What’s driving Gen Z and Millennials, to buy fresh prepared meal components at different retail outlets

Different generations look for differentiation in meal preparation than those before them according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Let’s see just what is driving this fresh take on ‘What’s for Dinner’:

Health and Wellness: Consumers are increasingly gravitating towards fresh, less-processed, and more natural fare. They believe that fresh foods are healthier. This movement is driven by consumers' preoccupation with health and wellness. 

Convenience: The reality is that many consumers simply don’t have time to prepare meals the way they did years ago.  Grocerants offer a one-stop-shopping solution for consumers driven by either curiosity or a lack of time.  Convenience is the overarching advantage of deli/fresh prepared versus home-cooked meals.

Quality and Variety: High-quality fresh produce and meat departments are the reasons that many adults decide to shop at a specific grocery store. Consumers are interested in seeing deli/fresh prepared featuring organic, locally-sourced, non-GMO, gluten free and other mega trend-inspired foods. 

Immediate Consumption Trend: In 2013, 15% of all eating occasions involved foods/beverages eaten within an hour of purchase. For Millennial eating occasions, that total was 40%. When eating alone, consumers are more likely to opt for fresh over frozen meals. 

Experience and Social Interaction: In the future, grocerants will emphasize experiential value and social interaction over little grocery shopping. They are turning their businesses into service providers, expanding their portfolios to include fresh food products, hot meals, as well as in-store cooking courses or wine tasting.

These trends are shaping the 'grocerant' niche and influencing how consumers shop for their meals. It's a fascinating intersection of the food industry and consumer behavior! 

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter