BAR CHART
This year marked some interesting shifts in defining
core specialty food consumers, and they will be worth
monitoring over the next few years.
SPECIALTY FOOD CONSUMERS—
WHO ARE THEY, WHAT DO THEY WANT?
of
the generations to make specialty food and beverage
purchases.
They saw a drop off in 2018 that indicated differ-
ences
in patterns of older and younger millennials, and those
play
out again this year. Older millennials (ages 35-42) seem to
continue
to align with Gen-Xs (43-54), especially younger
Gen-Xs,
as far as attitudes and behaviors. This year both
millennials
and Gen-Xs rank highest overall as purchasers of
specialty
food, with mature millennials more engaged in the
specialty
food market than their younger counterparts (ages
24-34).
Ultimately,
a core specialty food consumer is surfacing
that
is between 35-54 years old, though younger and older age
groups
are active consumers.
79%
78%
61%
44%
67%
65%
60%
84%
75%
69%
66%
Millennials are still
the most likely
Share of Consumers Buying
Specialty Foods by Generation
0
20
40
60
80
100
2016 2017 2018
S6
THE STATE OF THE SPECIALTY FOOD INDUSTRY
H CH C
Source:
Mintel
