Caveats to the Research

• For the purposes of this research, the age cohort provided to us of 25-54 will be referred to as Millennials (25-38) and Generation X (39-54), as per the Pew Research Center. 
• We were not provided a geographic focus for this project, so we assumed a broad approach and looked globally. If a more targeted approach is desired, for example, the United States, this would have to be clearly communicated to us in any reply.

General Data

•  Health conscious consumers are a different animal, and there are effective ways to reach them, according to Biz Insights.
• In a survey recently published in 2019 by the International Food Information Council and the American Heart Foundation, forty-three percent of Americans claimed to always be on the lookout for healthy options when shopping, while fifty-two percent said they were at least sometimes scouting for healthy foods.
• The age group of people 25 to 34 years old (Millennials) appeared to be the most health conscious according to the study. "Fifty-one percent said they were always looking for healthy food while shopping, which is a step up from older cohorts as well as younger people of the Generation Z (18-24 years old)."
• According to a HealthFocus Trend Report, a national study of public attitudes and actions toward shopping and eating, "the most defining trend for health and nutrition choices today is the evolution of a sense of entitlement among American shoppers, especially the middle class. Rather than making decisions based on an either/or proposition, Americans today want all the advantages. Not satisfied only with food that may taste good, for example, they are looking for foods that taste good and fill a nutrition need; that are premium quality and affordable; that are fresh and convenient. The Age of Entitlement is driven by Boomers who feel they have earned "it" and the X'ers who feel they were born deserving "it".
• According to L.E.K. Consulting’s 2018 food and beverage survey of almost 1,600 consumers, ninety-three percent of consumers want to eat healthy at least some of the time, with 63% trying to eat healthy most or all of the time.
• Looking at five categories of food attributes, which are natural, ethical, enhanced, less of, and alternative dietary lifestyle, the survey found almost 75% of consumers committed to one or more attribute when choosing foods. This commitment shows up in all age groups, although Millennials lead the way.
• According to this study, while age was a significant factor in the motivation to eat for positive feelings, it is education that had a significant influence on perceptions regarding healthy eating.
•  Millennials and Gen Z care about having a healthy lifestyle, and are willing to pay a premium for it . This is disrupting the traditional food industry, which tends to favor cost efficiency over quality. Drivers of the trend are the rise of local brands, social networks and e-commerce.
• According to the 2019 Food & Health Survey, 1 in 4 consumers actively seek health benefits from foods. "Although many say they simply try to eat healthy in general, 23% of consumers say they actively seek out foods or follow a diet for health benefits. Most often the benefits they seek are weight loss, energy, digestive health, and heart health."

Summary Of Our Early Findings Relevant To The Goals

• As discussed at the top of this report, we were not provided a geographic focus for this project, so we assumed a broad approach and looked globally. If a more targeted approach is desired, for example, the United States, this would have to be clearly communicated to us in any reply.
• Our initial hour of research focused on providing some salient points for the questions asked, and then scanning to ensure we could answer the rest of the questions with publicly available data.
• Please select one or more of the options provided in the proposed scoping section below.