Facing the future with Millennials

The Millennial generation is changing the landscape of food.

The Millennial generation is often viewed as a generation of “foodies”, they love fresh ideas, new tastes and socially responsible products. Combine this with the fact that millenials are leaders in social media and food becomes an identifiable method of self-expression. Take, for example, food porn sites, food blogs,  facebook check ins at trendy restaurants, pinterest recipes. As a result, the food industry is adapting to keep up with this fast paced generation. 

The website BizJournals.com noted three ways the millennial generation is changing the landscape of food and all three examples can be adapted for supermarkets. Firstly, all food friendly content is going digital. For example?Food and Wine magazine released a new digital brand and website FWx. FWx caters to millennials obsessed with eating, drinking, and everything in between by connecting them with the latest trends in the food and beverage industry.  

Next,the millennial generation has created an increased demand for locally grown food. According to a report recently released by The National Restaurant Association,locally sourced meats and seafood, followed by locally grown produce, is the hottest trend in 2014. Data has shown that Millenials look to make food-conscious purchases, and many companies are taking note of this, For example, Chipotle, a company that prides itself on having organic  & sustainable benefits. 

Finally, the millennial generation has propelled into popularity the food truck craze. Why? Convenience, low prices, and more often than not, extremely unique foods and flavors.

So what can supermarkets learn from this? To appeal to millenials, they need a strong digital presence, millenials are always on mobile devices, and so should supermarkets. Next, they need to highlight products and produce that appeal to the environmentally conscious – perhaps offering displays or tasting stations of organic and local foods and finally, highlight convenient, fresh & low cost options especially when it comes prepared foods.