{"id":39035,"date":"2017-05-19T15:40:47","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T13:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.buzzoole.com\/?p=39035"},"modified":"2018-05-28T15:08:07","modified_gmt":"2018-05-28T13:08:07","slug":"millennials-food-seeds-chips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.buzzoole.com\/en\/business\/millennials-food-seeds-chips\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mutual Evolution of Millennials and Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week I had the honour of being among the speakers at the <\/span>Seeds & Chips Global Food Innovation Summit<\/span><\/a>, a global event in the field of Food Innovation which included guest speakers such as President Obama.<\/span><\/p>\n

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During my speech I focused on the relationship between food and millennials, analysing how new generations are transforming marketing and food production processes, an excerpt of which I have adapted below:<\/span><\/p>\n

When you think of millennials and their penchant for food, your first thought might be the trend for flattering food pics on social media. <\/span><\/p>\n

And you wouldn’t be wrong. Research from Maru\/Matchbox revealed that <\/span>69% of millennials snap a food pic before they start eating<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Couple this with Nielsen’s research, which found that <\/span>40% of millennials actively use technology during meal times<\/span><\/a>, and you have a recipe for a social-food-sharing fixation.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the relationship between millennials and food cannot be written off as merely an eccentric Instagram habit. This is having an effect of food-consumerism as a whole. <\/span><\/p>\n

We can see that when it comes to food, the millennial era shares values of health, ethics, community, individuality, and experiences – all in a stylish and vibrant package (just take a look at the new “Unicorn Food” trend).<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to effective marketing strategies, National Public Radio summed up the challenge for <\/span>food brand’s<\/span><\/a> quite well with this quote: <\/span><\/p>\n

“Honestly, if I could say anything to the advertisers, it’d be this: Entertain me, make me happy, capture my attention, speak to my conscience and then leave me the heck alone”.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Excitement and diversity, but not at the compromise of authenticity. It’s a tall order.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how are brands stepping up to the plate?<\/span><\/p>\n

Eating Habits, Symbolism, and a Reflection of Identity<\/b><\/p>\n

To understand how millennials are impacting the food industry and its marketing strategies\u00a0 and “how the food industry is mutually impacting them”\u00a0 it’s important to dig a bit deeper into this demographic’s relationship with food, and the overarching themes and meanings that this relationship represents.<\/span><\/p>\n

It goes without saying that in general, millennials really love food. They delight in the process of sinking their teeth into exciting restaurants, markets, and recipes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wanda Pogue, chief strategy officer<\/span><\/a> at the U.S.-based creative advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi New York says that food “provides social cache that stagnant luxury products do not. Food experiences are easier to share, more frequent and easier to replicate, giving them greater value and longevity”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a few statistics to paint a picture of the millennial-food relationship:<\/span><\/p>\n