian products are no longer limited to small ethnic shops but are now present in major supermarket chains.
One of the key reasons for this expansion is the global trend toward authentic, ethnic, and experience-driven food. Modern consumers want more than flavor; they want a story. Colombian products offer tradition, heritage and emotional storytelling that resonate well beyond national borders.
Products such as Colombian coffee in premium formats, arepas as a gluten-free alternative, and arequipe as a gourmet dessert topping have made their way into cafes, bakeries, and restaurants serving diverse, international audiences. Panela (cane brown sugar) has gained popularity as a natural sweetener, while frozen pandebonos and buñuelos offer convenience without sacrificing authenticity.
In this way, what started as a market driven by homesickness has evolved into a broader emotional and cultural experience. Colombian nostalgia products are no longer only “for Colombians;” they have become part of a global search for comfort, identity and real flavors.
Strong export momentum and infrastructure boost Colombian nostalgia products abroad
In 2025, the momentum behind nostalgia‑type foods is supported by a larger boom across Colombia’s agro‑food export sector. A sector that we must highlight to undersatand how so-called nostalgia products have also gained significant acceptance abroad.
In March 2025, the group “agricultural goods, food and beverages” accounted for 32.2% of total national exports — rising from 23.9% a year earlier — as reported by DANE and DIAN. That month, exports in that group reached about US$1,394 million, up from US$924.2 million in March 2024 — a nearly 50.9% increase according to Agronet — the digital information and communication platform from Colombia’s agricultural sector. This broad upswing suggests that nostalgia products are not isolated, they ride a larger wave of global demand for Colombian agro‑food items, improving infrastructure and an expanding portfolio of exportable goods.
Earlier in 2025, and as revealed by official data from Agronet, the trend had already begun: In February, agro‑food exports rose by 18.7% compared with February 2024, reaching US$1,14 billion. And in January 2025, the agro‑food group registered a 42.5% growth over January 2024, with exports of US$1,14 billion and a volume increase of 9.4% according to the Ministry of Agriculture. These consistent gains month after month indicate structural strength in Colombia’s food export sector, an environment favorable for nostalgia products to expand further.
Additionally, the export boom is not limited to traditional bulk agro‑commodities: Improved logistics, packaging and diversification have helped move processed and packaged goods — categories into which many nostalgia items fall — from niche ethnic markets to mainstream global distribution networks. The growth underscores how nostalgia‑driven foods benefit from better export infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and an international appetite for ethnic, authentic, and heritage foods.
When emotion becomes a competitive advantage
The rise of Colombian “nostalgia products” is not just an export story, it is a story about emotion, memory and experience. These products succeed because they do not only satisfy hunger; they touch feelings, revive memories, and recreate a sense of belonging.
With sustained growth, strong institutional support, and an emotional bond that few industries can replicate, Colombia has managed to turn memory into market power. What travels inside these export containers is not just food, but culture, identity, and the powerful feeling of coming home one bite at a time.