LAS VEGAS—Because consumer wants and needs ultimately drive demand, the future of food and farming rests on a clear understanding of where and how consumers get their information, what they view as important and the influences that most affect their behavior, said Lori Colman, CEO, Colman Brohan Davis, Inc., during a presentation at SupplySide West.
The key steps to success in what Colman calls the “new food revolution” are to know end-user drivers, go to market and navigate online via social networking sites. The new consumer, she said, is “well-informed, skeptical, self-reliant, connected, experiential and in-control.” And their needs are simple: feed me with nutrients, experiences and information; protect me from disease and contamination; and earn my trust with authenticity, transparency and sustainable business practices.
In a review of consumer market research, Colman noted that flavor ranks No.1 on the list of reasons why consumers purchase a food product, while brand name was last on the list. She also noted that some 65% of consumers read food labels, and finding out the fat content of a food product is the main reason why.
Colman also noted that consumers are online, learning about food and sharing what they like and don’t like about specific food products with the vast Internet audience.
