2. Generational Identities
Traditionalists – consists of two different cohorts
• 1922 - 1945
• 64 – 87 years old
Baby Boomers
• 1946 - 1964
• 45 – 63 years old
Gen Xers
• 1965 - 1980
• 29 – 44 years old
Gen Y’s
• 1981 – 2000
• 9 – 28 years old
6. Food Fanatic
• Food and travel
• The role food plays is more
of an obsession
• Experimentation is important
• This group includes
Boomers
• Gen Y will move into this
category
7. Food Fanatic
• First adopters
• Led the way for Artisan, olive oils, brain
tonic, the cage free eggs
• Foodies tend to lead the way in other
consumers products
• Search out food
– Restaurants
– Markets
– Gourmet street food
9. Food Fanatic - Other Media
• Food Network
• Rachael Ray
• Barefoot Contessa
• Iron Chef
• Chef at Large
• Cookbooks
• Cooking and Travel
• Food Movies
10. Food Fanatic Trends
• Spices such as garlic, ginger and turmeric
• Game meats – ethically grown
• Yuzu
• Bacon
• Local over organic
• Food pairing
• Smaller portions
11. Food Fanatic Trends
• Gastro Popcorn
with flavours like
Madras Curry,
Black Truffle or
Pimenton de la
Vera.
• Coconut water
• Bush mango
• Pure, gourmet
ingredients
12. Food Fanatic Trends
• Ethnic Foods
– African
– Caribbean
– Korean
– Brazilian
– Mexican
– Canadian
13. Food Fanatic Trends
• Regional foods
– Florentine
– North American
• Historical Foods
– Foods that have a story
• Economy:
– Comfort foods – jazz it up
– Gourmet Mac & Cheese, Quesadillas
• Everything Cooking
18. Food Functionalist Trends
• Online
– Culinary medicine
– chefmd.com
• Articles, books
• Media
• Newspapers
• Health practitioners
• Health clubs
19. Food Functionalist Trends
• Functional
– Omega
– Prebiotics & Probiotics
– Catechin – found in green tea
• Anti-inflammatory Diets
– diet trend that promotes the inclusion of
brightly coloured, high antioxidant foods (such
as cherries and pomegranates), spices (such
as turmeric and ginger) and fish oils to help
limit the amount of inflammation in our bodies
20. Food Functionalist Trends
• Black garlic
• Bonito Flakes
– News in the Journal of
Science details a study that
found that the use of dried
bonito flakes (both arabushi
and karebushi) can improve
the palatability of low-
sodium
21. Food Functionalist Trends
• Alternative Chips, made from beets, sweet
potatoes and cassava
• Crispy Vegetable Snacks made from
green beans, soybeans and chickpeas
22. Food Functionalist Trends
• Low/No will soar
• Specific health concerns
– Heart health
– Cancer
• Whole grains in beverages
23. Food Connector
Macro Trend:
• Social Values and Goals
• Empowerment
• Discovery
• Understanding
• Wisdom
• Spirituality
25. Food Connector
• Use food to build community or change
the world
• Make a point through food
26. Food Connector
• Variety of demographics
• Boomers
– As long as I can find what I want
• Gen X
– Keep it real attitude about food
27. Food Connector Trends
• Find the Farmer
• Real Food
Challenge programs
• Local food
movement
• 100/ 200/500
Mile Diet
28. Food Connector Trends
• LOHAS
– Lifestyle of health and sustainability
• Farmers Markets
• CO-Ops
• Green Consumer
– ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ Green
29. Food Connector Trends
• Less interested in big advertising
• Interested in the ‘back story’
– story behind the product/producer
– This consumer is a Cause consumer
– Bring fair trade home!
30. Food Connector Trends
• Environmental Eating: re-usable bottles
and filtering
• Locally Grown/Farmers Markets
• Tracking food miles
• Seasonal Sensations
• Gluten-Free
• Natural Ingredients: skipping high fructose
corn syrup and opting for natural products
32. Food Pragmatist
• Dollars and ‘sense’
• Ready, set, go
• Time
• Food could be a chore
33. Food Pragmatist
• Lack of secondary
motivations for this
group
• QSR
• Not buying on brand
image
– Walmart & Costco & $1
– Mac & cheese
– Private label
34. Food Pragmatist
• Value shoppers
• Could include Gen X
• Families
• Students
• Middle / low income
• Solo apartment dwellers
• Elderly
35. Food Pragmatist Trends
• Live to eat
• Nuisance meals
– Breakfast and Lunch returning to the home
• Quantity vs. Quality
• Private label
• RTE
– Grocery is biggest competition to fast food –
not restaurants
36. Trend Predictions
• Flavour and Freshness
• Ethnic flavours
– Regional
• Health and wellness
– Superfruits, antioxidants, omega-3, fatty acids
• Local and ethical
– Sustainable
– Organic
• Value
37. Trend Predictions
• Food represents different things to
different people
• Clearly understand the consumer
behaviours and what motivates them
• Adapt to change
• Innovate
• Guerrilla Marketing
38. Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you
who you are.
Jean Brillat-Savarin
‘French Gastronomic’ 1825
