Targeting the Millennials

The Lempert Report
August 29, 2014

What's a great way for supermarkets to build their millennial base? Seek them out at work!

Tech companies for example,  often provide meals to create more collegial work environments, foster teamwork and to keep staffers on premises. Lunches, dinners and nighttime snacks may not cost employees money, but this "free food" serves as both performance fuel and social lubricant at these companies.  In addition, employers that utilize worker wellness to minimize health insurance premiums can leverage the right food mix to achieve this goal.

For supermarkets, why not target these business customers with fresh, healthful prepared foods that will appeal to the workers’? If more supermarkets pursued companies aggressively, they could tap into profitable, recurring revenue streams.   By branding their menus, they could develop strong reputations among Millennials for “performance prepared foods” – and that message could translate into Millennials’ needs at home, where everyday life is also hectic, especially in households with growing families.

Millennials would be filled with food ideas for home after seeing the difference inspired food can make at work.  Cornell University and Dartmouth College researchers released two studies connecting hunger to feelings of entitlement. They found that “famished team members might be less likely to work together and help each other and hesitant to apologize for their mistakes,” reports The Wall Street Journal.   Cornell Professor Emily Zitek, a study author, told the paper, “[Hungry people’s] priority is to do things to make themselves feel better. ..once…satisfied…they can turn to other needs, like social connections.”

Supermarkets can help both companies, and their workers to feel better and be more productive while at the same time building a very greatful customer base.