The Future of Food Communications: Winning Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age

INDEX
The Fourth Industrial Revolution: New World, New Rules
1Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age
Six Consumption Drivers for Winning Share of Mouth
2Health & Wellness
11
Making the communication matter: imagery, words and
speech strategies around food & nutrition
01
Food, genomics and the microbiome: What are the implications for food producers? 19
The growing affinity for ‘fresh food’ in Asian markets 23
Nutrition: What does it mean for emerging economies? 29
Activating Health & Wellness in the Conversation Age 32
Culture
¿Hablas Comida? 35
Man the provider is really man the buyer!
47
Reputation & Advocacy
Integrated Sustainable Thinking: A critical necessity for food companies 57
Drop-by-drop: Water footprinting for a sustainable food supply chain 61
Big Food: How can it repair the cultural disconnect?
39
Activating Culture in the Conversation Age 54
Transparency coming for genetically engineered foods 65
Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption 77
Activating Reputation & Advocacy in the Conversation Age 90
Food marketing to millennial parents: A China perspective 85

Visual Stimuli
Food as a beauty product 93
Activating Visual Stimuli in the Conversation Age 98
Appetite Appeal
Building the next culinary dream: Communicating food’s appetite
appeal for today & tomorrow
129
Activating Appetite Appeal in the Conversation Age 137
3Global Food Trends Predictions
Recommendation
How food ideas catch fire and cross borders through
the power of online recommendation 101
Online recipes: What factors best promote sharing? 113
Activating Recommendation in the Conversation Age 126
Future of Food Special
EXPO MILAN: Evaluation of its success and forecast of its legacy 141
Looking Forward: Dining on Driverless Cars 145
Conclusion
The All-Natural, High Tech Future of Food 149
Capturing share of mouth in the subscription
foodservice marketplace 121
138

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About the People's Insights series

Guillaume Herbette
CEO, MSLGROUP
Foreword
Today’s consumers expect brands not
only to master the product, but also its
communications.
Today, for a food and beverage company to win share of mouth, it
also needs to win at share of voice. In an era where food and drink
have become everyone’s favorite topics of conversation, navigating
the complex communications landscape is tricky to say the least.
That’s because the global narrative about food has evolved far
beyond the food product itself. Once a matter of nutrition and
survival, food is often now associated with public status and the
endorsement of ideas. The dialogue around food has taken
center stage not only in consumers’ minds, but in pop culture,
even international politics and its importance is only accelerating.
Today’s consumers expect brands not only to master the product,
but also its communications. Brands must deliver on consumer and
regulatory expectations regarding health and wellness,
skillfully communicate cultural nuance, all while maintaining an
attractive brand reputation and keeping its advocacy purposeful
and in alignment.
Brands also need to drive the conversation about them and
thereby consumption through a contemporary mix of
communication techniques -- powerful visual stimuli, influential
recommendations delivered across social platforms and by
creating appetite appeal that aligns with the preferences of today’s
consumers. In this latest edition of the People’s Insights Series,
MSLGROUP explores Six Communication Drivers for Winning
Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age.
These drivers are more than a diagnostic tool to help food and
beverage brands properly balance their communications for the
modern day. They are the beginning of an important dialogue about
the latest communications practices, platforms and channels and
how uber-efficient utilization and strategic planning can maximize
revenue. With the communications landscape evolving as fast as
food consumption trends themselves, brands need to know of the
latest innovations, or risk revenue.
For example, our own recently-introduced Conversation2Commerce
(C2C) platform can help food brands harness the power of earned
influence by adding the targeting, scale and measurement
capabilities of advertising in order to drive brand lift
and commerce. Imagine automatically getting your
product’s dream story directly to your customers as
they are about to make product selections not just
around the time when the story runs, but over the
extended course of time it remains relevant. This kind
of innovative thinking helps food brands bolster their
ability to drive revenue through communications.
In this publication, we feature the voices of experts
from inside and outside MSLGROUP who examine
current food trends, consumer food behavior and how
food technology can enable food companies to be at
the forefront of innovation. We also take a look at the
food sector and its impact on the environment and food
marketers’ role in ensuring sustained intervention for
the benefit of consumers, business and the planet. If
you are looking for a partner to bring a contemporary
perspective to communicating around your business
and brand, then let’s start a conversation today. Get in
touch with us for a customized diagnostic workshop.
One final note: We would like to take this opportunity to
offer our gratitude and thanks to all our contributors for
their valuable input into this report.
Cordially,

One cannot think
well, love well,
sleep well, if one
has not dined well.
Virginia Woolf

The Future of Food, as we see it, is also
about the future of its representations, in
terms of the communication around it.
Several factors go into influencing this,
one of them being the discussions driven
by audiences via social networks.
Making the
communication
matter: imagery,
words and speech
strategies around
food & nutrition
Pascal Beucler
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer,
Global, MSLGROUP
@pbeucler
THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Making the communication matter: imagery, words and speech strategies around food & nutrition
Analyzing food conversations on the web
brings up interesting insights – consumer
awareness is at an all-time high; food is at the
center of peer discussions, pop culture, etc.
Today, knowledge about one’s food is
considered cool, trendy. There’s a know-where-
your-food-comes-from dialogue that’s caught
on with consumers universally.
When stakeholders in the industry – food
companies and others in the foodservice space
– speak of food, what is the angle they are
adopting? The food communication that’s
targeted at consumers – is it from a well-being
or nutrition standpoint? Do they actually
measure what impact the language strategies
they use may have on the audience – words,
images, references, symbols? Do they identify,
and analyze, what their competition do,
whether direct (other food companies) or
indirect (Life Sciences and healthcare
companies, for instance) ones?
2

Understanding and monitoring what is at stake is
certainly something all major companies in this
area could do with benefits, for today and most
importantly for tomorrow, in a market where
disruption and blurring boundaries tend to
complexify everything.
In our times of effectiveness, and performance
spirit, every communication activity has to be
positioned in this perspective. In this context, from
a consumer’s point of view, the “rationalization”
trend impacts how food is viewed, and
communication focused around nutrition may be
the response or the solution to this demand –
for example, messages emphasizing the
importance of taking care of oneself (think heath,
physical appearance, etc.) like a valuable asset.
Nutrition as food turned
into science
With increasing consumer suspicion toward
safety issues, a nutrition-centric approach can
translate to a kind of truth/honesty/virginity about
food. Adopting a defensive attitude can be risky
for food companies. Instead, they can utilize this
as an opportunity to reinforce their credibility
through consumer insights and extend their
business reach.
For Life Sciences companies and pharmaceutical
groups, febrile stakeholders to the conversation,
it may be a real opportunity for developing
business, with the significant advantage of their
historical “healthcare” image.
Nutrition as the "clear
conscience" of food
THE FUTURE OF FOOD COMMUNICATIONS

Companies and brands have various ways to
address nutrition issues and build their
narrative around it – some of them being
more competitive than others, obviously.
How can food brands intending to resonate
with consumers effectively build their
communication around the nutrition aspect, in
the context of visual communication?
Nutrition can be seen, and "built" in the speeches,
like "the genuine truth of food" in a context of
safety psychosis: it's all about protecting the "bio
safe sphere" like the key words hygiene, control
and standards suggest it. Typically, some
dedicated imagery will support this - with surgical
masks, green gloves, test tubes and sanitized
bubbles...nothing short of intimidating. Doing so
certainly is one way to try and take opportunity
from the current "safety freaking" trend, but is
such a defensive and opportunistic approach a
beneficial one, in the long run?
Is my biosphere safe?
4Making the communication matter: imagery, words and speech strategies around food & nutrition

Nutrition can turn into a complete
health concern, where only
specialists would be in a position to
know, and wisely advise, in many
ways, the new and rigorous mantra
guiding your life. We’re all too familiar
with communication like “Be careful,
you are what you eat!”. The result is
quite a scary health-at-risk
landscape, where the knowledge, and
power, belong to healthcare
professionals and related actors.
Foundations, institutes, dedicated
nutrition portals are often used to
demonstrate the effort, and the
seriousness of the concern, also
supported by a massive medical and
scientific iconography.
Am I really
what I eat?

Is Nutrition
‘The Way’?
Nutrition can be seen as a way to bring back human integrity:
the positioning is far more ideological here. Being/feeling healthy and
“good” is the goal, proper nutrition is the way. On the mapping, the key
words are about (saving) mankind and (restoring) harmony, thanks to
natural and organic food. Nothing less.
Making the communication matter: imagery, words and speech strategies around food & nutrition 6

What if
I just do it?
Nutrition can also be viewed as an
individual choice to expand people’s
potential: reaching the next level, for
more fun, satisfaction and
transcendence. It’s all about a personal
achievement. The key words are
pleasure, freedom, well-being,
performance: kind of a “just do it”
paradigm, in many ways. It is
essentially a focus on taking care of
one’s body and mind.

From this standpoint, veganism’s
vibrant celebration of appetite, good
taste and joyfulness is insightful.
Similarly, the inclination for powdered
food, healthy bars and drinkable meals
is here to stay, there’s no doubt about
it. People and the planet need it, given
the obesity and overpopulation issues
we’re facing.
Our business is largely about
managing perceptions and
representations, to help companies
and brands rightly engage with
people and communities. Food is
much more than nutrition, or “fuel
for life”: it is also, and very much,
about enjoyment, the pleasure of
cooking, tasting and sharing.
Making the communication matter: imagery, words and speech strategies around food & nutrition 8

If eating is a need, enjoying food is
a pressing organoleptic expectation,
where all our senses want to be part
of the feast: this a fact that food
companies and brands should keep
in mind, when balancing the various
dimensions and components of their
communications.
A few years ago, Professor Barry
Smith of London University’s Centre
for the Study of the Senses
observed, “We will only touch food
and drink that meets our rigorous
aesthetic standards. (…) The eyes
carry greater weight in our brains
than the tasting senses, so we often
taste what we see, rather than what
we're actually tasting. Odor is
another good clue as to whether
something will be delicious, but not
always. This is because we smell
food and drink twice – on the way
into the nose (orthonasal olfaction)
and on the way out (retronasal
olfaction). The brain processes each
direction differently, which is why the
famously stinky Époisses cheese
tastes great once it's in the mouth.”
And yes, that’s what makes eating
so satisfying!
We will only touch
food and drink that
meets our rigorous
aesthetic standards.
(…) The eyes carry
greater weight in our
brains than the
tasting senses, so we
often taste what we
see, rather than what
we're actually tasting.

View Apart / Shutterstock.com
Share of
Mouth in the
Conversation Age1
10
Share of Mouth: A given food or beverage’s success in being consumed
at relevant eating occasions, relative to competing choices.

The Fourth
Industrial
Revolution: New
World, New Rules
Steve Bryant
Director, Food & Beverage
Marketing; Managing Director,
MSLGROUP Seattle
@SteveBryantLive
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is in its
infancy, yet it is already disrupting the
historically stable food and beverage
business. Big Food companies that
once appeared on a steady march
toward industry domination are starting
to look like slow-moving dinosaurs.
Now, innovative upstarts are winning
through rapid innovation that benefits
from eager investors and a
democratized internet that can rapidly
popularize a new food or drink.
Within a decade, the sector will be
radically transformed on a global scale.
Emerging megatrends point to several
promising innovation pathways.
T

Mobile communications have
unleashed consumers and the full
effects are only beginning to be felt.
As people can work, communicate
and be entertained anywhere they
wish – often, in fact, while in motion –
then eating anywhere or on the move
is becoming second nature.
1. Go mobile, urgently
Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age | The Fourth Industrial Revolution: New World, New Rules
There are 3 especially relevant ways food
producers can innovate to enhance their
market value
Old guard companies are scrambling
therefore to move from cereal to
cereal bars, from salads to salad
cups, from easy-prep meals to ready-
to-eat snacks. The quaint habit of
dining at a table will increasingly be
reserved for special occasions.
Instead,
, always within easy
reach, even in a “wearable” form.
Autonomous cars will escalate the
trend, prompting consumers to enjoy
meals and snacks on their commute
like never before.
look for foods that easily
move with us
12

2. Tap Big Data to
become the new
Big Food
“Big Food” today is famous for taking
years to develop and introduce a
product. It’s already a hopelessly
dated idea, a turtle in a world
where growth is being driven by
upstart rabbits.
Contrast giant food companies with
some of the most promising new food
business models: subscription and
delivery services that offer a
constantly evolving menu of food
products. Variety is an old strategy,
but this is a new approach that relies
on Big Data to reduce innovation
cycles to weeks, not years.
Not only can these companies now
intricately understand the constantly
evolving tastes and needs of their
consumers; they can also innovate
and test in rapid response to them.
It’s a marketer dream in a sector
where tastes are now evolving at
an ever faster pace as consumers
crowdsource, not mom-source,
their food tastes.

If one revolution memorialized the
phrase “let them eat cake,” then this
revolution will require cake that’s
packaged to go, finely tailored to the
very latest tastes, and served with
complete disclosure.
3. Tell all to ensure trust
use near-ubiquitous smartphones
and QR codes to learn anything they
could possibly want to know about a
food product: ingredients, origins,
genetics, allergens, nutritionals,
etc. Full disclosure will prove they
have nothing to hide. It’s an approach
that answers activists and empowers
special needs consumers.
If you are a food producer with
something to hide, then fear the
Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Trust in food companies has badly
eroded. Even a brand like Chipotle in
the US, which promised to lead
consumers to the promised land of
natural food, is now understood to
have sickened consumers with tainted
food and misconstrued promises of
wholesome nutrition.
Smart Labels on food
packages are about to demonstrate
the concept, allowing consumers to
Don’t expect to hide in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution. Instead,
tell all.
14Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age | The Fourth Industrial Revolution: New World, New Rules

Six Consumption
Drivers for Winning
Share of Mouth22
Health & Wellness Culture Reputation & Advocacy
Visual Stimuli Recommendation Appetite Appeal
In our planning for food and beverage clients at MSLGROUP, we regularly account for
what we consider the six key drivers of food and beverage consumption:
Whether driving demand or overcoming barriers that restrict it, nearly all food and beverage
marketing comes down to this simple “share of mouth” objective. Through custom analysis,
relying on our deep research assets, we help every client discover the best ways to drive
consumption uniquely for their business.
In the following pages, a wide range of contributors comment on how these drivers will promote
consumption in the coming years.

ImageCredit:astudio/Shutterstock.comSix Consumption Drivers for Winning Share of Mouth 16

Health &
Wellness
Over the years, the preference for 'sumptuous' food has gradually been
replaced by an inclination for 'well-balanced' and 'healthy' meals. No longer
is taste the only factor driving consumers’ consumption habits –
determinants like quality and nutritional value, among other associated
health concerns, have taken center stage in the rising consumer
consciousness about food. More and more consumers are questioning
what they’re putting in their bodies, and food safety has come to the
forefront of their – and as a result food manufactures’ – priorities. Several
well-known instances of food recalls in the recent past have only further
eroded consumers’ faith in mass-produced foods, and they’re increasingly
leaning toward food that’s clean, simple and more naturally produced.
As awareness about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle grows, consumers
are making a direct association with the food they consume and the
illnesses that ail them – and are taking active steps to make informed food
choices, even willing to pay more for healthier alternatives. Buzzwords like
‘organic’, ‘preservative-free’ and ‘all-natural’ dominate the discussions
around health food. That there’s a global health food movement cannot be
ignored – and although the definitions of ‘healthy food’ and ‘nutrition’ may
vary across geographies and cultures, the desire among people to
consume food that doesn’t harm them and their future generations in the
long run is universal, and will only grow with time.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Six Consumption Drivers for Winning Share of Mouth | Health & Wellness 18
01
Food, genomics and the microbiome:
What are the implications
for food producers?
Kerry Neville
Registered Dietitian
02
The growing affinity for 'Fresh Food'
in Asian markets
Aruna Handique
Planning Manager, MSLGROUP India
03
Nutrition: What does it
mean for emerging economies?
Narendra Nag
Regional Director, Integrated Planning &
Asia Practice Leader, Social Media and Digital,
MSLGROUP Singapore

Food, genomics and
the microbiome:
What are the
implications for
food producers?
Kerry Neville
@kerryneville
Although it's been around for eons,
consumers, lately, seem to have truly
taken to heart the adage “you are
what you eat.” More than ever before,
they care about their own well-being
and are actively looking for ways to
improve their health.
Given this increasing shift toward
health consciousness, what should
food producers do, for a better
understanding of consumers'
nutritional needs?
THE FUTURE OF FOOD

According to a Hartman Group study, half of
all consumers report using foods and
beverages to directly help manage ailments
like diabetes and associated health conditions.
Twenty-nine million people currently have
diabetes, but more alarmingly, nearly 86
million American adults have pre-diabetes –
and 90 percent of them don't even know it.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention recently launched a national public
service campaign to raise awareness about
pre-diabetes, with the message that exercise
and a change in diet can help reverse the
condition. Food manufacturers have an
opportunity to win a significant share of mouth
by targeting this sizeable group of consumers.
But one of the challenges is getting those with
pre-diabetes to understand that chances are
good – one in three – that they will have the
condition, and helping them select foods that
are good for their health.
Understand the impact
of food choices on
chronic ailments
Health & Wellness | Food, genomics and the microbiome: What are the implications for food producers?
Half of all consumers
report using foods and
beverages to directly help
manage health conditions.
Source: The Hartman Group
20

One of the most exciting areas of
health research is focused on the gut
and specifically, its microbiome.
Microorganisms, called microbiota,
that live in the gut are thought to
influence numerous metabolic
functions, and are linked to chronic
diseases such as diabetes, obesity,
depression, irritable bowel syndrome,
and others. It's hypothesized that
the mix and amounts of these
different microbiota may hold
the key to health.
Explore Gut Feelings
Some studies are looking at the
influence of the microbiome in
managing weight, and in particular,
whether or not certain gut microbiota
may trigger cravings for foods. Other
research is investigating whether
particular microbiota inclines a
person to be more successful on one
type of diet than another, such as
paleo versus low fat.
Although much more research is
needed, general advice to maintain a
healthy microbiome calls for eating a
plant-centric diet. A diet that's high in
fiber and polyphenols appears to help
benefit microbiota, as do fermented
foods. Fresh, minimally processed
foods that are limited in sugar and
saturated fats seem to be best for the
gut microbiome, so food
manufacturers have another reason
to focus on products that support
“clean eating” ideals.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Another hot area of health research
is focused on telomeres, the
microscopic caps that fit on the end
of our chromosomes. They're often
described as being similar to the
plastic caps on shoe laces.
Telomeres indicate how well we're
aging. Age, genetics, lifestyle,
disease and drug use appear to
influence telomere length.
Telomeres are needed to help cells
replicate properly and they shorten
every time a cell replicates.
Tackle Telomeres
Shortened telomeres are found in a
number of inflammatory conditions
like atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's,
cardiovascular disease,
hypertension, obesity and diabetes.
Although findings are preliminary,
one study showed that healthy
lifestyle habits may offer ways to
elongate telomeres. Since telomeres
are affected by oxidative stress,
a plant-based diet rich in
phytochemicals and antioxidants, as
well as omega-3s, folate and vitamin
D may be protective. For food
manufacturers, this call for plant-
based diets and nutrients provides
an opportunity to promote foods that
benefit healthy aging. As with
research on the microbiome, studies
on telomeres are still in their infancy,
so food companies need to use
caution to not get too far ahead of
the science in making claims.
Telomeres are
needed to help cells
replicate properly
and they shorten
every time a cell
replicates.
22
Bobs Red Mill includes probiotics in its new line of
plant-based Nutritional Booster Protein Powders.
What’s
cooking?
Health & Wellness | Food, genomics and the microbiome: What are the implications for food producers?

Aruna Handique
Planning Manager,
MSLGROUP India
@arunahandique
With rising disposable incomes and
better standards of living across
leading Asian economies, consumers
are increasingly aware of food safety,
leading to a surge in organic food
and fresh food consciousness. In
2014, fresh food markets saw a spike
in growth in Asia, with appreciable
inroads into the economies of
India and China.
THE GROWING
AFFINITY FOR
‘ ’FRESH FOOD IN
ASIAN MARKETS

One of the key trends enforced by a
prioritization in fresh food has been the affinity
for food that’s better than what’s already being
consumed. For example, in China, pork has
traditionally been the most consumed meat,
but in 2014 a preference for the far healthier
fish and other seafood variants were seen.
Another example across China and Japan has
been the consumption of cherries and
blueberries – long heralded for their benefits –
over traditional fruit alternatives.
Healthier variants
take precedence over
traditional intake
Health & Wellness | The Growing Affinity for Areshfood in Asian Markets
Some very notable factors have
been contributing to this gradual
yet steady inclination towards
fresh food
Health & Wellness | The growing affinity for ‘fresh food’ in Asian markets 24

Favorable
government
policies are helping
food retailers
In 2014, an important policy rejig in
India saw the delisting of fresh fruit
and vegetables from the Agriculture
Produce Marketing Committee
(APMC). From 2009-14, the fruits
segment in India grew the highest in
the region – at close to 35%. This
delisting should be seen as a big
opportunity for grocery retailers
and other larger customers to step
into the void and cultivate lasting
relationships with growers and
offer the end-consumer
competitive prices.
Another contributing factor has been
food safety, which is a huge cause for
concern across the region. The furor
caused by the milk scandal in 2008
and the incident of pigs floating in the
Huangpu River are still fresh in the
collective Chinese memory. Moving
South, the Vietnamese bemoaned a
15% rise in food poisoning in 2014
with imported food products bearing
Food safety concerns have become
center stage
the ire of the consumers. Even
trusted brands have not been spared,
demonstrated by several food safety
concerns that were publicly debated
last year.

Active local
players are
helping the fresh
food movement
Governments across the region will
also be warmed by indicators
showing that
A shining example of
this shift has been Indonesia’s Hero
Supermarket. The company has
made full use of their government’s
edict that 80% products have to be
local by shaping their marketing
around the ‘fresh food people’ and
rewarding farmers for quality product
with their ‘Local Fresh Farmer of the
Year’ recognition. The company also
rubbishes the notion that fresh food
equals expensive products by selling
at affordable prices, and also keeps
overall costs down by running a
savvy distribution system. Hero is
definitely being rewarded, as their
revenue grew by 34% from 2007 to
2012. Similarly in China, local brand
RTMart’s revenues tripled from
2007-11, but the entry of big players
like Carrefour and Metro into the
Chinese market has led to fierce
resistance from local players.
the fresh food
revolution is being propelled by
local players.
On-demand grocery delivery service HappyFresh, one of the leading
providers of fresh foods in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, in 2015
announced plans to further expand its services across Southeast Asia.
What’s
cooking?

Technology is aiding fresh food
With technology impacting our daily
lives like never before, it’s no surprise
that it’s lending a helping hand to the
fresh food industry. In Japan, Internet
retailing saw double digit gains in
2014 while in China, logistics giants
SF Express and retailer RTMart have
all ventured into the fresh food
segment. Japanese food company
Kagome has installed a vending
machine with fresh tomatoes and
tomato-based products in a runner’s
sports facility in Tokyo. The machine
provides runners with a healthy and
nutrition-rich alternative to the more
common candy bars. In Tokyo, this
has been popular for quite a while
(as everything related to vending
machines seems to be pioneered first
in the Japanese capital). In 2010, a
machine was launched that grew
vegetables inside, making it available
to health-conscious urbanites with
the click of a button.
Japanese food
company Kagome
has installed a
vending machine
with fresh tomatoes
and tomato-based
products in a
runner’s sports
facility in Tokyo.

Cultural food habits
are spreading
The importance of fresh food has also been
reinforced via television and nowhere is this
starker than in India thanks to the
unprecedented success of Master Chef
Australia. The show has already spawned a
domestic variant and as far back as 2013, the
show was clocking up 3 million viewers in a
week. While the competitiveness of the show
and the excellent presentation have hooked
Indian audiences, the show’s ethos of cooking
fresh and using a variety of healthy cooking
options has definitely resonated enough to
give rise to countless fresh food adapters
in urban India.
A universal connector across the emerging
market that’s Asia has been consumers’
willingness to pay for premium food, as long
as it adheres to the increasingly ‘fresh and
organic’ standards that are becoming the
norm. The verdict, overwhelmingly, seems
to be – if it’s not fresh, it’s no good!
Singapore-based hawker.today, an on-demand food
delivery app helps small local businesses to sell
local produce to shoppers.
What’s
cooking?

Narendra Nag
Regional Director,
Integrated Planning &
Asia Practice Leader,
Social Media and Digital,
MSLGROUP Singapore
@narendranag
Food supply is no longer the big
problem facing the developing world.
Agricultural yields are up across the
developing world thanks to better
seeds, improved irrigation, and a host
of other agricultural extensions. But
one of the major results of massive
food security programs, like that of
India’s Green Revolution, has been
the homogenization of agricultural
produce. As sources of nutrients
have disappeared from regular
diets, the big problem facing
the developing world today is
nutrition security – ensuring a
nutrient-rich diet.
Nutrition:
What does it mean
for emerging
economies?

While it has been suggested that the
developing world will eventually follow the
nutrition patterns of the developed world
and introduce more meat into their diets
with growing incomes, there are significant
challenges to livestock farming at scale.
Livestock requires feed, putting further
pressure on existing agricultural yields.
A rapidly developing China, easily at the
head of the class of the countries that were
considered “third world” in 1980, perhaps
best exemplifies this problem.
A shift in primary
dietary habits
Health & Wellness | Nutrition: What does it mean for emerging economies?
In India, for example, wheat and rice are the
largest food staples, replacing a host of millets
and other grains. This has directly impacted
the amount of protein in the diets of most
Indians who’re unable to afford meat or other
alternate sources of protein on a regular basis
(unlike the West, India and other developing
countries often rely on millets and lentils as
their major source of protein).
30
Taste for Africa, a crowdsourced food project, aims to alleviate
hunger in Africa by raising capital for food trucks that will tour
the most affected regions to deliver free high-quality food.
What’s
cooking?

The impact of a nutrient-poor diet is
significant: Malnourishment statistics are
alarming and call for sustained intervention.
According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), the growth potential for
grain production in China is one of the most
controversial issues in the recent hot debate
on “who will feed China.” The prevailing views
of most Chinese scholars are that China
basically has to rely on itself to meet the
increasing demand. The growth potential lies
in yield improvement which can be realized
through intensification of land use, as there is
hardly any possibility to expand the farmland
area. In China, virtually all arable land has
been put into cultivation. In many places,
such as in the Loess Plateau, semi-arid
regions in the Northwest and mountainous
areas in the Southwest, very fragile lands
which are not suitable for cultivation at all
have also been explored for grain production.
The impact of a nutrient-poor diet is
significant: Malnourishment statistics are
alarming and call for sustained intervention.
The challenge for food companies and
brands, especially when expanding to
emerging markets, will be to place
significant emphasis on the nutritional
value of their food – as is increasingly
being expected – and to effectively
communicate it to consumers.

Consumers' health and safety is imperative to the success of any food business. Food producers need to
be asking themselves important questions like, 'Is the food we make today healthier than the options
available a decade ago?'. In order to stay relevant, fresh and 'wanted' on the shelves, food brands should
tune in to evolving ideas of health and nutrition, and adapt to meet new consumer expectations.
Health & Wellness | Activating Health & Wellness in the Conversation Age
Activating Health & Wellness
in the Conversation Age
Conduct research to find
alternatives to artificial
food colorings,
preservatives and other
ingredients conventionally
used in packaged and
processed foods. Constant
innovation will only help
food brands to keep up
with the demand for 'clean'
food.
Consumers want to know
that brands are taking their
health seriously. Tell your
consumers what you are up
to – engage them in a
conversation about the
initiatives being undertaken
to make healthier, safer
food available to them.
Enable consumers to feel
more confident about the
food they purchase. They
want to know what goes
in the making of their
favorite foods – make that
information easily
available to them. This not
only helps them in their
healthy eating goals, but
also helps establish trust.
Most 'health' foods on an
average are priced more
than the other 'normal'
variants, which is often a
deterrent for the consumer.
Make healthier options
cheaper; make clean eating
more accessible.
Invest in
desirable
alternatives
LOW
PRICE
Communicate
your commitment
to consumer
health & safety
Be transparent
about your
products
Make healthier
food options
more affordable
32

Culture
THE FUTURE OF FOOD
Hunger certainly is the most important driving force for food consumption, but other
factors come a close second in determining people’s food behaviors. Looking at
food from a strictly nutritional point of view has been rare – traditionally, what an
individual consumes has been seen as a reflection of their traditions, cultural values
and beliefs. The symbolic meaning of food oftentimes has little or no relevance to
the nature of the food; however, it does form an important component of an
individual’s identity.
While culturally-relevant food habits that are passed down from one generation to
the next are key in cementing people’s life-long food preference, societal shifts also
affect food choices to a significant degree. Events like mass migration of
populations from one corner of the world to the other have always enabled the
introduction of newer diets to different geographical areas. Globalization has further
amplified the spread of foreign diets to different societies. Cuisines that were once
considered exotic – Indian, Lebanese, Japanese, for instance – are popular and
common foods today. Technological innovations and improved supply chains over
the decades have brought previously unavailable food items to local supermarkets
throughout the world, as a result of which people have adopted global ingredients to
complement their existing tastes. Additionally, pop culture has greatly helped in
bringing food to the forefront of living room discussions – food-based entertainment
has made cooking “cool”, a desirable asset even. Previously passive participants in
the kitchen are now actively seeking out opportunities to plate up, resulting in more
diverse tastes being included to the global food culture.

Image Credit: astudio / Shutterstock.com
Six Consumption Drivers | Culture 34
01
02
03
¿Hablas Comida?
Vickie Allande-Fite
SVP, MSLGROUP Los Angeles (Hispanic Specialty Lead)
Man the provider
is really man the buyer!
Steven L. Katz
CEO and Founder, Man the Kitchen
Big Food: How can it
repair the cultural disconnect?
Gina Santana
VP, Strategic Planning Director, Leo Burnett USA

¿Hablas Comida?
In the U.S.,
Hispanics are coming
of age and wielding $1.5
trillion in buying power.
The community is clearly
an influential growing
segment of consumers. Food
marketers, to successfully
engage Hispanic audiences,
need to understand the
factors driving their
consumption behaviors.
every 30
seconds, two non-Hispanics
reach retirement age and
one Latino turns 18.
Vickie Allande-Fite
SVP,
MSLGROUP Los Angeles
(Hispanic Specialty Lead)

Already, Hispanic consumers on
total basket than non-Hispanics. While true
that Hispanic households tend to have more
mouths to feed, it should be noted that all
those bodies share an emotional commitment
to regroup daily for a meal. Food marketers
need to recognize that breakfast, lunch and
dinner in Hispanic homes are seen as
opportunities for a memorable, emotionally-
rewarding experience, and that is the primary
motivator for buying fresher ingredients,
higher-quality cuts of meat, etc.
spend more
Consumers are
out-spending for Love
Culture | ¿Hablas Comida? 36
Key takeaway:
Hispanic purchase behavior is not driven by
functional product benefits but the
emotional payoff of the meal experience.

For a long time, U.S. Hispanics were
simply segmented as either
acculturated (typically U.S. born,
English dominant) or non-
acculturated (typically foreign-born,
Spanish dominant). Focusing on
the non-acculturated Hispanic is
common practice but short-sighted,
as this is the shrinking (aging)
segment and they tend to be already
solidly committed to brands and
menu patterns from their country
THE FUTURE OF FOOD
Taste Buds are Neither Hispanic
nor American, but Bicultural
of origin. The bigger opportunity for
food marketers lies with the hybrids,
a relatively newer segment called the
Bicultural Hispanics. These Latinos
seamlessly shift between their
Hispanic roots and new-found
American traditions. Typically
bilingual and English dominant,
already half (44%) of U.S. Hispanics
fall into this grouping and they will
soon be the majority. They have
higher education, with matching
higher incomes. They have greater
interest in nutrition and within reason
are open to adjusting family recipes
in favor of healthier options.
Key takeaway:
The largest opportunity for food
marketers is with Bicultural
Hispanics who desire
foods/meals/menu options that
satisfy their diverse cravings.

New research tracks that the majority
of
and over 40% wish they could
cook more often. Like others of their
generation, they are pressed for time
in their daily routines and cite being
short on ideas for easy and
affordable meals.
Hispanic millennials like cooking at
home
Easy, affordable
recipes are a
strategic way in
Foods and meal patterns that address
health issues move to the front of
the line
According to the most recent ,
Hispanics are the least likely racial or
ethnic group to seek medical care,
resulting in them being largely
unaware of risk factors and how diet
can help protect against diseases
such as Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes is
with Hispanics
nearly twice as likely to develop Type
Census
now considered at epidemic levels
within the community,
2 Diabetes as non-Hispanics, and an
estimated one in three U.S. Hispanic
adults are already pre-diabetic.
38
Key takeaway:
Eating healthier for the
betterment of the community
is a growing priority.
Key takeaway:
Invest in recipe development.
Hemisfares, Kroger's multicultural private food brand,
includes popular regional fare from around the world.
What’s
cooking?
Culture | ¿Hablas Comida?

Steven L. Katz
CEO and Founder,
Man the Kitchen
If you want the competitive edge as a
producer, marketer, or retailer of
food, groceries, and anything related
to cooking and the tools and
equipment needed to put a meal on
the table, then the most profitable
next step you can take is to suspend
any stereotypes you have about men
doing the cooking at home. That is
because all recent in-depth studies
have shown that more males are
doing more cooking across all age
groups, and in the process are
redefining gender roles and
responsibilities in households across
America. Yet when men cook,
something much more than
cooking is going on.
Man the Provider
Is Really Man
the Buyer!

The traditional male “provider” role
has been airlifted from the workplace
and adapted to the kitchen. This has
increased exponentially as more
women are working, and combines
with twenty years of food television
and a food-obsessed media and
internet to translate into success or
failure as both provider and their
performance as a chef in their own
kitchen! Tanya Steel, who also served
as editor of Epicurious.com, notices
that “whenever my husband or son
decide to start cooking they act like
Culture | Man the provider is really man the buyer!
they are leading troops into combat!”
So much seems to be at stake when
guys are doing the cooking.
Breakfasts are made to order. Lunch
is a refueling. Dinner’s got to “Wow!”
It is now the job of anyone in the
business of food to be equally
invested in that success – not simply
in making the sale. Increasingly, men
look at cooking as a decision, not an
obligation, and they have a storyline
in their minds that begins with
equipping themselves – from tools
and cookware to ingredients –
then becoming immersed in the
preparation and cooking, and
culminates in serving their dish and
winning acclaim! Think of where
you fit into that storyline, and
how your brand and business
becomes part of the supply
chain of the successful male
home chef.
40

First, treat every available in-depth
study that you read about as market
intelligence, not simply as
sociological research, or trend
snapshots. Every time you see a
quote or statistic, conduct your own
search and due diligence for the
underlying research or expert.
Most recently this would have
included:
The U.S. Department of Labor June
2015 “American Time Use Survey”
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) indicates how the contours of
genders in the kitchen are shifting.
According to the BLS data for the
decade 2004-2014: Males ages
15-54 years old are spending 20%
more time each year engaged in
“food preparation and clean up.”
While younger women also showed
an increase in time spent in the
kitchen, females ages 25-54 years
old only increased their time in the
same activities by 1.2%. The report
also states in the same decade
males increased their share of
cooking related household activities
from 35 percent to 43 percent!
How does this play out in the
marketplace? It is illustrated by
another source of market intelligence
1. Capitalize on market intelligence
published in January 2015 entitled
“Food Shopping in America Report”
jointly conducted by The Hartman
Group and MSLGROUP. The
findings: “increasingly, men who now
compose 43 percent of primary
shoppers, are shopping frequently
and they now make just as many
monthly store visits as women.”
In fact, J. Walter Thompson’s June
2013 “State of Men” report,
developed with research by GfK
Global, had also pointed to these
same patterns in its interviews with
men in the U.S. and the U.K.
There are 3 keys to connecting with the male cook

ImageCredit:YuliaGrigoryeva/Shutterstock.com42
Males aged 15-54 years old are
spending 20% more time each
year engaged in "food
preparation and clean up."
Source: The U.S. Department of Labor June 2015 American Time User Survey
Men now compose 43% of primary
shoppers, and are shopping more
frequently and make just as many
store visits as women.
Source: Food Shopping in America Report, The Hartman Group and MSLGROUP
Stryhn's 'Food for Men' campaign targets meat products
to men in a comic, light vein.
What’s
cooking?

What are the men saying?
Nazat, 23
Work is structured and
meticulous, compliance and
safety-driven. My cooking is the
opposite. I explore as part of
the process, take longer than
necessary to prepare a dish,
start with the fundamentals,
a recipe or YouTube video, and
make adjustments. I am left to
my fate. Eating tells me if it is a
keeper or teaches me the limits
of innovating.
2. Observe people
Second, when you read phrases
such as “behavioral economics”
or “ethnography” or “predictive
analytics” this really means that it is
essential to observe and talk to
people, and learn what is going on
in society and people’s lives. That
means actually speaking to people
with an aim to understand what is
taking place in people’s lives and
across society. Sometimes people
close to you or those you work with
can be helpful, but often the best
insights come from complete
strangers about what they are
observing around them. If someone
asks you to be in a focus group, just
say “yes.” You will learn amazing
things and realize that whether you
are a producer, marketer, or retailer,
that helping the male home chef
succeed is rewarding for all involved.
Or just ask the guys, they will tell
you about their successes,
and their failures.
Josh, 24
My sauce isn't hot. It's the
hottest. It's the baddest.

Simon, 33
When I cook I transform from the
guy who is late and can’t stay on
schedule to being hyper aware of
every second and minute and what’s
happening to the food!
Harland, 67
The kitchen is an extension of
the shop. I love my ricer as
much as I love my DeWalt drill.Emmett, 45
Pizza dough is my
painter’s canvas.
Tom, 50
I need to be in control but
not in any dysfunctional
way. But yes, I don't want
anyone else involved.
Mark, 63
I’ve finally perfected the
omelet, I went through a
lot of trial efforts.
44
Targeted at fathers in the kitchen, YouTube channel
cookingfordads shows men how to go about making
tasty food with simple, quick recipes.
What’s
cooking?

For the producer, manufacturer,
marketer, or retailer connecting to the
success of the male home chef in
both providing and performing means
becoming part of the home chef’s
supply chain and their storyline from
creation to plating and serving their
latest dish. Skillet manufacturers are
3. Strategically merchandize
for consumer success
selling the sear and sizzle, not the
steak! Spice merchants are selling
the transformative aroma and
experience of a dish! Groceries
stores aren’t just selling eggs, they
are selling the making of an
amazingly puffy omelet or French
Toast made to order for Sunday
breakfast! Pass the syrup.
At the March 2016 International
Home and Housewares Show held in
Chicago, independent cookware
store owners reported equal numbers
of men and women customers, but
their real insight was expressed in
their preference for male customers
“because they always come in to buy
something specific to make a recipe
or dish they already have in mind.”
Men come in to buy
something specific
to make a recipe or
dish they already
have in mind.

Yet, even knowing that “the proof is in
the pudding” has not sufficiently
moved enough people to break
from their preconceived and well-
worn assumptions and stereotypes
about either men or women.
and truthfully, neither men nor
women are making the time to stroll
through shelves of cookware or
aisles of groceries.
The connection to cooking could be
as simple as social media or
advertising that puts recipes with
photos in the hands of male home
chefs; complementary displays or
It is the
connection to cooking that matters
most,
end caps such as cheese and
veggies next to the eggs for omelets
or quiches, whole peppers and
onions and tortillas at the meat case
for fajitas; grouping ingredients to
actually make dishes. An educated
workforce would go a long way –
guys like learning from the source –
the most innovative step a grocery
store could take is to have an in-
house chef poised around the store
simply to answer questions and give
ideas for how a chef would cook
something at home. Thousands of
dollars are invested in “buying local”
but not a penny on how to
successfully cook it.
Men are destination buyers, not
shoppers. If men could have man
hours in a grocery store, more akin to
“adult swim”, they would be very
happy. While it may more closely
resemble a New Yorker cartoon, men
would love a “Male Express Lane” to
check out and pay for their groceries.
46
Gentlemen, Start
Your Ovens!

Image Credit: Sorbis / Shutterstock
THE FUTURE OF FOOD
Gina Santana
VP, Strategic Planning Director,
Leo Burnett USA
Big Food:
How can it repair
the cultural
disconnect?

Culture | Big Food: How can it repair the cultural disconnect?
QPeople's Insights:
Big Food companies have lost significant
market share in recent years.
What’s driving that?
A
The answer to that question lives in the
context of how consumers’ consciousness and
knowledge of food has evolved as a result of
access to so much more information. This
access is causing a shift in consumer mindset
and giving consumers greater confidence in
creating their own point of view on food that is
alternately shaping a new values-based
system driving food choices.
Big Food
companies were not prepared for this shift in
consumer sentiment and therefore not ready
with offerings that align to the new criteria
driving food choices. This has opened a big
opportunity for small, new entrants to gain
traction by offering a true point of distinction
that appeals to the new values consumers
are looking to satisfy.
To compete in the emerging values-based
marketplace brands must speak to
consumer awareness and satisfy their
desire for food transparency, quality,
health, taste and convenience.
Gina:
48

THE FUTURE OF FOOD
A
QPeople's Insights:
How have Big Food companies responded
to this challenge? Is anything working
to stem this tide?
A popular response has been the creation of
organics/natural/simple line extensions, but
we are now seeing more efforts to also
clean existing labels either by eliminating
ingredients altogether (i.e., HFCS, dyes)
or by replacing ingredients with their clean
/natural versions (i.e., cage-free, no
hormones, real butter). Another tactic
has been to acquire trending brands or
companies to provide an offering and
own share in the values-based market.
It may be too soon to tell if anything is
working to stem the tide as Big Food
companies will continue to feel the
pressure of new entrants disrupting
established categories that align with
consumers’ values.
Gina:

QPeople's Insights:
Do you see any signs that upstart brands could stumble in
their rise? Will controversies cause consumers to rethink
the “smaller is better” mindset, and bring new respect for
the competencies of so-called Big Food (e.g., economies
of scale, food safety measures, etc.)?
A
The only thing that will cause upstart
brands to stumble is if they lose sight of
what their product promises to deliver.
There are cases where small brands have
been bought by Big Food companies who did
not maintain the integrity of the original
product offering.
In these cases, consumers feel deceived and
take their business elsewhere or even take to
the digital airwaves and let the world know of
their experiences and dissuade others away
from those products/brands. I suspect that the
“small is better” mindset will continue to
prevail because these are the brands that are
likely to be aligned with the new values-based
decision-making consumers are utilizing to
make food choices.
Gina:
Image Credit: BluIz60 / Shutterstock.com
50
Papa John's International, to correspond with their 'Better
Ingredients. Better Pizza.' motto, announced an investment
of $100 million a year to cut artificial ingredients, corn syrup,
and preservatives from their menu.
What’s
cooking?

THE FUTURE OF FOOD
A
QPeople's Insights:
Just recently, a long list of brands threw in the towel and
decided to label products containing genetically engineered
ingredients. What impact do you expect this to have
with consumer acceptance of those products?
Consumers will likely be appreciative of the
transparency being offered. This does not mean
that products with genetically engineered
ingredients will dramatically affect product sales
one way or the other. However, it will put
consumers at ease, especially in an age when so
many consumers are increasingly prone to avoid
foods due to allergies, sensitivities or mere
suspicion of risk.
Overall, consumers are raising the bar on their
basic expectations of food. As a result, I would
expect to continue to see more big food
companies cleaning their labels as much as
possible and working to be seen as making their
foods better.
Gina:

QPeople's Insights:
Are there any demographic or cultural shifts looming that
could significantly change the food and beverage
landscape over the next five years?
A
We will continue to see the impact of
a multi-cultural society influencing
our taste buds’ fascination with tasty
new food experiences.
In addition, our modern lifestyles have
all but done away with the three-square
meals. We will see every category,
every food type in snack version that can
be taken/eaten on the-go. All this
“Snackification” will create a longing
for a proper meal, shared with others.
There will also be less stringent rules on
what is right to eat when as we see
consumers enjoying the kind of food they
like whenever they want it, as in
breakfast anytime of the day.
-
Gina:
52
In 2016, General Mills announced their plan to remove
artificial colors and flavors from their popular
breakfast cereals by 2017.
What’s
cooking?

Overall, consumers are
raising the bar on their
basic expectations of
food. As a result, I
would expect to
continue to see more
Big Food companies
cleaning their labels
as much as possible
and working to be
seen as making their
foods better.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Food marketers have a bigger challenge today than ever before when it comes to keeping pace with the rapidly-evolving global
food culture. Immersive and well-thought-out techniques can help in developing a strategic understanding of the changing
culinary scene. A combined approach – involving both online and traditional, offline methods – is necessary.
Culture | Activating Culture in the Conversation Age
Activating Culture
in the Conversation Age
Food is more than just
taste – especially with
cultural influences being
huge determinants of food
habits. Understand
consumers' relation with
the food they eat to
effectively engage them.
It's important to be able to
gauge the impact of
cross-cultural and societal
dimensions on food
choice. Probe deeper and
more frequently into
available consumer data;
listen to consumer
conversations and
observe consumer
behaviors to better
anticipate the next big
food trend.
Consumers are constantly
being introduced to
different types of cuisines,
and are experimenting
with their taste buds to
include a variety of
appealing foods to their
diets. Help them adopt
global, diverse cuisines in
a way that's convenient,
both individually and
culturally.
Women are no longer the
dominating target for food
marketers – more and more
men and millennials are
now actively involved in the
preparation of food. Tailor
your communication to
resonate with their
approach to cooking
and food.
Study consumers'
emotional
connect with
food
Keep up
with newer
“tastes”
Make food
culturally
relatable
Speak to the
new food
audience
54

ImageCredit:GlynnisJones/Shutterstock.com
Reputation &
Advocacy
It can't be refuted that the most successful, well-known – and loved – brands are
usually those that, in addition to providing quality products and services, also
establish a personal and close connection with their consumers. This connection
helps the brand reputation as much as it helps the brand-consumer relationship.
Building this relationship, of course, requires active and well-thought-out brand
initiatives aimed at making consumers feel valued and at ease. Today's progressive
consumer has more evolved preferences about the brands they invest their money
in – and food brands are high on this list of informed priorities. In the conversation
around food, consumers today have more of a voice than their yesteryear
counterparts – and this voice is all the more amplified by the ubiquitous internet,
particularly social media. Social media makes it extremely easy, not to mention
convenient, for consumers to call individual brands to task if they suspect their
practices are dishonest. This has been well demonstrated by the many instances of
consumers exposing food brands on social media for their unsafe ingredients,
controversial company processes and more. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that
food activism is steadily on the rise.
Social media gives anyone and everyone a voice, and the debate around whether
or not food brands should respond to consumer attacks is increasingly veering
toward the affirmative. Food brands in particular will always be at the receiving end
of questions from consumers and activists alike, as people increasingly feel
responsible for the societal, environmental and health impacts of the food they
consume. This is where brand transparency becomes more important than ever
before – by making as much information as possible freely available to consumers,
brands make it easier for consumers to trust their products. The trust thus
established can go a long way in turning everyday consumers into long-term
brand advocates.

Six Consumption Drivers | Reputation & Advocacy 56
01
02
Drop-by-Drop: Water Footprinting
for a Sustainable Food Supply Chain
Caroline Carson
Consultant, Salterbaxter MSLGROUP
Integrated Sustainable Thinking:
A Critical Necessity for Food Companies
Arabella Bakker
Director, Consultancy and Communications,
Salterbaxter MSLGROUP
05
04
Food Marketing to Millennial Parents:
A China Perspective
Irene Ling
Manager, Strategic Insight & Impact, MSLGROUP Asia
Green Tables: How Restaurants
Will Lead Sustainable Food Consumption
Melanie Joe
Consultant, Research & Insights, MSLGROUP
03
Transparency Coming for
Genetically Engineered Foods
Lisa Kelly
MPH, RDN, Registered Dietitian

Integrated
Sustainable
Thinking: A Critical
Necessity for Food
Companies
Arabella Bakker
Director, Consultancy
and Communications,
@Belautel
Business has been addressing
sustainability issues for a number of
years but there is still some way to go
before many organisations can say
they are fully integrating sustainable
considerations into every aspect of
their business strategy, plans,
corporate and brand purpose.
In the food sector, an embedded
approach to sustainability is
becoming more and more pressing.
Global mega forces including food
security, water scarcity, climate
change and population growth
are changing the way business
and the world operates.
.
Sustainable
thinking is becoming a necessity
for business within the food
industry

ImageCredit:BBrown/Shutterstock.com
Not tackling sustainability as a business
imperative is a risk to competitive advantage,
security of supply, business agility and the
ability to attract and retain both customers
and employees. Food companies need to
consider a holistic view of sustainability.
Climate change, food security, health and
waste are great issues of our time and require
a wholesale approach to tackle them. These
need to be considered across the entire
business and within all decision-making
processes, not as isolated concerns.
Food companies need
to consider a holistic
view of sustainability
Reputation & Advocacy | Integrated Sustainable Thinking: A critical necessity for food companies
With the articulation of global ambition
through mechanisms such as the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
the contribution food companies are expected
to make towards a sustainable future is clear.
, ‘end hunger, achieve food
security and improved nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture’, is directly reliant on
food companies stepping up and treating
sustainability with strategic importance.
SDG goal 2
58
Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value addresses
sustainability across the value chain.
What’s
cooking?

Often, agricultural impacts in the
supply chain are the most material
issue for a food business. Not
tackling supply chain issues will
result in a lack of agility. However,
focusing on positive impacts such
as supporting capacity building with
small holder farmers, investing in
women-led agricultural enterprises,
sourcing food crops sustainably and
tackling the fuel and food debate are
opportunities for reputational, as well
as operational, benefits. Being a
trusted partner delivers value to the
business and to society.
Food companies
need to consider
sustainability
impacts across
the entire value
chain

food waste, sustainable and nutritious
foods and sustainable living.
Sustainability is a business priority for
food companies and they need to
engage with all of their stakeholders
on these issues, from consumers
to regulators. Integrated thinking is
critical today to secure food for
all tomorrow.
At the other end of the value chain
the sustainability expectations
consumers have of business are
growing. Consumers, to an extent,
currently expect food companies to
deal with sustainability issues so they
do not have to worry about them.
However, how sustainability feeds
into consumer buying decisions is
likely to change in the future.
Consumer awareness is already
growing on issues such as
provenance, healthy eating and
waste. This is set to continue and
hence the actions companies
take and communicate will be
increasingly important.
Food companies can show
leadership by proactively educating
and supporting consumers in making
sustainable choices. They can drive
campaigns and advance solutions to
issues such as crop management,
Food companies need to look at
consumers’ growing sustainability
expectations from them
60Reputation & Advocacy | Integrated Sustainable Thinking: A critical necessity for food companies

Image Credit: Yavuz Sariyildiz / Shutterstock.com
Caroline Carson
Consultant,
Risks associated with water – too
much, too little and the quality of
it – have been one of the biggest
and most visible environmental and
climate of recent
decades. As the
puts it, “Water is the primary medium
through which climate change
impacts will be felt by humans,
society and the environment.”
To underline its significance,
the World Economic Forum’s
Report defined
water crises as the top risk facing
the planet over the next 10 years.
challenges
Alliance For Water
2015 Global Risks
Drop-by-Drop:
Water Footprinting
for a Sustainable
Food Supply Chain

A risk with a potential financial impact
of US$2.5 billion, according to the
The Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP)
Supply chain
resilience is threatened as increasingly
globalized food value chains drive water
extraction, use and discharge at every
stage from field to shelf. Similarly,
risks are emerging from the demand side
with evidence that well-publicized droughts
in and are changing
consumer purchasing.
Global Water Report.
California Brazil
Water isn't just a
Corporate Responsibility
issue for food and
beverage companies –
it's a complex
Business Risk
The agricultural sector is already the largest
user of water resources, responsible for
of all global freshwater use. Pressures on use
are set to increase still further as food
demand increases alongside population
growth and global dietary preferences shift to
more water and energy-intensive meat and
dairy-centric diets.
70%
Reputation & Advocacy | Drop-by-drop: Water footprinting for a sustainable food supply chain 62
Water is the primary
medium through
which climate
change impacts will
be felt by humans,
society and the
environment.
The Alliance for Water

Water crisis will be the
top crisis facing the
planet over the next
ten years.
Source: World Economic Forum

Mapping water impacts across food supply
chains
Nestlé’s Grupo Nutresa
Business
Alliance for Water and Climate Change.
is the first step. However, currently only
24% of companies disclosing water risk to the
CDP include suppliers in their risk
assessments. Recognizing the particular risk to
the food sector, and are
examples of companies embedding best
practice water management into their
supplier policies.
Momentum to increase water footprinting in
food supply chains will likely be aided by rapidly
evolving best-practice guidelines and toolkits,
such as those recommended by the
Launched at the outset of the COP21 Paris
negotiations, it includes a number of food
companies amongst its founders.
By demonstrating a statement of intent to
analyze and share water risks, support
footprinting standards and reduce water
impacts across the full value chain, initiatives
such as these may provide the business
impetus and systems thinking required for food
companies and companies from other sectors
to identify and manage risk hot spots across
their value chains.
Systems-based
approaches to
managing water risks
is an urgent priority
64
$2.5bn
Value of risks
associated with water.
Source: CDP's Global Water Report
In their third segment of sustainability reporting,
Tyson Foods announced a 2020 goal of reducing
water consumption by 12%.
What’s
cooking?
Reputation & Advocacy | Drop-by-drop: Water footprinting for a sustainable food supply chain

Lisa Kelly
MPH, RDN,
@LisaKellyRD
Transparency
Coming for
Genetically
Engineered Foods
For more than a decade, while
Europe rejected genetically
engineered foods – GMOs in the
popular parlance – Americans
remained oblivious and
unconcerned. In the meantime, U.S.
grocery shelves were filled with
products made from GM corn, soy
and sugar beets. Yet, the blind
indifference has not endured, as
activists in the state of Vermont
waged a successful that
forces labelling of products sold in
that state, starting in June 2016.
referendum

Reputation & Advocacy | Transparency coming for genetically engineered foods 66
Lisa Kelly, MPH, RDN, a Registered Dietitian with MSLGROUP, has managed food
industry communications for more than two decades. She's among the
communicators most active in this arena. In particular, she counsels the United
Soybean Board, which represents U.S. growers of soybeans. In a chat with
People's Insights, she comments on what to expect next:
People's Insights:
Which companies in particular will
adopt this labeling approach?
Lisa: It’s a long list. Mars, ConAgra, Kellogg’s,
Campbell’s and General Mills were among the
first to declare. They fell like cards in the face
of inaction by the federal government. Some
companies will simply choose not to sell in
Vermont, but that’s not a sustainable strategy.
People's Insights:
So a small state will call the shots
on this major policy issue?
Lisa: Yes, and other states are entertaining
similar laws, but with considerable variation.
The FDA will need to act to avoid marketplace
chaos. It’s been difficult to date -- the matter is
politically charged – but all parties recognize
the need for a national solution, not a
patchwork.
People's Insights:
Lisa, how will food companies
respond to this new labeling law?
Lisa: The requirement has prodded many
companies to declare that they will label GM
ingredients in their products on a nationwide
basis. It wouldn't be practical to label only in
affected states.

People's Insights:
Will they act?
Lisa: Almost certainly, but with their
usual deliberate pace.
People's Insights:
How do you expect consumers
to react to the new labeled
products?
Lisa: More products than not – well
over 50% -- will have to declare GM
ingredients. Sugar beets, corn,
soybeans, and a few other
ingredients are ubiquitous in
processed food products.
Just as with trans fat labeling,
consumers will react initially, but the
consumption of these foods will be
normalized. In the case of trans fat,
consumers initially stopped buying –
sales dropped immediately – but in
many cases returned to normal
consumption levels.
Margarine remains weakened, with
consumers retreating to butter. By
contrast, sales of other foods labeled
as containing trans fats, have
returned to past levels for the
most part.

68
People's Insights:
Are they any other cases that
are predictive for GMO
labeling?
Lisa: Several years ago, we saw
hysteria over High Fructose Corn
Syrup. Some consumers retreated to
sucrose, but there is now far less
hubbub. While consumers still say
they avoid HFCS, their intent isn’t
reflected in sales figures. Look at
tomato ketchup, for example: The
U.S. market leader created an HFCS-
free version, but their stalwart
product made from HFCS continues
to lead the market.
Another case in point: Green Coca-
Cola with Stevia did not match
expectations. As always, there’s what
consumers say, and what they do.
People's Insights:
Will there be a “poster child”
for GM foods: one product that
will especially bear the brunt
of consumer pushback?
Something comparable to
margarine in the case of
trans fat?
Lisa: I can’t think of one. GM foods
traditionally tend to be supporting
ingredients, not the headliners. That
may change in the future as
additional products, such as fruits
and vegetables, enter the
marketplace.
Reputation & Advocacy | Transparency coming for genetically engineered foods
Taking a cue from Campbell Soup, companies like
General Mills, Kellogg's and ConAgra announced that
they would start GMO labeling in their products.
What’s
cooking?

People's Insights:
Will companies drop GM
ingredients to achieve GMO-
free status or claims?
Lisa: That’s not practical. The
alternatives are more expensive and
not nearly plentiful enough.
Given this reality, you can rest
assured that food companies have
done their research and will adopt
labeling language that promises to
win the best possible reception.
People's Insights:
Does this movement to force
labeling portend other food
industry trends?
Lisa: Absolutely. The consumer
right-to-know movement is not limited
to GMOs. Openness and honesty are
essential to millennials – they want to
know about sourcing, sustainability,
animal welfare… it’s a long list. The
demand for transparency isn’t
new, but it’s reaching a critical
mass.

70
People's Insights:
So called “Big Food” has been
fairly battered by these issues.
Are they prepared to respond
successfully?
Lisa: We’ll see. Industry’s solution is:
open the books and adopt a Smart
Label solution. You can read about
such solutions at
Smart Labels will disclose anything
and everything about a product –
vastly more than could appear on
any label. That will permit consumers
to discover what matters to them –
sourcing, allergens, country of origin,
you name it.
Most companies are on board and
some are already using it; Hershey
and Unilever are the earliest
adopters. The Grocery Manufacturers
Association aims for 30,000 products
with Smart Label by end of 2017.
Government has signaled its support.
smartlabel.org.
The Grocery Manufacturers
Association aims for 30,000
products with Smart Label
by end of 2017.

People's Insights:
What is compelling this broad
acceptance of Smart Labels?
Lisa: Smart Labels are something close
to the Holy Grail for the food industry: It
saves money by sharing this information
proactively rather than on demand
through customer service channels. The
information reaches the consumers who
have real concerns, without needlessly
alarming or confusing others. It
dramatically steps up transparency, while
leaving more room on the label for
marketing. It allows for claims validation
and better traceability for recalls,
benefitting food safety. It will serve as a
ready platform for addressing future
issues – BPA or acrylamide, for example
– or new labeling requirements.
These qualities make it nearly inevitable,
and likely to extend globally in time,
especially as smartphones become a
ubiquitous companion to shopping. In
fact, don’t be surprised if it should
extend to a wide range of consumer
products.
People's Insights:
Is there anything that could stand
in the way of Smart Labels?
Lisa: Consumer objection would be the
only hurdle – yet I can’t see that
happening. Critics might complain that
consumers use QR codes at very low
rates and wonder, “Is it a way to hire the
facts?” On the contrary, Smart Labels
will finally make QR codes more
useful by delivering information
consumers truly want and need.

72
People's Insights:
How do you expect this “deep
labeling” to influence the
marketplace?
Lisa: Ah, this is very interesting.
I expect it to
Small organic brands could
burn in their own fire. For example,
organic products may need to
declare the use of approved
pesticides, surprising consumers who
think organic equals pesticide-free.
Likewise, ingredient sources could
prove embarrassing for supposedly
authentic brands with a home-spun
story. Let’s say your brand touts
Florida tomatoes and that crop fails,
leaving only South American product.
Suddenly, you’re not “grown in the
USA.” Bigger companies with
superior supply chain management
will be advantaged in this
environment.
level the playing field
and prove a net benefit to big food
brands.
People's Insights:
Will food companies finally
make a case for GMOs,
educating consumers about
their value and safety?
Lisa: They should. There’s a very
strong case that GMOs are more
sustainable. Millennials didn’t get the
memo on this, but they may now.
Also, you can bet that GM foods will
help to respond to the impact of
climate change on food crops. There
is a story to tell, and now perhaps
more cause to tell it.
Ahold USA announced a goal of 100% cage-free eggs by 2022.What’s
cooking?

People's Insights:
How about the promise that GMOs
are necessary to feed the world’s
growing population? Do
consumers care when it comes
down to their personal food
choices?
Lisa: While genetic engineering will likely
serve as an important tool in feeding the
world, there are many other benefits that
people are looking for in order to
embrace the technology, such as
improving the welfare of themselves and
their family members.
People's Insights:
If there a better argument to make?
Lisa: To the extent GM foods can
improve human nutrition delivering more
personal benefits, they will win more
consumer support, not to mention greater
support of policy makers seeing healthier
populations and lower costs.
People's Insights:
Will we now see attack ads from
major GMO-free brands?
Lisa: Oh sure, from smaller companies,
but let’s face the facts: The supply of
non-GMO ingredients is too scant to
serve even a few major food companies.
A non-GMO platform is no longer feasible
at any kind of scale without major
reformulations to allow for alternative
ingredients.

74
People's Insights:
Might an ingredient like
sugarcane benefit from a move
to GMO-free claims?
Lisa: Here’s the rub. Sugarcane may
be GMO-free but it has its own
problems, including child labor and
heavy water use. It’s a glass house,
and stone-throwing would not be
recommended.
People's Insights:
Will labeling be a boon to a
retailers like Whole Foods and
makers of whole foods?
Lisa: They will surely aim to make
the most of it – organic foods are
GMO-free by definition – but pricing
will be a significant deterrent for the
super-premium sector.
People's Insights:
OK, let's say the big hubbub
passes with GM products
largely accepted. Does it make
the water safer for other GM
crops?
Lisa: Quite possibly. There’s a large
pipeline of GM products heading to
market over the next decade, and
they will be closely watching the
consumer response. They may see
some initial hysteria, but in the end it
may amount to a whole bunch of
nothing.
Panera Bread’s ‘No No List’, provides details of artificial
ingredients like preservatives and sweeteners the company
avoids in its products.
What’s
cooking?

People's Insights:
Why was there so much food
industry foot-dragging on this
issue?
Lisa: Clearly, the industry should
have taken action years ago. That
said, the food industry was very
engaged in preparing the market for
GMOs in the 1990s, but the issue
proved latent with consumers. It was
a case of bad timing. Industry
attention lagged about the same time
that trust in institutions began to fall
so precipitously. Then industry
attempts to fight labeling only
energized activists, making Big Food
the Big Bad Guys.
Hopefully, this new transparency
will both benefit consumers and
boost their trust in food brands.

The food industry was very
engaged in preparing the
market for GMOs in the 1990s,
but the issue proved latent
with consumers.
76

Green Tables:
How Restaurants
Will Lead Sustainable
Food Consumption
Melanie Joe
Consultant, Research & Insights,
MSLGROUP
@melanie_joe
Food companies and brands have
been, in recent times, actively
demonstrating their commitment to
sustainability. Most major players in
the food industry are restructuring
their business practices to align with
their sustainability goals – different
aspects of the business are being
re-evaluated, from supply chains to
production methods, distribution
channels and even packaging. While
making the switch to more
sustainable processes brings with it
its own set of challenges, there's one
common trend – everyone is,
gradually, getting on board with
sustainability.
What does this increasing emphasis
on food sustainability mean for
another significant stakeholder in the
food revolution – restaurants?

ImageCredit:FilipeFrazao/Shutterstock.com
Today, people are eating out more than ever
before. Americans, for instance, eat out on an
average of – that's about
18.2 commercially-prepared meals in a month.
More and more, people are choosing dining out
over cooking. So much so that in 2015,
. And it's not exclusive to America –
across the globe, people are actively seeking out
restaurant meals. Various factors are
contributing to this increasing food consumption
outside the home – urbanization, more women in
the workforce, rising demand for 'foreign' foods,
easy accessibility to eating options, to name a
few. Rise in disposable incomes is another
contributing factor – people increasingly have
the resources to support their varied food
choices. As people juggle demanding careers
and nuclear families, they're often left with little
time for meal preparation – and this is where
restaurants come to the rescue.
Additionally, there has always been an allure to
dining at restaurants – the ease and
convenience that comes with eating out is
tempting for most people. Eating is also about
more than just food – for millennia, the act of
eating has brought people together, giving them
a sense of belonging within their communities;
more people bond over eating
than most other activities.
4 or 5 times per week
Americans dining expenditures overtook their
grocery sales
'
Food Away From Home
(FAFH) is becoming
the norm
Reputation & Advocacy | Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption 78
In 2015, Americans'
dining expenditure
overtook their
grocery sales.
Source: Bloomberg

It is estimated that
nearly 10% of
restaurant food
purchases make their
way to landfill;
additionally, patrons
end up not consuming
a significant chunk of
the food they order at
restaurants.

Restaurants are traditionally
associated with food wastage – chefs
are often forced to throw away
perfectly edible food on account of
freshness, storage challenges and
even aesthetics. It is estimated that
nearly 10% of restaurant food
purchases make their way to landfill;
additionally, patrons end up not
consuming a significant chunk of the
food they order at restaurants.
As many socially and
environmentally-conscious
consumers strive to be more 'green'
in their everyday lives, it becomes
pertinent to ask –
The
answer is, not all that often. While
eco-friendly restaurants are
increasingly gaining popularity, they
are usually not the first choice when
people decide to eat out. The idea of
'green' restaurants is still a novelty,
something new to be ‘checked out’ –
not yet the norm.
are consumers
prompted to think along the same
lines when it comes to their eating
habits, namely, eating out?
What can a restaurant do to save
the planet? Plenty.
This is where the opportunity for
those in the foodservice industry
lies – to show diners that a 'fully
sustainable' restaurant is just as
exciting and diverse as a 'normal'
one. Consumers tend to respond
positively to new brand innovations,
as long as they serve their original
purpose – in restaurants' case,
whipping up good food for their
patrons. Restaurants have a
monumental advantage over others
in the food sector simply because
consumers choose to visit
restaurants not out of need, but
pure desire; restaurants can
leverage this preference to make
consumers view their eating
habits through the sustainability
lens. Show consumers how they
can be active agents of change
simply by deciding where to eat.
Reputation & Advocacy | Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption 80

Image Credit: Thornton / Shutterstock.com
Sustainable business practices are necessary
across all sectors, and restaurants will have
no choice but to rethink their strategies. An
all-encompassing approach that evaluates
every aspect of the business is necessary.
As the number of restaurants making a
commitment to environmental stewardship
will eventually grow, we can expect to see
certain practices that will be more universal in
the next decade.
Restaurants will adopt a Farm to
Table approach
Most fresh foods and vegetables make a journey of about
1500 miles before they reach their final destination, like
supermarkets and restaurants. This puts a considerable
strain on the environment. Locally grown produce is not only
more fresh, but also uses up less energy during harvesting
and transportation. Restaurants, by supporting the local
economy, also stand to develop mutually beneficial
relationships with local farmers.
All produce at The in Scotland is sourced
exclusively within a 50-mile radius of the restaurant.
Captain's Galley

Seasonal menus will
dominate
As restaurants source their produce
locally, their offerings will depend on
produce availability – ingredients with
short growing seasons won't always be
on the menu. This will help chefs be
more creative with the dishes; rotating
the menu is also a great way to keep
customers interested.
Patrons will be encouraged to choose
their own portions
One of the prime reasons for per capita food wastage at
restaurants is the portions patrons are served. Restaurant
portions are more often than not unrealistic – either too little or
too much. Replacing standardized serving sizes with
customized options will not only reduce the amount of food
that goes to trash, but also give customers a bigger say in how
their meals are prepared.
Reputation & Advocacy | Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption
The Perennial, in its aim to be "the most environmental restaurant
ever", has a 360-degree approach to sustainability; everything from
the cutlery to furniture is designed to be as sustainable as possible.
What’s
cooking?
McAlister's Deli's 'Lite Choose Two' feature lets customers
choose their own portion sizes from a variety of health-
conscious options.
Relae in Copenhagen, winner of the
2015 Sustainable Restaurant Award,
has a menu that rotates nightly, to
correspond with the availability of local,
organic ingredients.
82

More restaurants will grow
their own food
Many restaurants around the world are now choosing to grow
their ingredients themselves – roof-top gardens and window
boxes are gaining popularity. Growing their own food will
enable restaurants to have quick access to produce; this will
be a huge contributor to reducing their carbon footprint, and
help chefs understand their food better. Additionally, this will
help in the recycling of food wastage; leftover food can go
straight to the garden in the form of compost.
Image Credit: Radiokafka / Shutterstock.com
Bring Your Own Food (BYOF)
will expand beyond drinking
establishments
While the BYOF trend is widely popular in
several breweries and taprooms
worldwide, it has, understandably, not
caught on with restaurants. In the future,
however, restaurants will adopt BYOF
policies that encourage patrons to carry
certain kind of foods like dips, condiments,
personalized allergen-free ingredients, etc.
The BYOF trend could also translate to
customers providing restaurants with the
raw ingredients they want in their food.
This will help restaurants cut costs, while
building an inclusive dining area.
In their garden barter program, Maine
restaurant accepts surplus
home produce from customers in
exchange for restaurant credit.
Gather
Chicago-based restaurant , named
the 'World's Greenest Restaurant' in 2013, grows a
number of their ingredients above their restaurant, in what
is hailed as America's first certified organic rooftop farm.
Uncommon Ground

Restaurants will now, more than ever,
As the world anticipates a food
crisis which will fail to support the 9 billion-
strong population the planet is expected to
reach by 2050,
need to
be active participants in the sustainability
dialogue.
restaurants have an all-
important role to play in driving
responsible food consumption.
Reputation & Advocacy | Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption
Chicago-based Sandwich Me In adopts the zero-waste approach,
and managed to produce only 8 gallons of trash in two years.
What’s
cooking?
Azurmendi in Spain uses photovoltaic
solar panels, geothermic electricity
systems and harvested water in
the restaurant. Additionally, the
architecture is designed to be
eco-friendly.
Restaurants will look
beyond food
Making the food that's served as eco-
friendly as possible is the first step
restaurants can take toward enabling
sustainable consumptions; however,
food sustainability involves more
elements than just the food. A 360-
degree approach will see restaurants
making themselves 'fully sustainable';
this will include energy-efficient
appliances, recycled menus,
biodegradable cutlery, etc. – in other
words, all-around 'green'
infrastructures.
84

Irene Ling
Manager,
Strategic Insight & Impact,
MSLGROUP Asia
In China, millennials make up a
third of the total population
in the nation. This generation grew
up during a period of particular
turbulence; the nation went
through the economic reform,
started the one-child policy, and
undertook rapid urbanization to
become the world's second largest
economy today.
(31%)
Food Marketing
to Millennial
Parents: A China
Perspective

Chinese millennials' upbringing in this
era has given them very different
behaviors and experiences when
compared to their predecessors.
Often stereotyped as being self-
obsessive, Chinese millennials on the
contrary can place priorities on their
own family especially when they
themselves become parents.
–
Reputation & Advocacy | Food marketing to millennial parents: A China perspective
Almost 2 in 5 millennial mums
ranked a blissful marriage and family
as being their top desired compliment
from others. Hence, for food brands
that are targeting the Chinese
millennial 'parents' what are the
exact values to focus on in order to
appeal, and attract this particular
segment of consumers?
(38%)
–
Often stereotyped as
being self-obsessive,
Chinese millennials
on the contrary can
place priorities on
their own family-
especially when
they themselves
become parents.
86

Safety concern(s) is one of the top
priorities among Chinese consumers.
Considering the number of food
safety scandals over the past years
(most notably the tainted milk
scandal in 2008), Chinese
consumers have been extremely
cautious about their product
choices, and continue to look out
for safety issues being exposed
in the media.
Build Brand Trust (and deliver on it!)
an important role. Highlight safety
in communications, such as list of
ingredient origin printed on the
packaging and international food
certificates would help mums to
justify the quality of the products.
77%
64%
of millennial mums are worried
about the unsafe ingredients used in
baby food, and of younger
millennials aged 20-29 years are
likely to continue with the mother and
baby care brands that they are
familiar with, which is the highest
across different product categories.
This implies that
as brand trust plays
food brands need
to make sure their products deliver
on their claims,
64% of Chinese millennial
mums aged 20-29 are likely
to continue with the mother
and baby care brands they
are familiar with.
Source: Mintel: Marketing to Mums

Ensure millennial
parents that the
'best care' is
available for
their children
The relaxation of the one-child policy
in China not only helped stimulate/
promote growth of the consumer
base, but also contributed to the
growth of baby care products.
Expenditure on child-related products
is expected to rise exponentially –
parents are increasingly more willing
to spend on their child (which
exemplifies the modern child-rearing
philosophy in China), i.e. to meet
material needs, and provide the best
care that they can afford.
With higher disposable incomes,
for example, infant
formula designed for specific health
issues such as reduced allergen is
more appealing to parents.
millennial parents are also
willing to pay a premium for
personalization;
88
Chinese e-commerce platforms like Taobao and
Jingdong include a significant variety of maternal and
infant products in their offering.
What’s
cooking?
Reputation & Advocacy | Food marketing to millennial parents: A China perspective

Capturing the attention – and loyalty
– of this burgeoning and very
important decision-making section of
the population will be crucial for food
brands, if they intend to establish
themselves as leaders of the food
revolution.
Motivate
millennial parents
to share and
spread the love
digitally
For example, food brands can
engage with parenting KOLs (e.g.
bloggers) for product trials and peer
recommendations. One of the most
popular social media platforms in
China, WeChat, now also allows
brands to push targeted messages to
their specific followers based on their
personal preference and engagement
with the brand.
Chinese millennials are among the
first in the country to truly ‘get
connected’ with the outside world via
the convenience of internet, and have
first hand experienced the rise of
social media, which has now become
an essential part of their lives.
Millennial mums like to exchange
parenting tips with other mums on
social media. At the same time, they
also feel the extra pressure to "show
off" their life and compare with others.
When other parents buy or
recommend a specific baby food
brand or product on social media,
they tend to buy the same products
and advocate them on social media.
They're also more receptive to online
reviews from other mums, which they
believe are more trustworthy than
recommendation from professionals.
This implies that the purchase
decision is heavily influenced by
social media. Food brands can tap
social media to reach out to
the millennial parents.

Establishing consumer trust is extremely crucial for brands – if a consumer doesn't trust you, why would they
give you their business? As the global food movement gains momentum, this rings especially true for food brands.
Crisis management and brand advocacy will become important priorities to sustain long-term brand health.
Reputation & Advocacy | Activating Reputation & Advocacy in the Conversation Age
Activating Reputation &
Advocacy in the Conversation Age
The best way to avoid
crisis is to ensure the
answers consumers seek
about your brand are
readily available. Show
them how their food is
produced – from the
ingredients to the value
chain and right through to
the packaging; the
transparency will help in
establishing trust.
Despite all the right
precautions, a brand will at
some point face consumer
ire. Prepare to give honest
and straightforward
responses to alleviate the
intensity of the crisis and
repair the damage. More
importantly, be prepared to
re-establish trust – invest
energy in assuring
consumers that the food
they consume is safe.
The advent of social
media has brought to the
fore opinionated
consumers who're prolific
creators of easy-to-
understand brand data.
These self-made brand
advocates have a
significant clout on the
internet. Engage with them
and gain their confidence,
which will translate into
positive brand reviews to
their followers.
When it comes to brand
reputation and long-term
consumer loyalty, bringing about
a revolution to the core
functioning of the business
is essential. More information is
available today than ever before
about how businesses can
negatively impact people and the
earth. Add food to this equation –
food that people consume – and
sustainable production becomes
an unavoidable priority.
Be
proactive
Stay prepared
for crisis
Leverage
existing brand
advocates
Adopt
sustainable
business
processes
90

Visual
Stimuli
First impressions are known to make a significant impact – opinions are formed
based on how we interact with something or someone for the very first time. This
holds true for food, as well. Our first interactions with food are usually through sight
– while the act of eating is a coming together of our main sensory perceptions, no
sense is as quickly stimulated as our sight. We first see, smell, feel and then finally
taste our food. This explains why plating up is the most fussed-over aspect of food
preparation. Visual appeal is just as – if not sometimes more – important as the
taste of the food. Creating food is an art in itself; it makes sense for art to be
visually enticing.
Seasoned chefs and others in the food business are not the only ones taking the
‘attractiveness’ of food seriously. Social media and the wider internet are proof of
how phenomenal the “food porn” movement is among everyday people – food-
related photographs are among the most widely-shared content on the internet
today. A casual scroll through a social network’s newsfeed is guaranteed to include
one food photograph at the very least. The visual element of food is clearly
appealing, and technologies like the smartphone are enabling easy sharing of
dining experiences; with the click of a button, everyone becomes an instant
photographer.
Visually appealing brand messages have always helped pique consumers’ interest
– the brain responds and relates to visuals more strongly than to any other form of
communication. Having a strong visual strategy is beneficial – and necessary –
especially for food brands; satiating people’s visual hunger is as important today
as putting something on their plates.

01
Food as a beauty product
EJ Armstrong
Commercial Food Photographer, Art Director,
Armstrong Pitts Studios
Six Consumption Drivers | Visual Stimuli 92

The Future of Food Communications: Winning Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age

The Future of Food Communications: Winning Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age

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