Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/567722
TODAY'S SPECIALTY FOOD CONSUMER ❘ C7 SHOPPING HABITS AND FOOD ATTITUDES Millennials are portrayed as being confident in their food knowledge but data shows that they are still very much in a state of learning about food. They want to eat healthy but maybe aren't as likely to do it as previous generations. FOOD CURIOSITY VS. KNOWLEDGE ASPIRATIONAL VS. ACTUAL Younger consumers are often seen as cooking more than past generations, but data shows that millennials are relying more on takeout and ways to expedite home cooking. This could be a result of time pressures, as millennials begin to have families and are looking for more conveniences. AT-HOME COOKING AND MILLENNIALS ASPIRATIONAL VS. ACTUAL SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE & TRENDS FOOD ATTITUDES Posting comments about brands and companies on social media is far more common among specialty food consumers than consumers overall (48 percent vs. 33 percent). Pinterest and Facebook are the most popular sites for engaging with, researching, or discussing restaurants or retailers. 84 percent of specialty food consumers consider themselves knowledgeable about food, but that view is shared by baby boomers more than millennials. Mature specialty food consumers, especially gen Xers, are the most likely to say they will spend more for quality ingredients. PREPARED FOOD PURCHASES TAKE OUT Frequency of ready-to-eat meal purchases has gone up, a behavioral shift that is adverse- ly affecting scratch cooking, mostly among millennials. This group is most likely to buy ready-to-eat meals as well as takeout and delivery. By contrast, consumers over 45 go to the grocery store more often, and baby boomers especially are more likely to cook meals from scratch at home. • Retailers should increase in-store ready-to-eat meal options. Convenience is going to play a bigger role in how millennials engage in food shopping and prep. • A social media presence is necessary for companies on the buy and supply side of the trade who want to engage specialty food consumers. • Retailers have educational opportunities with millennials to talk about food products and different usage or recipe ideas. • Gen Xers are in their prime earning years and are willing to spend on quality ingredients. KEY OPPORTUNITIES