Millennials are proving to be quite the foodies, taking great efforts to eat the food they like, and often posting about it on social media. As foodies, they’re upfront about their preferences: they want their food fresh, they want it healthy, and most of all, they want it organic, comfortably ditching big name brands for smaller, niche ones.
Despite the many financial struggles that Millennials face, they have demonstrated that their preference for healthy, non-genetically modified food is a priority for them. Now that Millennials are becoming the trendsetters of the food market their distrust of processed foods and their excitement about healthy organic cuisine is taking the industry by storm.
Why Don’t Millennials Like GMOs?
Though Monsanto has invested a lot of money attempting to rebrand itself to Millennials, the generation has so far showed such a distaste for GMOs that many of them have become activists about the issue.
Millennials have grown up hearing stories about factory farming and “Frankenfood,” all of which has left a terrible distaste in their mouths for anything processed. This has led to them viewing most of the big factory farming and GMO companies as being unethical, and as a result of this—combined with their tendency toward activism—they flock to events like March Against Monsanto. They’ve also ceased spending their money at major fast food franchises like McDonalds, preferring to dine at organic chains like Chipotle.
Millennials Like Their Products to Feel More Personal
Millennials love authenticity, and they use food as a method of storytelling and self-expression. As a generation, they tend to view their food as a reflection of who they are and what they represent, and so they want it to paint a picture that they like.
Millennials prefer products that feel more personal to them. This reflects in all of their purchasing decisions, but perhaps in food most of all. Millennials like to know where their food comes from, that it’s healthy, and that their dollars are going to preferred businesses that they feel a more personal connection to.
If They Can’t Find it Cheap Enough, They’ll Grow it Themselves
High unemployment rates among Millennials are a reality, and this means that while Millennials want organic food, they can’t always afford it. Quite a dilemma!
As a result, the hunger among Millennials for non-GMO food has reached such a fever pitch that home gardening is coming back into style. While it might seem surprising that Millennials are becoming a green-thumbed generation, considering that it contradicts their usual desire for instant gratification, it appears that their preference for health outweighs their desire for immediacy.
The Bottom Line
Millennials like a good deal, but they’ve shown they’re willing to pay a little extra for non-GMO, organic foods. Even when they can’t afford to buy organic, they’ve proven comfortable with the idea of growing their own food and seeking out local farms for their meat products.
As Millennials take over the direction of the food industry, they’ve clearly demonstrated what kind of foods they prefer, and which ones they don’t. While fast food companies like McDonalds have attempted—unsuccessfully—to appeal to the Millennial desire for customization, they’ve shown that having a healthy, quality meal is their foremost priority when it comes to food, and their distrust of GMOs currently seems unlikely to change.
The G Brief is the digital magazine published by Urbaneer Creative. We’re a boutique consultancy focused on helping clients better understand and engage the Millennial generation. Reach out to see what we can do for you.