With ethnic foods becoming increasingly accessible and mainstream, consumers are developing an appetite for new and exciting spices and seasonings.Reasons for this increase in ethnic cuisine include, the growing multicultural population and the fact that people are travelling more and more to exotic destinations. As a result, the demand for spices, herbs, and seasonings used in exotic cuisine is also growing. This growing demand for ethnic food in africa had led to significant growth in africa imports of spices, herbs and seasonings from developing countries in the region.

Dry rubs and wet rubs are the spice blends commonly known. They are spice blends mixed with water or oil and are a great way to improve flavor and preservation properties of meat. These blends are added to meat, fish, and poultry as a marinade. Black pepper is common in rubs, so are ground hot peppers such as cayenne or chipotle. Ginger, horseradish, and mustard powder are also included in this category. Spices and seasonings are also used in the preparation of sausages. Pepper, red pepper, paprika, garlic, rosemary, thyme, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg are the most commonly used spices in sausages. Specialist spice-mixing companies increasingly assist the meat trade, by producing ready-to-use spice mixtures for meat, as well as for sausage factories.