Millennials Upset the Food Trolley

A new study recently released at the 2017 SupplySide West conference confirms millennials’ influential role in changing long-standing “truths” within the food, drinks and supplement categories. Conducted by CBD Marketing in Chicago, the research analyzed over 12 million social media posts and other online comments specific to the three product groups from U.S. millennials, ages 18 to 35. The study covered a 12 month period ending August 2017. Women created 62 percent of the content; men 38 percent. More than 80 percent of the content and posts appeared on social media platforms.

“Consumer products companies are obsessed with millennials and with good reason,” said CBD Marketing’s Co-CEO Lori Colman. “They are one-fourth of the population and represent $10 trillion in lifetime buying power. Millennials share their opinions and buying habits online via social media platforms and on other sites. Businesses and brands that mine this treasure trove of online data will be the ones that market their products successfully.”

• Want healthy, natural food; like to cook and prep meals;

• Supportive of food delivery using meal services.

• Source food from environmentally conscious manufacturers.

• Love smoothies; breakfast is important;

• Move towards cultural flavors and foods like Scandinavian and Indian.

• Not interested in dieting or fat-free foods, TV dinners or other “helper” convenience foods, snack foods or foods that satisfy “cravings,” steak and potatoes.

• Dieting, fat-free

• TV dinners, Hamburger Helper & Wal-Mart,

• Multi-purpose grocery stores

• Lack of transparency

• Cravings, snacks

• Steak and potatoes

• Thumbs up to flavored, sparkling and plain water, “better-for-you” drinks promoting energy, immunity, digestive health; alternative juices like aloe, coconut.

• Big on plant-based milk, green teas and fermented beverage like kombucha, cold brew.

• “No thank you” to soda and pop (average annual consumption has dropped to 38 gallons per person in 2016 from 54 gallons per person in 1998), diet shakes and fruit juices like apple, cranberry, and orange.

• Not interested in dairy milk (average annual consumption has dropped to 18 gallons per person in 2016 from 30 gallons per person in 1976) or plain old coffee.

• No interest in soft drinks (average annual consumption has dropped to 38 gallons per person in 2016 from 54 gallons per person in 1998),

• Diet shakes

• Fruit juices like apple, cranberry, and orange.

• Losing interest in dairy milk (average annual consumption has dropped to 18 gallons per person in 2016 from 30 gallons per person in 1976) or plain old coffee.

• Protein and powders (close to 800,000 mentions) are important, as is clean label.

• Plant-based protein

• Green superfood powders

• Pills

• Weight-loss

• Impure ingredients

• Whey – for women and younger millennials