A

GLOBAL COUNTRY STUDY REPORT

ON
ECUADOR

Business Opportunities for food & beverages for

Gujarat / India in Ecuador
Institute Code:
773

Institute Name:
SUNSHINE GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS RAJKOT

Guided by:
Asst. Prof. Yashpalsinh Zala

Submitted to:-
GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
AHMADABAD

Prepared by:
Students of MBA (Semester-III)
Group No:
Year: 2015-17
 STUDENTS DECLARATION

We and following students and hereby declare that the Global/ Country Study Report titled
Business Opportunities for food & beverages for Gujarat / India in Ecuador in is a result
of our own work and our indebtedness to other work publications and references and if any
and have been duly acknowledged. If we are found guilty of copying any other report or
published information and showing as our original work and or ex10ding plagiarism limit
and I understand that we shall be liable and punishable by GTU and which may include Fail
in examination and Repeat study & re-submission of the report or any other punishment
that GTU may decide.

ENRO. NO NAME OF STUDENT SIGNATURE

157730592005 BARAD HIRENKUMAR VAJUBHAI

157730592010 CHANDAPA PARESH BHAVANBHAI

157730592048 PARMAR KALPESH MAHENDRABHAI

157730592047 PARMAR JAYESHKUMAR HASHMUKHBHAI

157730592061 VADHER RAVIBHAI SOMABHAI

157730592062 VAGHELA SAURABH KARSHANBHAI

Place: Rajkot Date:

 PREFACE

Only theoretical acknowledged is not enough and practical acknowledged is also essential.
Practical training helps us as a student of management to know practicability of the theories
that we learn inside the lecture room. As a student of M.B.A. Syllabus we have to make a
research study on any country and we got golden opportunity to get practical acknowledged
of ECUADOR the main objective of arranging such research is for giving practical
acknowledged and experience at global in the various field of management to the students.
Though we tried our level best to collect information and valuable suggestion would be
gratefully acknowledged.
 ACKNOWPASTGEMENT

We are extremely thankful to our report Guide and Prof. yashpalsinh zala of Sunshine
institute for their precious guidance regarding the preparation of The Global Countrys
Study Report. Their guidance has proved to be useful and without them and the preparation
of this report might not have been possible.

Again we would like to earnestly thank those all people who give us their valuable time for
us in preparing this report. All the interaction with them was really a good experience and
added some valuable acknowledged and experience.

We are also thankful to the other faculty members of sunshine institute for ex10ding their
valuable support for this report.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our warm thoughts to those who helped
me in making this report a wonderful experience.
ECUADOR COUNTRY MAP

FLAG
 INTRODUCTION

What is now Ecuador is part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest
in 1533? Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the
viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of New Granada viceroyalty, Venezuela
and Quito-gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation
known as gran Colombia name. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was
changed in favor of the Republic of Ecuador. Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that erupted in
1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 year of civilian governance in
2004, the period was marked by political instability. The demonstration in Quito
contribution to the mid-eviction course three of the last four democratically elected
presidents of Ecuador. At the end of 2008, voters approved a new constitution, the 20 th of
Ecuador since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, votes
re-elected President Rafael Correa.
 HISTORY

The tribes in the northern highlands of ECUADOR formed the kingdom of QUITO around
1000. It was absorbed, by conquest and marriage, into the in ca empire.

Spanish conquistador Francisco Pissarro conquered the land in 1532, and throughout the
17th century a Spanish colony thrived by exploitation of the Indians. The first revolt against
Spain occurred in 1809. In 1819, ECUADOR joined Venezuela, Colombia, and panama in a
confederacy known as greater Colombia.

When greater Colombia collapsed in 1830, Ecuador became independent. Revolts and
dictatorships followed; it had 48 presidents during the first 131 years of the republic.

Conservatives ruled until the revolution of 1895 ushered in nearly a half century of radical
liberal rule, during which the church was disestablished and freedom of worship, speech,
and press was introduced. Although it was under military rule in the 1970s, the country did
not experience the violence and repression characteristic of other Latin American military
regimes.

Its last 30 years of democracy, however, have been largely ineffectual because of a weak
executive branch and a strong, fractious congress.
 OVERVIEW OF ECUADOR

Country: Republic Of Ecuador

Capital: Quito

Government Type: Republic

Currency: US Dollar (USD)

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Other 5%

Languages: Spanish (Official), Amerindian Languages (Especially Quechua)

National Holiday: Independence Day (Independence Of Quito), 10 August (1809)

National Anthem: Salve and O Patria (Hail and O Fatherland)

Population (2014 est.): 15,654,411 (growth rate: 1.37%)

Land Area: 106,888 sq mi (276,840 sq km)

total Area: 109,483 sq mi (283,560 sq km)

Major Religion: Christianity

Calling Code of ECUADOR: +593

Main Exports: Petroleum, Bananas, Shrimp, Coffee, Cocoa, Cut Flowers, Fish
 GEOGRAPHI OF ECUADOR

Location:

Western South America, bordering the pacific ocean at the equator, between
Colombia and Peru.

Geographic coordinates:

Ecuador has total 283,560 aq.km area from which 276,840 sq.km is land and only 6720 sq.
km is water.

The total land area of Ecuador is 2010 km.

Climate

Tropical along the coast, becoming cooler in inland at higher elevations; tropical in
Amazonian jungle lowlands.

Terrain

Coastal plain (Costa), inter Andean central highland (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern
jungle.

Elevation extremes:

The lowest point is Pacific Ocean that is AND highest point is Chimborazo that is 6,267 m.

Natural Resources:

Petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:

Arable land: 4.51%, permanent crops: 5.38%, other: 90.11%(2011)

Total renewable water resources:

424.4 cu km (2011)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

Total: 9.92 cu km/yr. (13%/16%/81%) and per capita: 716.1 cu m/yr. (2005)

Natural hazards:

Frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, floods

Geography-note:

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world.

 ECONOMY

Graphical depiction of Ecuador's product exports in 28 colour-coded categories.

Ecuador's economy is the eighth largest in Latin America and experienced an average
growth of 4.6% between 2000 and 2006

From 2007 to 2012 Ecuador's GDP grew at an annual average of 4.3 percent, above
the average for Latin America and the Caribbean, which was 3.5 percent, according
to the United Nations' Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean
(ECLAC).

SCIENCES AND RESEARCH

Ecuador is currently placed in 96th position, of innovation in technology

The most notable icons in Ecuadorian sciences are the mathematician and
cartographer, born in Riobamba in 1707, and the printer, independence precursor,
and medical pioneer, born in 1747 in Quito.
 CURRENCY

In its infancy, Ecuador was part of Gran Colombia until 1830 as Department

Gran Colombia's monetary regulations retained the old Spanish colonial system.

Ecuador officially began its own monetary unit on June 28, 1835, when the
inscription (rev.) "EL ECUADOR EN COLOMBIA" was changed to "REPBLICA DEL
ECUADOR".

Many regional coins from neighboring Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, etc., as well as
international units, were in circulation and accepted while Quito fought
counterfeiting and tried to unify its currency.
 LABOR ISSUE

Unions did not exist until 1930, and between 1950 and 1973, a total of 3,093 unions
were established

Ecuador Confederation of Free Trade Union Organizations is the biggest union in

Ecuador

In 2002, there were 3.7 million employed wage earners in urban areas

In 2002, only 12% were affiliated with a union organization

HEALTH

The current structure of the Ecuadorian public health care system dates back to
1967.

The Ministry of the Public Health is the responsible entity of the regulation and
creation of the public health policies and health care plans. The Minister of Public
Health is appointed directly by the President of the Republic
 EDUCATION
The Ecuadorian Constitution requires that all children attend school until they
achieve a "basic level of education", which is estimated at nine school years.

In 1996, the net primary enrollment rate was 96.9%, and 71.8% of children stayed in
school until the fifth grade.

The cost of primary and secondary education is borne by the government, but
families often face significant additional expenses such as fees and transportation
costs.

POLITICAL

Ecuador has had civilian governments since 1979.

11 The country is divided between the coastal regions and the highlands, and those
divisions are reflected in the national political agenda.

12Since 1994, the political climate has been particularly unstable: seven different
Presidents have led the country, accompanied by a change of Minister of Labour.
 NATIONAL ANTHEM:
Name: Slave, Oh Patria! (We salute you our Homeland)

Lyrics/ Music: Jaun Leon MERA wrote the lyrics in 1865: only the choice second verse
are sung

English translation

Chorus

O homeland, we greet you a thousand times!

Glory be to you, oh homeland glory be to you!
Your breast overflows with joy and peace
and see your radiant face shining
(repeat)
more brightly than the sun. (Repeat this line)

2nd Verse

The worthy sons of the soil

who magnificently adorned Pichincha,
They always declared you as their sovereign lady
and shed their blood for you.
God observed and accepted that sacrifice,
and this blood was the prolific seed
of other heroes who amazed the world,
And in turn, of thousands arising around you.
Arising in thousands around you,
Arising in thousands around you.
 LATEST NEWS & DEVELOPMENT

Copa America: Jurgen Klinsmann Says US Team's Mentality Has Transformed

Associated Press | Monday June 13, 2016

United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann has warned that the team's underdog mentality has
undergone a transformation ahead of the Copa America knock-out stages

Copa America: Ecuador Thrash Haiti, To Face US in Quarter-Final

Agence France-Presse | Monday June 13, 2016

Ecuador thrashed Haiti 4-0 as they qualified for the Copa America quarter-finals for the first
time in 19 years.

Copa America: Ecuador Fight Back To Hold Peru, Brazil Hammer Haiti
Agence France-Presse | Thursday June 9, 2016

Ecuador fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Peru while Brazil hammered
Haiti 7-1 in the latest league matches in the 2016 Copa America.

Copa America: Brazil Held to Goalless Draw by Ecuador, Peru Beat Haiti
Agence France-Presse | Sunday June 5, 2016

Brazil were held to a controversial 0-0 draw by Ecuador after the referee disallowed a goal
while Peru defeated Haiti in the Copa America.
 Ecuador Needs $3.3 Billion To Rebuild From Earthquake: Government

World News | Agence France-Presse | Thursday June 2, 2016

Ecuador will need $3.3 billion to rebuild after a powerful earthquake devastated a large
stretch of its Pacific coast on April 16, the government said Wednesday.

Ecuador Captures Semi Sub Carrying Tonne Of Cocaine: Officials

World News | Agence France-Presse | Monday May 23, 2016

The Ecuadorian authorities captured a semi-submersible vessel carrying a ton of cocaine

near the Galapagos Islands, officials said on Sunday.

Ecuador Shaken By 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake: Geophysical Institute

World News | Agence France-Presse | Thursday May 19, 2016

A powerful 7.2 magnitude quake shook Ecuador on Wednesday, one month after a much
larger quake killed some 700 people, the country's Geophysical Institute said in a
preliminary report.

Ecuador Struck By 6.7 Magnitude Quake

World News | Agence France-Presse | Wednesday May 18, 2016

A strong earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Moment magnitude scale struck Ecuador early
today, one month after a devastating 7.8 magnitude quake that killed 660 people, USGS
said.

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Ecuador-
RELIGIONS.html#ixzz4K7P3tuNz
 LIST OF INDUSTRY

NO. INDUSTRIES
1 Petroleum
2 Oil and Gas

3 Agriculture industry

4 Textile Sector Overview

5 Tourism Sector
6 Food processing
 CONTRIBUTION OF INDUSTRY IN NATIONAL GDP

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Ecuador was worth 100.87 billion US dollars in 2015.
The GDP value of Ecuador represents 0.16 percent of the world economy. GDP in Ecuador
averaged 25.23 USD Billion from 1960 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 100.92 USD
Billion in 2014 and a record low of 1 USD Billion in 1961. GDP in Ecuador is reported by the
World Bank.

GDP 2015 100.87 BILLION DOLLER

GDP VALUE 0.16
GDP AVERAGE 1960 TO 25.23 USD BILLION
2015
GDP 2014 100.92 BILLION
LOW OF RECORD 1961 1 USD
Ecuador GDP Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
GDP Growth Rate -1.90 0.10 3.40 -1.90 Percent

GDP Annual Growth Rate -3.00 -1.20 10.20 -3.00 Percent

GDP 100.87 100.92 100.92 1.00 USD Billion

GDP Constant Prices 17113228.00 17442047.00 17662856.00 9134587.00 USD THO

Gross Fixed Capital 4391411.00 4575073.00 4806365.00 1324528.00 USD THO

Formation
GDP per capita 5337.17 5402.52 5402.52 2215.09 USD

GDP per capita PPP 10717.60 10848.82 10848.82 7387.62 USD

GDP From Agriculture 1315940.00 1311096.00 1315940.00 787431.00 USD

Thousand

GDP From Construction 1710330.00 1754304.00 1820268.00 499868.00 USD

Thousand

GDP From Manufacturing 2048837.00 2067595.00 2081085.00 1094728.00 USD

Thousand

GDP From Mining 1696996.00 1672496.00 1762426.00 880806.00 USD

Thousand

GDP From Public 1062128.00 1106887.00 1111154.00 535146.00 USD

Administration Thousand

GDP From Services 1114297.00 1120753.00 1139467.00 863720.00 USD

Thousand

GDP From Transport 1173493.00 1187843.00 1192025.00 666729.00 USD

Thousand

GDP From Utilities 441097.00 438980.00 441097.00 121724.00 USD

Thousand
 Export Import Statistics for: Ecuador

IMPORTS

IMPORT $27.43
IN 2009 TO 2014 12.4% TO 15.3B
REFINED PETROLEUM 12.6%
TOTAL IMPOERT IS COAL TAR OIL 8.29%
JULY TO JUNE 2016 -1239128 USD
AVERAGE IMPORT 1985 TO 2016 791465.78 USD THOUSAND
OCTOMBER 2014 2565284 USD THOUSAND
MARCH 1985 -117453 USD
 Exports

2014 EXPORT OF ECUADOR $27.4B

CRUDE PETROLEUM 49.6%
BANANAS 9%
FISH AND SHRIMPS 11%
CHILE 8.4%
PERU 8%
COFFEE &AND COCA-COLA 4%
UNITED STATE 45%

HISTORICAL DATA
SEPTEMBET 2016 TO JULY 1443553 USD TO 1508796
AVERAGE EXPORT 1979 TO 2016 691947.18 USD
MAY 2014 2604082 USD
MARCH 1987 66062 USD
 ECUADORS TOP 10 EXPORTS

1 OIL US $6.7 BILLION (36%)

2 FRUITS,NUTS $ 2.9% BILLON (16%)
3 FISH $ 2.6% BILLION (13.9%)
4 MEAT AND SEAFOOD PREPRATION $952.2 MILLION (5.2%)

5 LIVE TREES AND PLANT $ 824.5 MILLION (4.5%)

6 COCOA $812.4 MILLION (4.4%)
7 GEMS,PRECIOUS METALS $745.8 MILLION (4.1%)
8 WOOD $320.8 MILLION(1.7)
9 ANIMAL/VEGITABLE FATS AND OIL $312.3 MILLION (1.7%)

10 VEGETABLE/FRUIT PREPRATION $256.8 MILLION (1.4%)

 IMPORT EXPORT STATISTICS FOR INDIA

India Exports:

Dropped year to year 6.48%

USD in July 2016 21.69%
Non petroleum sales 4.46%
Shipments fell for US -6.57%
Shipments fell for Japan -1.80%
Shipments fell for china -5.49%
Shipments fell for European union +1.37%
Export in India (1957 to 2016) 4641.91 USD millions
 India import:

India slumped 19.03

July 2016 29.45
Oil purchases fell 28.10
Non oil went down 15.83
Indian average 1957 to 2016 6777.35
Gold and silver 12%
Machinery 10%
Electronic goods 7%
Pearls,precious stones 5%
United arab emirates 8%
Studio Arabia 7%
Switzerland 7%
The united states 5%
MALOR PLAYERS IN FOOD & BEVERAGES INDUSTRY IN ECUADOR

No Company Imports
1 CORPORACIN FAVORITA (Meat, bakery goods) Specialized food
ingredients and
processed food
2 PRONACA (Meats and poultry, prepared fruit and vegetables, prepared Grains, live
animal food, dry goods, prepared meals) animals,
soybean meal,
condiments
3 NESTLE ECUADOR (Dairy products, baked goods, confectionary, snack
food, dry goods, prepared meals) Specialized
food
ingredients
4 COMPAIA DE CERVEZAS NACIONALES (Beer)
Starch, Barley,
glucose syrup
5 NEGOCIOS INDUSTRIALES REAL NIRSA (Fish, prepared meals, dry Specialized food
goods) ingredients
6 THE TESALIA SPRING COMPANY (Beverages) Specialized food
ingredients
7 UNILEVER ANDINA ECUADOR (Oilseed products, ice creams) Animal fat,
vegetable oil,
corn oil,
Specialized food
ingredients
8 ECUDOS (Sugar) Specialized food
ingredients
9 ECUAJUGOS (Non-alcoholic beverages) Specialized food
ingredients
10 INDUSTRIAS LACTEAS TONI (dairy products) Specialized food
ingredients
11 MODERNA ALIMENTOS (Baked goods) Wheat,
Specialized food
ingredients,
Oats
12 INDUSTRIAL SURINDU (Baked goods, confectionary) Molasses
13 INDUSTRIAL MOLINERA (Dry goods: powdered wheat, oats) Wheat, Oats
14 CONFITECA (Confectionary products) (Sugar, gums,
essence)
MALOR PLAYERS IN FOOD & BEVERAGES INDUSTRY IN ECUADOR

NO. INDUSTRIES
1 Nestle
2 PepsiCo
3 Pizza Hut
4 KFC
5 Hindustan Unilever
6 McDonald
7 Amul
8 Coca-Cola
9 Kelloggs
10 Haldirams
 OVERVIEW OF INDUSTRY

FOOD

Ecuadors restaurants range from those charging Western prices for top-class
international cuisine to the grimiest roadside diner serving chicken, rice and little else
besides. The majorities of restaurants, however, are clean but modest and offer decent food
at low prices. Most of them simply call themselves restaurantes, but others you might
encounterare cevicheras, asaderos, pizzeras,marisqueras, comedores, picanteras, parrill
adas and paradores. The Chinese restaurant, or chifa, is to Ecuador as the curry house is to
Britain; chifas are found in just about every town in the country, dishing out tasty,
inexpensive food to a loyal local following. The typical chifa dishes are fried rice and noodles
both mixed with meat and vegetables and served in large helpings.

Vegetarians are likely to become well acquainted with pizzeras and chifas for their
noodles and veg, among the few hot veggie meals available across the country. Theres no
shortage of vegetarian food in the main tourist centres, but away from those, the cry of soy
vegeteriano or vegeteriana for a woman, will sometimes be met with offers of fish or
chicken. A quick discussion with the staff usually ends with them finding something
appropriate for you, even if its just egg, chips and rice and even the blandest food can be
enlivened by aj, the chilli sauce found on most restaurant dining tables, one of the few
spicy-hot elements of Ecuadorian cooking.

The food processing industry is a key player within Ecuadors manufacturing sector.
It alone accounts for 42 percent of the manufacturing sectors contribution to Ecuadors
gross domestic product. The food processing sector in 2014 (latest full year data) accounted
for 16 percent of Ecuadors estimated $12.5 billion in non-oil export earnings.
BEVERAGES

Ecuador has more types of fruit than you can imagine certainly far more than there
are English names for and just about all of them are made into mouthwatering juices. The
most common fruit juices are made from passion fruit, tree tomato, also known in the West
as tamarillo; its orange and more fruity than a tomato, naranjilla (native to Ecuador, sweet
and tart at the same time), pineapple, orange, a very sweet white fruit, another kind of
passion fruit, blackberry and indigenous relative of the papaya, juicy and slightly acidic, but
there are many others. Juices can come puro or mixed with water (make sure its purified).
When theyre mixed with milk theyre called betides.

Bottled fizzy drinks can be obtained all over Ecuador, particularly Coca-Cola, Sprite,
Fanta and 7-Up. If you want to take your pop away with you, youll have to pay a deposit on
the glass bottle; a more common solution is to get it put en balsa, in a small plastic bag with
a straw. Plastic bottles and cans are becoming more common, but they are more expensive.
Bottled mineral water can be bought throughout the country in still or sparkling varieties.
Home brands, such as Gitig from the mineral springs at Mach chi, are facing stiff
competition against plastic-bottled imports.

Considering Ecuador is a major coffee producing country, its a shame theres not
more of the real stuff about. Most cafs and restaurants will have a jar of Nescaf on the
table, though a few places have esencia de caf, a liquid coffee distillate. Youll get a cup of
hot milk if you ask for caf con lecher, and hot water for black coffee if you specify caf
negro. Only well-to-do places are likely to be able to get you a caf posada or filter coffee.
Tea is served without milk and usually with a slice of lemon. Asking for tea con lecher is
likely to get you a cup of hot milk and a teabag. For just a dash of milk, its best not to say
anything until your (milk less) tea arrives, and then ask for a little milk. Herbal teas (aromatic
as or mates) come in a variety of flavors, some of which are familiar, while others are made
from native plants.
 LITERATURE REVIEW

The perspectives of organizational, marketing and strategic management theory improve

idea reliable theoretical groundwork to understand the important managerial aspect so
menu. For instance, organization theory explicitly emphasizes then flu-once of external
environment both on the decisions of firm managers and the survival of firms on the long
run. More specifically, external environment is one of the central themes of organization
theory and the relevant studies (Duncan,1972; Jurkovich, 1974; Dess andBeard,1984; Ashill
and Jobber, 1999)

Primarily propose that managers essentially consider the influential external factors that
create uncertainty, diversity and volatility while making their decisions. Planning and
operating menus in are saturate context involve considering external factors such as
customers, rivals, and vendors that have a great potential in creating uncertainty, diversity
and volatility in the restaurants 'immediate business environment. Complementing this
view, marketing theory recognizes the importance of identifying the needs and expectations
of customers, and developing and improving products and service perfectly fit to those
needs and expectations. Additionally, pricing, promoting and distributing the products and
services should also be consistent with the customers' needs and expectations on the one
hand, and with the firm's objectives on the other hand. Thus, in their saturate context, it is
imperative that menus the food and beverage combinations offered by are saturate reflects
the expectations and needs of customers. Moreover, managing menus involves planning,
pricing, designing, distributing and promotional decisions which are also the main issues of
marketing. Strategic management is another promising theoretical perspective that help
sounders and the importance of menu B. Ozdemir, O.Caliskan/International Journal of
Gastro no my and FoodScience2(2014)3134and its as associated managerial activities with
reference to competitiveness of restaurants. Indeed, creating and sustaining a competitive
advantage is the main focus of strategic management discipline. More specifically, strategic
management principally investigates the phenol men on of sustain able competitive
advantages a source of performance differences among business firms (Nerur etal.,2008).
Foodservice (Ladkin, 2000). Several studies have attempted to identify the learning

Expectations of food and beverage management students. Ford and Lebrunto (1995) state
that Students want to have experiential or practical hands-on work experience since they
believe it To be the most effective application of the theoretical classroom content. Other
research has Found that students enrolling in foodservice operation programs are motivated
by expected Occupational and career outcomes (O'Mahony et al., 2001). Raybould and
Wilkins (2006)

Have summarized students expectation of learning in food and beverage includes; gaining a

Broad base experience in food and beverage operation management, developing basic skills

And knowledge of cooking, staying current with new technological advances, and
developing Communication skill

Usually employed to dramatize states of harmony or disharmony, teatime is used to great

effect in such works as Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1866), in which
Alice learns to come to terms with the world around her via her experiences at the Mad
Hatter's distinctly uncivilized tea party. Food and order images are also used liberally in such
tales as Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows (1961), where food denotes coziness
and plenty. In addition to reflecting social order and civilization, food is often representative
of the limitations imposed upon a child's world, blending well with the idea of excess as a
key element of childhood fantasy. For example, Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen
(1963) uses food as a vehicle to express strong childhood emotions, and, like many other
children's texts, uses rituals of eating as a metaphor for the power struggle inherent to
family dynamics.

Food offers a means for powerful imagery in adult literature as well. Visual images in the
works of such authors as Katherine Anne Porter and Margaret Atwood are often used to
increase the realism in their writing. Details about food in such collections as Porter's
Flowering Judas and Other Stories (1935) create a powerful sense of richness and convey
the indefinite ability of human experience, representing an external and physical
manifestation of human complexity. Likewise, food and drink play an important role in
drama, especially on stage. In his essay on Sam Shepard's work, Charles G. Whiting notes
that the playwright often makes eating and drinking an important and significant activity,
something that is not only used to achieve realism but also to accentuate the action on
stage. Whiting notes that Shepard's staging in particular uses food to create spectacle as
well as visionary mythic imagery. In the same way, food is used in poetry as a sensual and
sensory object. Specifically focusing on the role of fruit in poetry, Carol E. Dietrich notes that
it often represents nature, offering the poet an objective symbol of the presence of God.
Among fiction writers, Ernest Hemingway was noteworthy in his ability to create a particular
mood though his fictional accounts of food. Hemingway often had his expatriate characters
eat native foods, allowing them emotional access to the world they were in habiting.

Dining rituals often provide a framework that both reflects and expresses human desires
and behaviors. Many authors, Edith Wharton primary among them, have used the ritual of
dining to present the powerful conflicts that simmer underneath the surface of order.
Additionally, food metaphors are often used to characterize people and their status in
society. This is especially evident in the works of such authors as Toni Morrison and Gloria
Naylor, who often use food images to explore the struggle for an African-American identity.
Food has been acknowledged as a key indicator of ethnicity. In their essay on the role of
food, Claude Lvi-Strauss and Claude Fischer demonstrated that the domain of food
includes appetite, desire, and pleasure, but also serves as a reference point for society's
structure and world vision. In his analysis of Maxine Hong Kingston's Woman Warrior
(1976), Paul Outka notes that her memoir, using stories, recipes, and reminiscences,
portrays the trans cultural writer as an exile from both Chinese and Western cultures. Her
attempts to enunciate a self that is both enduring and dynamic are revealed in her
passionate concerns with food, as she learns to resist both physically and psychologically the
message of Chinese patriarchy that women are nothing more than bodies, unworthy even of
nourishment.