Recently we participated in the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) webinar covering the outlook of the millennial consumer. During the Webinar PMA dissected The Hartman Group’s research on millennial consumers. This allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of how this group’s buying behaviors are changing and what it means for fresh produce marketers.
When you think of Millennials you could be inclined to view them as selfie taking, social media loving, freeloading youth – but that’s not an accurate portrait. The truth is Millennials are getting older and many of their ideals are changing and being linked to life stages as opposed to generational differences. With this maturity, Millennials are becoming parents, moving up the in the workforce, determining their futures, and making thoughtful decisions about what they want to eat. This shift is changing what it means for fresh produce markers who are trying to reach this demographic. When trying to appeal to Millennials – here are some things to consider:
They are Conscious Eaters
Millennials define their own meaning of quality and are making more mindful decisions about the foods they consume. Compared to 2011, Millennials are being more proactive to avoid unnecessary additives and are making selective food choices. According to the research, they are less influenced by traditional nutritional markers on packaging, like health claims and calorie content but are more persuaded by the narratives of products. They want to know where the product came from, how the workers associated with the product are treated, if it’s connected to a charitable cause and more.
This provides a huge opportunity for fresh produce marketers. Fresh fruits and vegetables each take a unique journey from seed to shelf. These stories will make your tomatoes, cauliflower, grapes, beets, and other fresh produce products more appealing to Millennials. In addition, incorporate the photographs and narratives to display the origins of your fresh produce products in your marketing.
Millennials are Preparing Food At Home
Not only are Millennials more conscious about what they are eating – they are also preparing more meals at home. They enjoy trying new recipes, experimenting with ethnic foods, and using fresh indgredients.
Fresh produce marketers have an opportunity to capitalize on this millennial behavior by providing recipes, food prep tips, and on-the-go solutions to this target audience. We’ve learned that these consumers love to know the ins and outs of the food they consume. So let’s equip them with the tools to take charge of at home meal preparation.
Packaging Matters to Them
More so than Boomers, Millennials are more likely to pay close attention to packaging – specifically callouts for organic, certifications, and product narratives. This is valuable information to fresh produce marketers. The addition of certifications, organic stickers, and narrative to packaging and digital assets could influence the purchase decision of Millennials.
Overall, Millennials are more focused on what’s good to eat than on avoiding what’s bad to eat. Fresh produce products capitalize the “what’s good to eat” category which is an excellent position to help us keep our seat at the food marketing table when marketing to this cohort. The buying power of Millennials continues to grow – continue to follow The Core for more insights on how to reach this dynamic group.
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