The Future of Food Communications

INDEX
Making the communication matter: imagery, words and

speech strategies around food & nutrition
01
Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age

The Fourth Industrial Revolution: New World, New Rules
11
Six Consumption Drivers for Winning Share of Mouth
Health & Wellness

Food, genomics and the microbiome: What are the implications for food producers?
The growing affinity for fresh food in Asian markets
Nutrition: What does it mean for emerging economies?
Activating Health & Wellness in the Conversation Age
19
23
29
32
Culture
Hablas Comida?
Man the provider is really man the buyer!
Big Food: How can it repair the cultural disconnect?
Activating Culture in the Conversation Age
35
39
47
54
Reputation & Advocacy

Integrated Sustainable Thinking: A critical necessity for food companies
Drop-by-drop: Water footprinting for a sustainable food supply chain
Transparency coming for genetically engineered foods
Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption
Food marketing to millennial parents: A China perspective
Activating Reputation & Advocacy in the Conversation Age
57
61
65
77
85
90
Visual Stimuli
Food as a beauty product
Activating Visual Stimuli in the Conversation Age
93
98
Recommendation
How food ideas catch fire and cross borders through
the power of online recommendation
Online recipes: What factors best promote sharing?
Capturing share of mouth in the subscription
foodservice marketplace
Activating Recommendation in the Conversation Age
101
113
121
126
Appetite Appeal
Building the next culinary dream: Communicating foods appetite
appeal for today & tomorrow
129
Activating Appetite Appeal in the Conversation Age
137
Global Food Trends Predictions
Future of Food Special

EXPO MILAN: Evaluation of its success and forecast of its legacy
Looking Forward: Dining on Driverless Cars
141
145
Conclusion
The All-Natural, High Tech Future of Food
149
138
About the People's Insights series

Peoples Insights is a collection of inspiring initiatives, insights and foresights shared by MSLGROUPs
SPRINTers our global team of 100+ strategic planners, researchers and insights experts.
Peoples Insights covers the latest trends in engagement on both the consumer and corporate side.
Our original insights and foresights from experts at MSLGROUP and beyond are shared in our
insights reports. We share these online, on our social platforms and distribute freely to inspire more
engaging campaigns.
The Peoples Insights series crossed 1 million views in 2013 and has reached
audiences across 22 countries.
Our Insights Reports Include:

Data In. Data Out.
Transforming Big Data
into Smart Ideas
The Future of Creativity

15 Drivers to Engage
Creatively in 2015
A Chance for Change

The Tipping Point for
Sustainable Business
The Future of Business

Citizenship
our survey of 8,000
millennials in 17 countries
Find out more about Peoples Insights on our website or on Twitter (@PeoplesLab).
Click on the (
) Twitter icons throughout this report to tweet the quote highlighted.
The Future of Reputation

The Evolution of Reputation
in the Digital Age
Foreword
Todays 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 everyones favorite topics of conversation, navigating
the complex communications landscape is tricky to say the least.
Thats 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.
Todays 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 todays
consumers. In this latest edition of the Peoples 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
products 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 lets 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,
Guillaume Herbette
CEO, MSLGROUP
One cannot think

well, love well,
sleep well, if one
has not dined well.
Virginia Woolf
Making the
communication
matter: imagery,
words and speech
strategies around
food & nutrition
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.
Pascal Beucler
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer,
Global, MSLGROUP
@pbeucler
THE FUTURE OF FOOD &20081,&$7,216
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 ones food is
considered cool, trendy. Theres a know-whereyour-food-comes-from dialogue thats 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 thats
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?
Making the communication matter: imagery, words and speech strategies around food & nutrition
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.
Nutrition as food turned

into science
In our times of effectiveness, and performance
spirit, every communication activity has to be
positioned in this perspective. In this context, from
a consumers 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 the "clear

conscience" of food
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.
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?
Is my biosphere safe?
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?
Am I really
what I eat?
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. Were 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.
7+()8785(2))22'&20081,&$7,216
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.
What if
I just do it?
Nutrition can also be viewed as an
individual choice to expand peoples
potential: reaching the next level, for
more fun, satisfaction and
transcendence. Its 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
ones body and mind.
7+()8785(2))22'&20081,&$7,216
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.
From this standpoint, veganisms

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, theres no doubt about
it. People and the planet need it, given
the obesity and overpopulation issues
were facing.
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.
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 Universitys 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 poisses cheese
tastes great once it's in the mouth.
And yes, thats what makes eating
so satisfying!
Share of
Mouth in the
Conversation Age
Share of Mouth: A given food or beverages success in being consumed

at relevant eating occasions, relative to competing choices.
10
View Apart / Shutterstock.com
The Fourth
Industrial
Revolution: New
World, New Rules
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.
Steve Bryant
Director, Food & Beverage
Marketing; Managing Director,
MSLGROUP Seattle
@SteveBryantLive
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+()8785(2))22'&20081,&$7,216
There are 3 especially relevant ways food

producers can innovate to enhance their
market value
1. Go mobile, urgently
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.
Old guard companies are scrambling

therefore to move from cereal to
cereal bars, from salads to salad
cups, from easy-prep meals to readyto-eat snacks. The quaint habit of
dining at a table will increasingly be
reserved for special occasions.
Instead, look for foods that easily

move with us, 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.
Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age | The Fourth Industrial Revolution: New World, New Rules
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. Its 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.
Its 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.
7+()8785(2))22'&20081,&$7,216
3. Tell all to ensure trust

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.
Dont expect to hide in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution. Instead,
tell all. Smart Labels on food
packages are about to demonstrate
the concept, allowing consumers to
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. Its an approach
that answers activists and empowers
special needs consumers.
If one revolution memorialized the

phrase let them eat cake, then this
revolution will require cake thats
packaged to go, finely tailored to the
very latest tastes, and served with
complete disclosure.
If you are a food producer with

something to hide, then fear the
Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age | The Fourth Industrial Revolution: New World, New Rules
14
Six Consumption
Drivers for Winning
Share of Mouth
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:
Health & Wellness
Visual Stimuli
Culture
Reputation & Advocacy
Recommendation
Appetite Appeal
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.
7+()8785(2))22'&20081,&$7,216
Image Credit: astudio / Shutterstock.com
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 theyre 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 theyre increasingly
leaning toward food thats 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 theres 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 doesnt harm them and their future generations in the
long run is universal, and will only grow with time.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD&20081,&$7,216
Food, genomics and the microbiome:

What are the implications
for food producers?
01
Kerry Neville
Registered Dietitian
The growing affinity for 'Fresh Food'

in Asian markets
Aruna Handique
02
Planning Manager, MSLGROUP India
Nutrition: What does it

mean for emerging economies?
Narendra Nag
03
Regional Director, Integrated Planning &

Asia Practice Leader, Social Media and Digital,
MSLGROUP Singapore
Six Consumption Drivers for Winning Share of Mouth | Health & Wellness
18
Food, genomics and

the microbiome:
What are the
implications for
food producers?
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.
Kerry Neville
Given this increasing shift toward

health consciousness, what should
food producers do, for a better
understanding of consumers'
nutritional needs?
@kerryneville
Half of all consumers

report using foods and
beverages to directly help
manage health conditions.
Source: The Hartman Group
Understand the impact

of food choices on
chronic ailments
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.
Health & Wellness | Food, genomics and the microbiome: What are the implications for food producers?
20
Explore Gut Feelings

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.
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.
Whats
cooking?
Bobs Red Mill includes probiotics in its new line of

plant-based Nutritional Booster Protein Powders.
Tackle Telomeres
Telomeres are
needed to help cells
replicate properly
and they shorten
every time a cell
replicates.
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.
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 plantbased 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.
Health & Wellness | Food, genomics and the microbiome: What are the implications for food producers?
22
THE GROWING
AFFINITY FOR
FRESH FOOD IN
ASIAN MARKETS
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.
Aruna Handique
Planning Manager,
MSLGROUP India
@arunahandique
Some very notable factors have

been contributing to this gradual
yet steady inclination towards
fresh food
Healthier variants
take precedence over
traditional intake
One of the key trends enforced by a
prioritization in fresh food has been the affinity
for food thats better than whats 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.
Health
& Wellness
| The
growingAffinity
affinity for
for Areshfood
fresh foodininAsian
Asian Markets
markets
Health
& Wellness
| The
Growing
24
Food safety concerns have become

center stage
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
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.
the ire of the consumers. Even

trusted brands have not been spared,
demonstrated by several food safety
concerns that were publicly debated
last year.
Whats
cooking?
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.
Active local
players are
helping the fresh
food movement
Governments across the region will
also be warmed by indicators
showing that the fresh food
revolution is being propelled by
local players. A shining example of
this shift has been Indonesias Hero
Supermarket. The company has
made full use of their governments
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
RTMarts 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.
Health & Wellness | The growing affinity for fresh food in Asian markets
26
Japanese food
company Kagome
has installed a
vending machine
with fresh tomatoes
and tomato-based
products in a
runners sports
facility in Tokyo.
Technology is aiding fresh food

With technology impacting our daily
lives like never before, its no surprise
that its 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 runners
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.
Whats
cooking?
Singapore-based hawker.today, an on-demand food

delivery app helps small local businesses to sell
local produce to shoppers.
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 shows 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 thats 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 its not fresh, its no good!
Health & Wellness | The growing affinity for fresh food in Asian markets
28
Nutrition:
What does it mean
for emerging
economies?
Narendra Nag
Regional Director,
Integrated Planning &
Asia Practice Leader,
Social Media and Digital,
MSLGROUP Singapore
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
Indias 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.
@narendranag
Whats
cooking?
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.
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 whore 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).
A shift in primary
dietary habits
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.
Health & Wellness | Nutrition: What does it mean for emerging economies?
30
The impact of a nutrient-poor diet is

significant: Malnourishment statistics are
alarming and call for sustained intervention.
According to the UNs 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.
Activating Health & Wellness

in the Conversation Age
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.
LOW E
PRIC
Invest in
desirable
alternatives
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.
Be transparent
Communicate
your commitment about your
products
to consumer
health & safety
Enable consumers to feel
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.
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.
Make healthier
food options
more affordable
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.
Health & Wellness | Activating Health & Wellness in the Conversation Age
32
Culture
Hunger certainly is the most important driving force for food consumption, but other
factors come a close second in determining peoples 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
individuals identity.
While culturally-relevant food habits that are passed down from one generation to
the next are key in cementing peoples 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.
Hablas Comida?
Vickie Allande-Fite
01
SVP, MSLGROUP Los Angeles (Hispanic Specialty Lead)
Man the provider

is really man the buyer!
Steven L. Katz
02
CEO and Founder, Man the Kitchen
Big Food: How can it

repair the cultural disconnect?
Gina Santana
03
VP, Strategic Planning Director, Leo Burnett USA
Image Credit: astudio / Shutterstock.com
Six Consumption Drivers | Culture
34
Hablas Comida?
Vickie Allande-Fite
SVP,
MSLGROUP Los Angeles
(Hispanic Specialty Lead)
In the U.S., every 30

seconds, two non-Hispanics
reach retirement age and
one Latino turns 18.
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.
Consumers are
out-spending for Love
Already, Hispanic consumers spend more 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, emotionallyrewarding experience, and that is the primary
motivator for buying fresher ingredients,
higher-quality cuts of meat, etc.
Key takeaway:
Hispanic purchase behavior is not driven by
functional product benefits but the
emotional payoff of the meal experience.
Culture | Hablas Comida?
36
Taste Buds are Neither Hispanic

nor American, but Bicultural
For a long time, U.S. Hispanics were
simply segmented as either
acculturated (typically U.S. born,
English dominant) or nonacculturated (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
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.
Whats
cooking?
Hemisfares, Kroger's multicultural private food brand,

includes popular regional fare from around the world.
Foods and meal patterns that address

health issues move to the front of
the line
According to the most recent Census,
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
now considered at epidemic levels
within the community, with Hispanics
nearly twice as likely to develop Type
2 Diabetes as non-Hispanics, and an

estimated one in three U.S. Hispanic
adults are already pre-diabetic.
Key takeaway:
Eating healthier for the
betterment of the community
is a growing priority.
Easy, affordable
recipes are a
strategic way in
New research tracks that the majority
of Hispanic millennials like cooking at
home 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.
Key takeaway:
Invest in recipe development.
Culture | Hablas Comida?
38
Man the Provider

Is Really Man
the Buyer!
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.
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
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. Dinners 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.
Culture | Man the provider is really man the buyer!
40
There are 3 keys to connecting with the male cook
1. Capitalize on market intelligence

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
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 Thompsons 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.
Whats
cooking?
Stryhn's 'Food for Men' campaign targets meat products

to men in a comic, light vein.
Men now compose 43% of primary

shoppers, and are shopping more
frequently and make just as many
store visits as women.
Image Credit: Yulia Grigoryeva / Shutterstock.com
Source: Food Shopping in America Report, The Hartman Group and MSLGROUP
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
42
What are the men saying?

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 peoples lives. That
means actually speaking to people
with an aim to understand what is
taking place in peoples 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.
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.
Josh, 24
My sauce isn't hot. It's the
hottest. It's the baddest.
Whats
cooking?
Targeted at fathers in the kitchen, YouTube channel

cookingfordads shows men how to go about making
tasty food with simple, quick recipes.
Simon, 33
Tom, 50
When I cook I transform from the

guy who is late and cant stay on
schedule to being hyper aware of
every second and minute and whats
happening to the food!
I need to be in control but

not in any dysfunctional
way. But yes, I don't want
anyone else involved.
Harland, 67
Emmett, 45
The kitchen is an extension of

the shop. I love my ricer as
much as I love my DeWalt drill.
Pizza dough is my
painters canvas.
Mark, 63
Ive finally perfected the
omelet, I went through a
lot of trial efforts.
44
Men come in to buy

something specific
to make a recipe or
dish they already
have in mind.
3. Strategically merchandize
for consumer success
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 chefs
supply chain and their storyline from
creation to plating and serving their
latest dish. Skillet manufacturers are
selling the sear and sizzle, not the

steak! Spice merchants are selling
the transformative aroma and
experience of a dish! Groceries
stores arent 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.
Yet, even knowing that the proof is in

the pudding has not sufficiently
moved enough people to break
from their preconceived and wellworn assumptions and stereotypes
about either men or women. It is the
connection to cooking that matters
most, 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
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 inhouse 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.
Gentlemen, Start
Your Ovens!
46
Big Food:
How can it repair
the cultural
disconnect?
Gina Santana
VP, Strategic Planning Director,
Leo Burnett USA

Image Credit: Sorbis / Shutterstock
Q
A
People's Insights:
Big Food companies have lost significant

market share in recent years.
Whats driving that?
Gina:
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.
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. 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.
Culture | Big Food: How can it repair the cultural disconnect?
48
Q
A
People's Insights:
How have Big Food companies responded

to this challenge? Is anything working
to stem this tide?
Gina:
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.
Whats
cooking?
Q
A
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.
People'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.)?
Gina:
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.
Image Credit: BluIz60 / Shutterstock.com
50
Q
A
People'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?
Gina:
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.
Whats
cooking?
In 2016, General Mills announced their plan to remove

artificial colors and flavors from their popular
breakfast cereals by 2017.
Q
A
People's Insights:
Are there any demographic or cultural shifts looming that

could significantly change the food and beverage
landscape over the next five years?
Gina:
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.
52
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.
Activating Culture
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.
Study consumers'
emotional
connect with
food
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.
Keep up
with newer
tastes
Make food
culturally
relatable
Speak to the
new food
audience
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.
Culture | Activating Culture in the Conversation Age
54
Reputation &
Advocacy
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.
Image Credit: Glynnis Jones / Shutterstock.com
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.
Integrated Sustainable Thinking:

A Critical Necessity for Food Companies
Arabella Bakker
01
Director, Consultancy and Communications,

Salterbaxter MSLGROUP
Drop-by-Drop: Water Footprinting

for a Sustainable Food Supply Chain
Caroline Carson
02
Consultant, Salterbaxter MSLGROUP
Transparency Coming for

Genetically Engineered Foods
Lisa Kelly
03
MPH, RDN, Registered Dietitian
Green Tables: How Restaurants

Will Lead Sustainable Food Consumption
Melanie Joe
04
Consultant, Research & Insights, MSLGROUP
Food Marketing to Millennial Parents:

A China Perspective
Irene Ling
05
Manager, Strategic Insight & Impact, MSLGROUP Asia
Six Consumption Drivers | Reputation & Advocacy
56
Integrated
Sustainable
Thinking: A Critical
Necessity for Food
Companies
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.
Arabella Bakker
Director, Consultancy
and Communications,
@Belautel
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.
Whats
cooking?
Nestls Creating Shared Value addresses

sustainability across the value chain.
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.
SDG goal 2, 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.
Food companies need

to consider a holistic
view of sustainability
Image Credit: B Brown / 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.
Reputation & Advocacy | Integrated Sustainable Thinking: A critical necessity for food companies
58
Food companies
need to consider
sustainability
impacts across
the entire value
chain
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 look at

consumers growing sustainability
expectations from them
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 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.
Reputation & Advocacy | Integrated Sustainable Thinking: A critical necessity for food companies
60
Drop-by-Drop:
Water Footprinting
for a Sustainable
Food Supply Chain
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 challenges of recent
decades. As the Alliance For Water
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 Forums
2015 Global Risks Report defined
water crises as the top risk facing
the planet over the next 10 years.
Image Credit: Yavuz Sariyildiz / Shutterstock.com
The agricultural sector is already the largest

user of water resources, responsible for 70%
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.
Water isn't just a

Corporate Responsibility
issue for food and
beverage companies
it's a complex
Business Risk
Water is the primary

medium through
which climate
change impacts will
be felt by humans,
society and the
environment.
The Alliance for Water
A risk with a potential financial impact

of US$2.5 billion, according to the
The Carbon Disclosure Projects (CDP)
Global Water Report. 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 California and Brazil are changing
consumer purchasing.
Reputation & Advocacy | Drop-by-drop: Water footprinting for a sustainable food supply chain
62
Water crisis will be the

top crisis facing the
planet over the next
ten years.
Source: World Economic Forum
Whats
cooking?
In their third segment of sustainability reporting,

Tyson Foods announced a 2020 goal of reducing
water consumption by 12%.
$2.5bn
Value of risks
associated with water.
Source: CDP's Global Water Report
Systems-based
approaches to
managing water risks
is an urgent priority
Mapping water impacts across food supply
chains 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, Nestls and Grupo Nutresa 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 Business
Alliance for Water and Climate Change.
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.
Reputation & Advocacy | Drop-by-drop: Water footprinting for a sustainable food supply chain
64
Transparency
Coming for
Genetically
Engineered Foods
Lisa Kelly
MPH, RDN,
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 referendum that
forces labelling of products sold in
that state, starting in June 2016.
@LisaKellyRD
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:
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:
Which companies in particular will

adopt this labeling approach?
Lisa: Its a long list. Mars, ConAgra, Kelloggs,
Campbells 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 thats 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. Its been difficult to date -- the matter is
politically charged but all parties recognize
the need for a national solution, not a
patchwork.
Reputation & Advocacy | Transparency coming for genetically engineered foods
66
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.
Whats
cooking?
Taking a cue from Campbell Soup, companies like

General Mills, Kellogg's and ConAgra announced that
they would start GMO labeling in their products.
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 isnt
reflected in sales figures. Look at
tomato ketchup, for example: The
U.S. market leader created an HFCSfree version, but their stalwart
product made from HFCS continues
to lead the market.
Another case in point: Green CocaCola with Stevia did not match
expectations. As always, theres 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 cant 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.
68
People's Insights:
Will companies drop GM

ingredients to achieve GMOfree status or claims?
Lisa: Thats 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 its a long list. The
demand for transparency isnt
new, but its reaching a critical
mass.
People's Insights:
So called Big Food has been

fairly battered by these issues.
Are they prepared to respond
successfully?
Lisa: Well see. Industrys solution is:
open the books and adopt a Smart
Label solution. You can read about
such solutions at smartlabel.org.
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.
The Grocery Manufacturers

Association aims for 30,000
products with Smart Label
by end of 2017.
70
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, dont 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 cant 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.
Whats
cooking?
Ahold USA announced a goal of 100% cage-free eggs by 2022.
People's Insights:
How do you expect this deep

labeling to influence the
marketplace?
Lisa: Ah, this is very interesting.
I expect it to level the playing field
and prove a net benefit to big food
brands. 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. Lets say your brand touts
Florida tomatoes and that crop fails,
leaving only South American product.
Suddenly, youre not grown in the
USA. Bigger companies with
superior supply chain management
will be advantaged in this
environment.
People's Insights:
Will food companies finally

make a case for GMOs,
educating consumers about
their value and safety?
Lisa: They should. Theres a very
strong case that GMOs are more
sustainable. Millennials didnt 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.
72
People's Insights:
How about the promise that GMOs

are necessary to feed the worlds
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 lets 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.
Whats
cooking?
Panera Breads No No List, provides details of artificial

ingredients like preservatives and sweeteners the company
avoids in its products.
People's Insights:
Might an ingredient like

sugarcane benefit from a move
to GMO-free claims?
Lisa: Heres the rub. Sugarcane may
be GMO-free but it has its own
problems, including child labor and
heavy water use. Its 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. Theres 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.
74
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?
Today, people are eating out more than ever

before. Americans, for instance, eat out on an
average of 4 or 5 times per week 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,
Americans' dining expenditures overtook their
grocery sales. 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.
Image Credit: Filipe Frazao / Shutterstock.com
Food Away From Home

(FAFH) is becoming
the norm
In 2015, Americans'
dining expenditure
overtook their
grocery sales.
Source: Bloomberg
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.
Reputation & Advocacy | Green Tables: How restaurants will lead sustainable food consumption
78
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.
What can a restaurant do to save

the planet? Plenty.
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 are consumers
prompted to think along the same
lines when it comes to their eating
habits, namely, eating out? 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.
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.
80
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 Captain's Galley in Scotland is sourced

exclusively within a 50-mile radius of the restaurant.
Image Credit: Thornton / Shutterstock.com
Whats
cooking?
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.
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.
McAlister's Deli's 'Lite Choose Two' feature lets customers
choose their own portion sizes from a variety of healthconscious options.
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.
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
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.
Image Credit: Radiokafka / Shutterstock.com
In their garden barter program, Maine

restaurant Gather accepts surplus
home produce from customers in
exchange for restaurant credit.
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.
Chicago-based restaurant Uncommon Ground, 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.
Whats
cooking?
Chicago-based Sandwich Me In adopts the zero-waste approach,

and managed to produce only 8 gallons of trash in two years.
Restaurants will look

beyond food
Making the food that's served as ecofriendly as possible is the first step
restaurants can take toward enabling
sustainable consumptions; however,
food sustainability involves more
elements than just the food. A 360degree 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.
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 now, more than ever, need to
be active participants in the sustainability
dialogue. As the world anticipates a food
crisis which will fail to support the 9 billionstrong population the planet is expected to
reach by 2050, restaurants have an allimportant role to play in driving
responsible food consumption.
84
Food Marketing
to Millennial
Parents: A China
Perspective
In China, millennials make up a

third of the total population (31%)
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.
Irene Ling
Manager,
Strategic Insight & Impact,
MSLGROUP Asia
Chinese millennials' upbringing in this

era has given them very different
behaviors and experiences when
compared to their predecessors.
Often stereotyped as being selfobsessive, Chinese millennials on the
contrary can place priorities on their
own family especially when they
themselves become parents.
Almost 2 in 5 (38%) 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?
Often stereotyped as
being self-obsessive,
Chinese millennials
on the contrary can
place priorities on
their own familyespecially when
they themselves
become parents.
Reputation & Advocacy | Food marketing to millennial parents: A China perspective
86
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
Build Brand Trust (and deliver on it!)

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.
77% of millennial mums are worried

about the unsafe ingredients used in
baby food, and 64% 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 food brands need
to make sure their products deliver
on their claims, as brand trust plays
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.
Whats
cooking?
Chinese e-commerce platforms like Taobao and

Jingdong include a significant variety of maternal and
infant products in their offering.
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,
millennial parents are also
willing to pay a premium for
personalization; for example, infant
formula designed for specific health
issues such as reduced allergen is
more appealing to parents.
Reputation & Advocacy | Food marketing to millennial parents: A China perspective
88
Motivate
millennial parents
to share and
spread the love
digitally
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.
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.
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.
Activating Reputation &

Advocacy in the Conversation Age
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.
Be
proactive
Stay prepared
for crisis
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.
Leverage
existing brand
advocates
The advent of social
media has brought to the
fore opinionated
consumers who're prolific
creators of easy-tounderstand 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.
Adopt
sustainable
business
processes
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.
Reputation & Advocacy | Activating Reputation & Advocacy in the Conversation Age
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 foodrelated photographs are among the most widely-shared content on the internet
today. A casual scroll through a social networks 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 peoples visual hunger is as important today
as putting something on their plates.
Food as a beauty product

EJ Armstrong
Commercial Food Photographer, Art Director,
Armstrong Pitts Studios
01
Six Consumption Drivers | Visual Stimuli
92
Food
as a beauty
product
EJ Armstrong
Of course, it wasnt always so.
Image Credit: Armstrong Pitts Studios
Commercial Food Photographer,

Art Director, Armstrong Pitts Studios
Modern commercial food

photography has carried the torch
for food as a status symbol and
beauty product. A simple serving
of coffee is now, with the
sensuous swirl of cream at its
heart, its carefully-designed mug
and a myriad other things,
elevated to an artistic level, a
photo of which would be worthy to
be displayed in a museum!
to quicker and more convenient

preparations. From an
anthropological point of view, a lot of
this can be attributed to the growing
number of women joining the
workforce; with this societal shift, we
saw a significant shift in what we
ate, as well. Bread went from home
baked to the Wonder variety; coffee
went from boiled-in-a-pot to instant.
As packaged, instant food replaced
home-made meals, we also started
depending on machines, a box,
to get our food to their desired
temperatures. The Jettsons had

arrived, so to speak; speed food was
everywhere. Only, they were in black
& white commercials and stiffly-done
color photographs in magazines, and
looked nothing like food look and
taste were secondary priorities;
speed with variety, the ultimate.
Years ago, it used to be that food was

a point of pride in a home it wasnt
an iPhone photo-op, and definitely
not a stepping stone up the social
ladder. Being able to whip up
something delicious as well as
pleasing to the eyes certainly came
with bragging rights but it had
usually to do with pride, not power or
status. Food and how it tasted
was at the center of it.
As our societies began to evolve, so
did our eating habits. Elaborate,
home-cooked meals took a backseat
Visual Stimuli | Food as a beauty product
94
Food has become a beauty product

and the stakes are high
Fast forward a few decades, and
food evolved again. It has
transitioned into a status symbol, a
beauty product, something that
communicates lifestyles and
opinions. From a magazine spread to
a post on a social network, It has
hard-pressed to not come across a
lavishly-photographed food item (and
not-so-lavishly-shot food), as people
photographing their meals at
restaurants is a common sight
because thats just how good most
food today is made to look.

Everything is click-worthy.
Or we think it is.
Today, there is as much if not
more emphasis on how food
looks as on how it tastes. The
rising demand for food photographers
and food stylists is indicative of the
desire for good-looking food. Food is
to be photographed like a beauty
product it has to be beautiful,
perfect, sensuous, desirable.
As more and more food ideas are

shared to be consumed, the
preference for food that looks like a
million bucks will only grow. After all,
we cant really experience taste on
the pages of a magazine or our social
media timelines. We arent taking it in
with anything other than our eyes.
We have to be won on looks and a
promise alone.
Whats
cooking?
Food retailer Food52 creatively uses tastefully-done

food photographs to promote their line of food-related products.
Food photography
is enabling the
slow food
fantasy
The food experience has also gone
from wanting to be fast and modern
to a movement described as slow
food. Slow is sensuous, slow is sexy.
Slow food is essentially serving fastfood with the promise of being
homely, customized and carefully
done with only the finest ingredients.
Its all about giving the consumer the
best possible experience in the best
possible time namely, beautifullyplated food that appeals to the eyes
and the palette.
In commercial food photography,

slow is a way of life hours and
thousands of dollars are spent, the
best crew and food stylists are
brought in, all to capture the vision
of perfect. A simple spread of
pancakes, for instance, can be made
to look inviting enough to warrant a
second look.
Visual Stimuli | Food as a beauty product
96
This plays out especially well on

digital platforms, where food-related
content is one of the most widely
shared. Every time we whip out our
phones or cameras to document our
meal, were telling everyone about
our food place in the world,
our status, where we are in the
pecking order.
Well-crafted food content, in addition
to being pleasing to the eyes, must
convey desirability. Food marketers
leveraging this desire element with
relevant and stunning visuals have a
high chance of successfully engaging
with their audience. Its more and
more about selling the fantasy
of something luxurious,
extraordinary, and yet, attainable.
Its safe to say that food has moved
on to another evolution of viewing
how that settles out the iPhone shot
or the full beauty treatment will only
be decided by time.
Activating Visual Stimuli

Food that looks appealing to the eyes ends up tasting good, too this has already been established by several
studies. Food brands and others in the food industry should now, more than ever, consider the attractiveness
of food as important as its other aspects, like taste.
Make food
click-worthy
In the digital age,
everything is a click away
including customer
advocacy. Make your food
attractive enough for
consumers to want to
voluntarily endorse it
through photographs.
Let your
packaging
do the talking
Packaging does more
than just protect food from
harsh weather elements
and keep it fresh. Today,
unique packaging plays
as important a role in
attracting consumer
attention as brand name
or recall.
Establish visual
consistency
in food
communication
Over time, your visualheavy messages around
food should be instantly
recognizable; consumers
should be able to identify
it from a distance and
this can be achieved only
through a well-designed
and smartly-executed
visual strategy.
Leverage the
right visual
mediums
Some platforms are
naturally more effective in
catering to visual hunger
think social networks like
Instagram and Snapchat;
traditional mediums like
billboards. With enough
creativity, food content on
these platforms can go a
long way in creating
curiosity and interest.
Visual Stimuli | Activating Visual Stimuli in the Conversation Age
98
Recommendation
Word of mouth has forever been a driving force in influencing consumer buying and
behavior, and nowhere is it as wide-spread as with food-related decisions. While
there are several determinants to food choices culture, health, economics,
lifestyle, to name a few suggestions from friends and family certainly play a
significant role in helping consumers make up their mind.
Today, mere information about the product/service doesnt cut it. The most flashy,
over-the-top advertising messages may not pique the consumers interest as much
a simple I liked it, you should try it, too from a trusted source will. Learning what
real consumers of a product think about it has become easier than ever before with
the internet. While those in close social circles were the traditional agents of
influence, the internet provides a wider network of go-to individuals for suggestions
everyone from friends, acquaintances, celebrities, public role models to even
absolute strangers from across borders can now sway a consumers opinion. It
makes sense, too. A search here and a quick look there can yield hundreds of
thousands of results in a matter of seconds. Everything from recipes to restaurant
reviews and product samplings are freely available with an effortless click why
wouldnt consumers flock to it?
As global boundaries and distances continue to rapidly shrink with advanced
communications technology, the power of online recommendation will be further
amplified, most notably through social networks. This will in effect influence already
evolving consumer behaviors around food, more so than at present.
How food ideas catch fire and

cross borders through the power
of online recommendation
01
Esmee Williams
Allrecipes, Vice President, Consumer & Brand Strategy
Online recipes:
What factors best promote sharing?
Erin Dorr
02
Vice President, Digital & Social Strategy, MSLGROUP
Capturing Share of Mouth in the

Subscription FoodService Marketplace
Brianne Killinger
03
Vice President, MSLGROUP
Six Consumption Drivers | Recommendation
100
How food ideas

catch fire and cross
borders through
the power of online
recommendation
Esmee Williams
Allrecipes, Vice President,
Consumer & Brand Strategy
@esmeewilliams
Q
A
People's Insights:
Are we approaching an era of global

food culture in which flavors and
food tastes freely cross borders?
Or do national food traditions
still dominate?
Esmee:
As more people tap into the power of

digital technologies to collect and share
information, the smaller our world
becomes. Today 3 billion people
worldwide have access to nearly one
zettabyte of data; answers to questions,
guidance for creating new things and
inspiration for expanding horizons are
just keystrokes away.
93% of online
cooks worldwide
seek new recipes
weekly; for 79%
of them, the
internet is the top
source of recipes.
Source: Allrecipes' 2015 Global Digital
Food Research
Global food culture is greatly benefiting

from this phenomenon as home cooks
from all corners of the world share food
experiences with other cooks through
social media. According to Allrecipes'
2015 Global Digital Food research,
93% of online cooks worldwide seek new
recipes weekly, with the web being the
top source for recipes (79% of cooks).
Allrecipes' global reach with 19 sites
serving 24 countries gives us the unique
ability to witness the similarities that
occur among cooks across cultures.
Image by: Robert Kneschke / Shutterstock.com
Recommendation | How food ideas catch fire and cross borders through the power of online recommendation
102
Our data shows that the most popular,

most viewed recipes in the countries we
serve are those which are deeply rooted
in that country's heritage and traditions.
In the United States, the top recipe is
'Good Old Fashioned Pancakes', in
Nederland it's White Asparagus, in
Brazil it's Brigadeiro, and in China
it's (double cooked pork).
This supports the notion that national
food traditions continue to dominate.
However, it's interesting to note that
when you read the cooks' reviews of
these dishes (there are typically
thousands), stories emerge that
demonstrate how cooks are increasingly
introducing variations to these dishes
that push traditional boundaries.
Sometimes the review shares new
cooking methods that make a dish
faster, healthier or more affordable.
However, increasingly, we are seeing
reviews across the globe where cooks
are introducing new ingredients and
flavors to the dish and often times
the new ingredient or flavor is from a
country outside of their own.
For instance, in Nederland there's a
strong interest in world cuisine,
with Thai and Moroccan flavors
trending strongly.
States alone show that there's a

growing curiosity and craving
for global foods. In Brazil,
guacamole (Brazilians think of
avocados as dessert, a savory
avocado dish is a revelation) and
cupcakes are trending strongly.
The last piece of evidence of the
growing interest and adoption of
global flavors, especially among
Millennial home cooks, is from our
2015 Thanksgiving Attitudes and
Behaviors survey. When we asked
Another interesting observation is that,

while the most popular recipes in each
country are often of local origin, the
fastest trending recipes are typically
recipes for dishes that are not endemic
to each country. Trends in the United
home cooks which cultural foods they

planned to include as part of their
Thanksgiving meal (arguably the
least likely meal for American home
cooks to stray from traditional foods),
more than 2/3rds of cooks said they
would introduce new twists on
American foods. And a significant
number of cooks, especially
Millennials, indicated that they would
be introducing flavors from a variety
of cultures from Mexico, Middle East,
South America and Asia.
WHICH CULTURAL FOODS WILL YOU INCLUDE AS

PART OF YOUR THANKSGIVING MEAL?
Non-Millennials
Millennials
Variance Millennials vs. Non-Millennials
300%
267%
250%
200%
150%
104%
100%
90%
63%
69%
50%
26%
0%
-7%
-50%
68%
New twists on
America foods
-1%
Hispanics
East
Indian
Italian
Middle
Eastern
European
Asian
African
South
American
Source: Allrecipes 2015 Thanksgiving Attitudes and Behaviors survey
104
Q
A
People's Insights:
Some say that crowdsourcing has substantially

diminished the role of our mothers in forming
our food preferences? Does your data support
that point of view?
Esmee:
There's no doubt that the most significant

influence on a person's dietary preferences
especially when they first begin cooking - is their
parents. We see this influence play out on
Allrecipes every day. Many of our most-loved,
most reviewed recipes have titles that start with
the word 'Mom'. In fact if you do a search on
Allrecipes, the word 'mom' appears just short of a
half a million times in recipe titles and reviews.
Crowdsourcing has expanded the sources of

food information that are available to cooks
a seemingly unlimited supply of recipes, tips,
articles and videos are available at their fingertips,
and is always flowing through their feeds. Despite
this abundance, mom still has a firm hold on us
when we seek kitchen advice.
In Allrecipes' 2016 Food and Social survey, online
cooks responded that they are most likely to
engage with Facebook food posts shared by a
family member which supports the notion that
it's the wisdom of the crowd that fuels trends,
opens up new horizons and determines what's
most popular, but it's the wisdom of mom that
prevails first in the kitchen.
LIKELIHOOD TO ENGAGE
WITH A FOOD POST
Post of food
brand is
recommending
23%
Millennials
GenX
39%
Boomer+
45%
24%
Post of food a
celebrity or chef
has prepared
41%
46%
52%
38%
Post of food that a

food/recipe site is
recommending
52%
78%
69%
73%
Post of food prepared

by friend/family
member
Source: Allrecipes 2016 Social and Food Trends Survey
106
We saw this same trend in Allrecipes' 2015 Thanksgiving Cooking Trends

Survey when we asked home cooks what sources they look to first for
cooking and baking help. Survey results support that parents are cooks'
primary source for cooking help especially millennial cooks who were
more than twice as likely to select parents as a resource as compared to
older cooks followed by online searches, and then friends.
72%
WHICH RESOURCES
DO YOU USE
FOR COOKING/
BAKING HELP?
68%
48%
60%
32%
32%
42%
47%
Online recipes
Parents
Friends
41%
17%
Cookbook
Millennials
Non-Millennials
YouTube recipes
Source: Allrecipes 2015 Thanksgiving Cooking Trends Survey
Whats
cooking?
Allrecipes Dinner Spinner allows users to select from

a wide range of recipes, while also serving as a
recipe box and shopping list.
Q
A
People's Insights:
Can you help us put into perspective the power of shared

experiences and recommendations when it comes to food
choices? How far has it come? Is its influence continuing
to grow; if so, how fast and far can we expect to reach?
Esmee:
Food and cooking are inherently

social. As long as humans have been
gathering together, prepared foods
have served as a centerpiece for
celebrating, caring and expressing
creativity with others. Before there
was MySpace and Facebook, the
kitchen table served as the original
social network. Broad-reaching
mobile connectivity and social sharing
is taking food sharing to entirely new
levels. Go online today, and you'll be
hard pressed to find a social feed or
stream absent of some form of a
shared food experience such as
recipes, reviews, photos, videos,
comments and posts.
108
At Allrecipes, social is deeply rooted

in our DNA; we were the first website
to allow and actively encourage
cooks to share their food experiences
among a community of their peers
through shared recipes, reviews,
photos, profiles and meals. What
started as a bold, revolutionary idea
18 years ago, has grown to become
a cornerstone experience of all

leading digital food and social
network experiences.
The volume of food-related shared
experiences is so widespread it's
difficult to put an exact number on the
quantity of posts, photos, reviews,
blog entries and videos being shared
although according to data shared
by Facebook, Instagram, Allrecipes,

Pinterest, YouTube and Twitter it
likely totals in the tens of billions of
experiences. This number is large,
and growing each year at an
accelerating rate, thanks to the
broad reach of connected devices
and the infectious appeal of social
network feeds.
RECENT SOCIAL FOOD ACTIVITIES

(PAST FEW MONTHS)
68
55
62
77
Read reviews
47
47
Liked social food post
34
Saved recipes
19
Posted photos
Shared recipes
31
31
20
10
Posted review
Millennials
Non-Millennials
9
Posted a video
Source: Allrecipes 2016 Food and Social report
The reach and appetite for shared

food experiences is considerable. In
December 2015, three-fourths of all
online users, and 91% of women
ages 18-49 visited a food site, 87% of
whom say they visit food sites or view
food content in their social feeds at
least weekly.
The impact of all of these shared

experiences on home cooking activity
is significant. The first major trend we
are seeing is an increased passion
for cooking especially among the
next generation of cooks. In
Allrecipes 2016 Food and Social
survey, we asked online cooks their
PRIMARY REASON
FOR COOKING:
"IT'S A PASSION
FOR ME."
62%
primary reason for cooking. The

generation most likely to say 'I love
to cook, it's a passion for me' were
millennial females (who also
happened to be the most likely group
to say they are visiting food sites and
viewing food posts in their social
feeds daily).
58%
38%
Millennials
Gen X
Boomers
110
Additional effects of the rapid growth of shared food experiences is that

cooks especially millennial cooks are preparing more meals at
home, feeling more confident about their cooking, cooking healthier
meals, and eating more adventurously.
HOW DOES YOUR COOKING ACTIVITY

TODAY COMPARE TO A YEAR AGO?
Millennials
Non-Millennials
Cooking more meals at home
76%
55%
A more confident cook
63%
37%
Cooking healthier foods
51%
47%
More adventurous cook
43%
33%
For grocery brands seeking to

connect and influence the purchase
behaviors of these cooks, this is
good news. These cooks are not
only stocking up their kitchens with
more products more often, they are
also more likely to be advocating
for the branded recipes and food
products they like best.
In terms of what's next or how far
we think the power of shared food
experiences can go, the activity
we're witnessing now is likely only
scratching the surface of what's
possible. Smart Kitchen
technologies (IoT) where
sensors allow devices,
appliances, gadgets, shopping
carts, vehicles and more to
connect and exchange data to
deliver very personalized,
simplified cooking experiences
is extremely promising. With half
of millennial cooks surveyed in
Allrecipes 2015 Smart Kitchen
Technologies responding that they
'Love new technology, and am the
first to purchase new gadgets' we
have every reason to think we are
just now starting to see the impact
of where the influence of a shared
food experiences can go.
HOW DOES YOUR COOKING ACTIVITY

TODAY COMPARE TO A YEAR AGO?
Millennials
Non-Millennials
More likely to
recommend
recipes
36%
41%
More likely to
recommend
food product
24%
31%
112
Online recipes:
What factors
best promote
sharing?
Erin Dorr
Vice President,
Digital & Social Strategy,
MSLGROUP
@edorr
Most marketers today understand

that recommendations from friends,
family and those they trust impact
consumers purchasing decisions.
This is particularly true when it comes
to food. Recipes (or food ideas in
general) have long been shared
among families and communities,
often passed around by word of
mouth or written down by hand on
recipe cards. With the advent of the
internet and social media, recipes
(used broadly here to include all
how-to-videos and other multimedia)
are one of the most shared content
types, and those recommendations
are driving consumers to make new
dishes and explore different culinary
experiences.
89% of U.S. Grocery buyers are very willing or somewhat

willing to make a recipe or meal they havent cooked
before based on a recommendation on social media.
Source: The Retail Feedback Group, October 2015
Product inclusion in an oftshared or hero recipe can

drive incremental sales.
Furthermore, this is the type of
content that women, whove
been traditional driving forces
behind food sales, desire from
food brands 79% of U.S.
online women to be exact,
according to a Sep 2015 study
from SheSpeaks.
Whether its a tried and true
traditional holiday dish, or a
creation that incorporates new
food trends, there are several
factors that influence sharing
to keep in mind when
developing new recipes or
creating recipe content.
Recommendation | Online recipes: What factors best promote sharing?
114
Make it
remarkable
Compelling creative is one of
the most important indicators of
success. Your recipe content
should be remarkable, as in
worthy of a remark if its
worthy of a remark, its
share-worthy. Whether still
photography, a gif or video, the
content must stand out and be
developed with your audience
in mind, and oftentimes that
doesnt mean that the food has
to look perfect or have high
production value (a lot of food
porn doesnt have a highly paid
food stylist involved). Take time
to think about the creative
strategy and aesthetic for your
brands recipe content.
Whats
cooking?
Popular independent YouTube channels like The

Sweetest Vegan and Laura in the Kitchen present
easy-to-follow recipes in short, entertaining videos.
Show, dont tell

Todays consumers, especially
millennials, arent necessarily
following step-by-step recipes, and
prefer quick, easy food ideas shown
by video or even gifs.
CHERRY
TOMATOES
PEPPERS
CHILLIES
SALT
116
Must be
seasonally
relevant
Recipes are often shared for
certain occasions or
holidays. The usual suspect
holidays are still
extremely important, but also
consider creating content
around consumer-created
occasions like Friendsgiving
or Holiday cookie swaps, or
tap into seasonal partyplanning trends.
Image Source: https://www.thrillist.com/recipe/

nation/ramen-crust-pizza-thrillist-recipes
Get on trend
Leverage food, consumption and flavor trends, and ensure your
recipe content meets the changing tastes of your target consumer.
Watch that youre on the right side of the trend arc food mash-ups
(think: the cronut, or baking a pie into a cake) still delight and awe
the internet, but may start to tire consumers after a while.
118
Who is it coming from?

Consumers are more likely to share content from someone they
trust online, and more and more people are finding their recipes
from digital influencers. Do your research: find those digital food
influencers your target audience trusts, start building a partnership
with them and turn them into brand advocates.
Influencer
marketing drives
11x more ROI than
other forms of
digital media.
Source: Nielsen, TapInfluence and White Wave Foods
Where is it?
Where you distribute your food
content will factor into its
shareability quotient. Who is your
target audience, where are they
going for recipe content and where
are they sharing it?
Facebook and Pinterest are the two
top social media platforms for recipe
content for US online women

(see chart below).
often get 30-40 million views in just a

couple days, are optimized for the
platform and their millennial-minded
audience. They are quick, useful and
no sound is needed to understand
the recipe steps.
Once you have your channel strategy

developed, optimize your content for
those channels. For example, Tastys
mega-popular 30-60 second how-to
recipe videos on Facebook, which
Social Media Sites that US Female Internet Users Visit for Info/Opinions on Meals,
Snacks or Recipes, by Age, Sep 2015
% of respondents in each group
NONE
Note: n = 2,767
18-24
25-34
35-45
46-55
55+
Total
61%
64%
66%
65%
56%
64%
78%
71%
65%
58%
45%
62%
47%
35%
26%
24%
17%
27%
33%
32%
25%
21%
16%
24%
46%
36%
25%
15%
7%
23%
13%
7%
4%
3%
1%
4%
8%
10%
14%
19%
26%
16%
Source: SheSpeaks, The Social Food Journey: Insights on Women Consumers Path to Consumption, Sep 24, 2015
www.eMarketer.com
120
100
Capturing Share
of Mouth in the
Subscription
FoodService
Marketplace
Americans are increasingly wary
of the nutrition of processed
foods. However, many are too
time-starved to whip up a
homemade meal. Enter the
subscription foodservice as a
solution, offering nutritious and
delicious foods in customizable
options, delivered automatically
to your doorstep.
Brianne Killinger
Vice President,
MSLGROUP
@beege
Worldwide revenues from

fresh food subscriptions
will top $10 billion by 2020.
Source: Technomic
Companies including Blue Apron,

Hello Fresh and Plated have
introduced a model offering total
convenience weekly shipments of
foods pre-measured in a handy
mis en place fashion, ready for some
quick searing and enjoyment. Theyre
also offering the experience of
something new whether its
ingredients like yuzu juice and garam
masala or previously untried cooking
techniques like braising. And there
are options abound with preferences
for couples or families, vegetarian or
gluten-free and even wine pairings.
Technomic, a food-industry
consulting firm, predicts that
worldwide revenues from fresh food
subscriptions will top $10 billion by
2020. However, numerous brands
are competing for a piece of the
home food budget and its unknown
how large the addressable market is
for these types of services.
Furthermore, retention can be a big
issue as consumer fatigue sets in
quickly if a brand missteps with
poor shipping or food quality.
Even a few weeks of churning out
menu items perceived as boring
can lead to cancellations.
Appetite Appeal | Capturing share of mouth in the subscription foodservice marketplace
122
So how can a food brand

with the subscription
model stand out?
Establish and
maintain trust
While on-demand food delivery
services like Amazon PrimeNow and
Instacart also capture share among
busy consumers, people look to
subscription food services to curate
ready-made food experiences.
Clearly indicate via communication
channels and your packaging what
customers can expect and deliver
that at all times. Make a mistake?
Communicate it early and provide a
way for customers to give feedback.
Whats
cooking?
Vegetarian and vegan food delivery service Vegin' Out provides

pre-made meals that customers can customize as per their tastes.
Find your value proposition and dig in

While variety is the spice of life,
consumers can be resistant to
change. If your brand made a name
for itself by bringing paleo food to the
masses, dont ease up. Stay up on
trends to keep the freshness alive but
dont stray too far away from your

mission statement. If your customer
has low confidence that youre the
expert on whatever niche offering you
provide, theyll look to another
alternative that speaks to them.
Appetite Appeal | Capturing share of mouth in the subscription foodservice marketplace
124
Listen and adjust

to your audience
A passionate and vocal fan base is
your best resource when competing
with multi-million dollar CPG
companies with years of research
and testing at their fingertips. Listen
to your customers often through
social media and brand research
studies to learn what tweaks you can
make to stay relevant. The Millennial
is said to be one of the largest
audiences for food subscription
services. However, as millennials age
and some become parents, dinner for
two is no longer enough. Brands like
Blue Apron are adjusting by offering
family plans with larger portions and
ingredients friendly to a childs palate.
Similarly, with snacking on the rise,
NatureBox changed its business
model from monthly shipments to
customizable size and delivery
options.
As more Americans look to seamless
and convenient options for food,
subscription models will no doubt
continue to gain momentum. With
these tools, brands looking to
leverage this business model
can get ahead and stay there.
Activating Recommendation
Word of mouth is perhaps one of the most powerful marketing tools online. Food companies
battling for consumer mindshare online can employ several creative tools to turn passive,
everyday consumers to vocal brand advocates.
Make food
cool and
shareworthy
Food is an everyday part
of existence why would
anybody talk about
something that's so
routine? Making your
communication around
food promotions,
recipes, product
information, etc.
enjoyable enough to make
consumers want to share
it with their peers is half
the battle won.
Enable easy
sharing of food
messages
across the web
When people want to
draw their friends'
attention to something
online a recipe or food
photograph, for instance
quick access to crossplatform sharing options
will make the process
hassle-free and
successful for them.
Show people
how to 'do'
food
Partner
with food
influencers
Knowing a little more than

the average person about
food has already become
'cool', thanks to the
popularity of food-related
entertainment over the
past decade. People are
interested in the creation
of food show them how
to go about it (read
recipes) in fun, interesting
and easy ways.
The celebrity status enjoyed

by well-known chefs and
food presenters speaks
volumes about the
'desirability' factor of food
expertise. Having a popular
chef or other food celebrity
on board as an ambassador
can significantly help brand
popularity with consumers.
Recommendation | Activating Recommendation in the Conversation Age
126
Appetite
Appeal
Its no news that consumers tastes and food preferences are evolving at a fast rate.
A growing number of people are making significant lifestyle changes to
accommodate different dietary habits, for a variety of reasons ranging from health
consciousness to ethical concerns. The increasing number of people who adopt a
vegan/gluten-free diet, for instance, demonstrates the power and increasing
relevance of the global food movement. As consumers shift to newer dietary
preferences, theyre also taking their food into their own hands, so to speak.
More and more people are open to being an active part in the preparation of their
food the phenomenal popularity of food-based entertainment, especially in the
past decade, demonstrates this.
Food networks, by bringing gourmet cooking to consumers television sets, have
made the very act of cooking cool and trendy. The celebrity status and fan
following enjoyed by chefs is indicative of how significantly the chapter on cooking
has been rewritten. While consumer attitudes to consumption and cooking continue
to change, those in the food business should evaluate if their approach is
consumer-friendly from every angle. As brands to whom consumers will turn to in
order to explore their newly-adopted tastes, are food companies making the
transition easier for the new consumer palette? Are they being given enough
options that facilitate the innovation they seek to achieve in their kitchens? Food
companies need to constantly innovate to keep up to complement changing
consumer food behaviors if theyre not where the consumers are, there is very
little chance of resonating with them in the long run.
Building the next culinary dream:

Communicating foods appetite appeal
for today & tomorrow
Mimi Bonnett
Director, Food and Drink Reports
01
Diana Kelter
Foodservice Analyst
Jeannette Ornelas
Social Media Analyst
Six Consumption Drivers | Appetite Appeal
128
Building the next

culinary dream:
Communicating foods
appetite appeal for
today & tomorrow
Mimi Bonnett
Diana Kelter
Jeannette Ornelas
Director, Food and

Drink Reports
Foodservice Analyst
Social Media Analyst
@dkelter
@Jornelas2
@mimibonnett
It's no secret that we're living in a

foodie world. The hashtag
#foodporn has 90 million Instagram
posts and counting. People have an
enormous appetite for content about
food they have the same hunger for
a video about how to make a donut
sundae as the sundae itself. And as
people seek out balance, they're
tasting new types of foods, testing
out different diets and new-to-them
culinary techniques, all putting a
bigger spotlight on the chef and the
home kitchen. Vegan for a day and
trying multi-cultural cuisines the next,
consumers are balancing diets that
include items like the diet-friendly
kombucha, but have room for
indulgences as well.
Mintel, the world's leading market

intelligence agency, routinely tracks
trends which aid in forecasting the
future. With global reach across
thousands of sectors, Mintel works
directly with clients in a variety of
industries to provide expert analysis
of consumer data and market
research to help move businesses
forward. We conducted a Q&A with
top food and beverage experts from
Mintel to find out how food and

beverage companies can continue to
drive share through appetite appeal
and sensory considerations.
The hashtag
#foodporn has
90 million Instagram
posts and counting.
Source: Instagram
Perhaps this hyper spotlight on food

is why the short-form, beautifully
produced recipe video has risen to
such popularity. In 2015 alone, food
videos generated close to 11 billion
views on Youtube. For groups like
millennials who are largely painted to
be obsessed with all things food, but
mindful of their health, is watching
food content a zero-calorie
indulgence? Or is it the sensory
experience of food videos which
draws them in? With the advent of
media-rich communication platforms
like Facebook and Instagram and
newer vehicles like virtual reality,
brands will test new strategies to gain
iconic status while promoting food's
sensory appeal.
Appetite Appeal | Building the next culinary dream: Communicating foods appetite appeal for today & tomorrow
130
People's Insights:
Tell us some of the history

behind brands leveraging the
five senses for marketing
purposes, and what potential
does the future hold for this?
Mimi: Brands have been using multisensory techniques to connect with
consumers for decades. One of the
most iconic examples is the CocaCola contour bottle invented in 1915.
The bottles shape, along with the
dynamic ribbon, has been used
worldwide, for decades, to create a
smashable effect, connecting the
two images in consumers minds.
With established and emerging
platforms like social media and
Virtual Reality, brands have more
opportunity than ever before in
intimately engaging consumers with
the food story.
People's Insights:
Whats next for communication

as it relates to the taste and
look of food?
Mimi: Virtual reality will play a role in
the form of cooking tutorials featuring
chefs connected to brands or
perhaps helping the shopping
experience or decision making
process.
In 2015 alone, food

videos generated
close to 11 billion
views on YouTube.
Source: Tubular Labs & Google
People's Insights:
Is there another emerging

vehicle or medium that will
change the face of home
cooking like the advent of food
blogging? How strongly does
social media fit into the
picture?
Jeannette: Social media and mobile
trends are changing the way we
consume content and blurring lines
between categories; for example, the
intersection of food and travel.
Tastemade, a food and travel video
network built for mobile, hit the 100
million monthly active users mark in
2015, with more than 1 billion
monthly views. On Facebook alone,
Tastemade grew its audience from
around 100,000 fans to more than
5.7 million.
Diana: Look at the way Snapchat
has grown. It is already starting to
become the next Instagram in terms
of diners sharing their meals, but it
can have broader implications if
chefs start leveraging it to showcase
the meal preparation process.
132
People's Insights:
How might changes in

technology impact food
marketing efforts?
Mimi: As technology advances,
food sensory marketing
techniques become more direct.
Recently, Oscar Mayer has
developed an iPhone app that will
actually waft the smell of bacon
through the air as your alarm clock
signals so you literally wake up to
the smell of bacon. The California
Milk Board has created cookiescented bus stops in San Francisco.
And now Haagen-Dazs has created
their Symphony app, featuring songs
that are perfectly in sync with the
product melt time so the moment the
musics over, youre ready to enjoy
your ice cream.
People's Insights:
How do you think

developments in social
technology affect consumers
behaviors? Would you say it
influences their attitudes
toward the foodservice space?
Diana: Social media has certainly
influenced consumer attitudes
toward the foodservice space.
Instagram, for example, plays a huge
role in the foodservice space its
driving an increasing preference for
destination dining. We find that
consumers are more willing to wait in
lines and drive further for specific
dishes and specific menu items that
catch their fancy.
Whats
cooking?
Annies, General Mills organic unit, introduced a line of

yogurts targeted at children in 2016.
People's Insights:
Chefs, home cooks, growerchefs, chef-nutritionists,

experts..the list of culinary
influencers is long. Whom do
consumers trust when it comes
to culinary leadership?
Mimi: Older generations are still
trading on the advice of celebrity
chefs. But millennials prefer more
grassroots and peer leadership.
While popular in previous years,
today when a celebrity chef partners
with a large brand, it may end up
back firing.
Diana: Highly acclaimed chefs now
feel more accessible and personable
than ever before and that is driving
more of a direct trust relationship
between chef and consumer. This is
being seen through Netflix
documentaries and higher caliber
chefs offering meals that are
affordable to the masses, such as
David Chang and Rick Bayless.
134
People's Insights:
Its been seen that consumers are more

vocal now about food-related
citizenship. What role can those in the
foodservice sector play in addressing
this rising food activism?
Jeannette: More and more consumers are
seeking out information about how their food
is made and where it comes from. This is
especially true of millennials, who view their
food choices as a personal reflection of
themselves. Chefs have a unique part to play
as they connect producers and consumers,
serving as cultural icons that are not only
shaping food culture, but changing
perceptions of what a gourmet meal is. For
example, Dan Barber, chef at Blue Hill at
Stone Barns in New York, educates his
patrons about where their food comes from
and the good agricultural practices required to
produce it.
People's Insights:
Whats the next big food trend that you

think will go viral due to its sensory
appeal?
Mimi: Millennials and the iGeneration really
seem to connect with mashups, but are driven
by healthy alternatives. Some sort of hybrid of
these may be the next sensation.
Diana: Hybrid bakery items still continue to
engage interest, such as the donut cone for
ice cream. The pizza inside of a pizza also
gained viral attention. Indulgence (such as the
Cronut) and visual appeal (rain drop cake,
rainbow bagels) are integral to a viral trend.
Millennials and the

iGeneration really seem to
connect with mashups, but
are driven by healthy
alternatives. Some sort of
hybrid of these may be the
next sensation.
136
Activating Appetite Appeal

With ever-changing diets and eating habits, culinary innovation can go a long way in driving food consumption.
The food industry is at the beginning of a flavor overhaul, and inspired culinary ideas can significantly help in
igniting word of mouth among consumers.
GL
UT
EN
-F
RE
Create
an inclusive
menu/food line
for all palettes
More and more people are
adopting a wide range of
diets foods that are
vegan, paleo, gluten-free,
etc. are becoming
increasingly popular. Make
these diets an important
consideration while
designing your restaurant
menu/food delivery
business or developing
your snack products.
Innovate
with
flavors
Consumers respond well
to new, creative food
preparations. Make the
dining experience
exciting, interesting and
outlandish, even.
Introduce consumers to
new flavors while
respecting their existing
likes and dislikes.
Adapt to local
tastes
When introducing a new
flavor or variant to a
market, ensure that it
complements existing
culinary preferences. It
becomes easier for
consumers to adopt
something when it goes
well with what they like
and are used to.
Capitalize
on food
programming
Food-related entertainment
has gained phenomenal
popularity worldwide, and
with good reason. People
love watching food being
prepared, and the more
elaborate it is, the better.
Tie up with food
entertainment networks to
creatively bring your brand
to the consumers television
set, and ultimately, their
shopping mind.
Global Food Trends

Predictions
Food trends have until now been

forecast across specific geographies.
Now, trends increasingly sweep the
globe. Sure, there remain local tastes,
but across societies, we have a
common stake in climate, health and
safety. Food and beverage marketers
will benefit from closely watching these
worldwide food movements that
are already under way.
Global Food Trends Predictions
138
The Rise of
Climatarians
Climate change and epic droughts are triggering

widespread conservation. Next, consumers will adopt
water-conscious diets, alert to the water impact of various
foods and kitchen practices. Brands and crops will tout
smarter water use and irrigation. At home, look for
kitchen composting and smart dishwashing.
As urban populations worldwide continue to

boom, city roofs will become mini
agricultural centers, and communities will
devise vertical farms, container farms and
other creative solutions that escalate the
local foods movement.
Food Waste
Disruption
Shameful levels of food waste, now exposed, will

compel interventions. Misshapen vegetables and
bruised fruits, at bargain prices, will widely appear in
farmers' markets and grocery stores under the #uglyfood
banner. The movement will even bolster canned and
preserved foods. Activists will equate wasted food to
wasted water, adding further urgency for action.
As faith in Big Food erodes internationally,

food companies large and small will earn
consumer trust by engaging consumers in
product development, stripping down ingredient
labels and disclosing ingredient origins and
production methods to satisfy even the most
demanding consumers.
Microbial
Menus
Agriculture
Everywhere
Expect booming demand for fermented (and tasty)

foods, such as kimchi, yogurt and sauerkraut. Eaten as
part of a balanced diet, foods rich in good bacteria can
promote a healthier human microbiome and thereby
improve ones mental and physical health. They may
even promote sustainable weight loss.
Radical
Transparency

EXPO Milan: Evaluation of its success and
forecast of its legacy
Elena Zaco
Senior Account Executive,
MSLGROUP Italy
Looking Forward: Dining on Driverless Cars

Steve Bryant
Director, Food & Beverage Marketing;
Managing Director, MSLGROUP Seattle
140
EXPO Milan:
Evaluation of
its success
and forecast
of its legacy
Elena Zaco
Senior Account
Executive,
MSLGROUP Italy
The idea of an international community

that discusses global issues is an old one,
one that dates back to the eighteenth
century. Throughout centuries this
approach has never stopped influencing
collective thinking, society, arts, education,
international relationships, and so on. 2015
experienced one of these big global
events, and its final judgment has been
largely positive.
Hosted in Milan, Italy, EXPO 2015 was
dedicated to the inalienable right to food of
each Earth inhabitant.
Relying upon a pay-off that stated

Energy for Life, Feeding the Planet,
Milan experienced six intense months
of exhibition from May 1 to October
31 with shows, roundtables,
conferences, research presentations,
influential statements about
technology, innovation, culture,
traditions and creativity, all of them
linked to food.
There are 800

million starving
people in the world.
Source: The United Nations
With 148 exhibiting countries, the

involvement of international
organizations such as UNO, a variety
of contributions and impressive
foresight and vision from some of the
biggest worldwide brands, the event
saw more than 21 million attendees,
well above the estimate of the
organizing company. Also many
influential people like Ban Ki-moon,
Michelle Obama, 60 heads of states
and Prime Ministers, among others,
visited the EXPO.
With respect to the EXPO, crucial
questions to be evaluated by
communications experts will be:
(I) What will the EXPO 2015 do for
public opinion about worldwide
events like these?
(ii) Have the topics supported
and exhibited at EXPO 2015
become more understandable?
Let's look at some figures that can
help define a context. During the six
EXPO months, social media and
social networks recorded 6.2 million
posts about the event, shared by
more than 1.2 million users. On the
Image Credit: Pavel L Photo and Video / Shutterstock.com
other hand, after the closing of

EXPO, a survey promoted by an
NGO shows interesting results half
of the Italians surveyed aren't much
aware about hunger as a worldwide
issue. According to 39% of the
people interviewed, 1.6 to 3 billion
of people are starving, while the
UNO estimates that starvation is an
issue for 800 million people. On the
flipside, while there are 2 billion
obese people in the world today,
Italians believe that the figures are
much smaller.
These figures, if only partially,

demonstrate how the EXPO used to
be often perceived as a great shopwindow promoting products,
countries and brands. The challenge
for the EXPO, and indeed other
global change-making events like it,
is to change public opinion to regard
these events as generators of
awareness and engines of
intellectual curiosity.
Future of Food Special | EXPO Milan: Evaluation of its success and forecast of its legacy
142
Right to Food
as a universal
Human Right
The Milan Chart, the final EXPO
document, according to Italian
President of the Republic Sergio
Mattarella, states the right to food
and water as essential part of a wider
right to life, a right that from now on
cannot be disregarded when you
evaluate the application of the
universal human rights.
A really wide communication effort is
needed to inform, raise perception,
and consolidate the EXPO 2015
heritage, which the Milan Chart could
significantly help achieve.
Image Credit: Artigone Pumsirisawas / Shutterstock.com
The challenge for the EXPO, and indeed

other global change-making events like it,
is to change public opinion to regard these
events as generators of awareness and
engines of intellectual curiosity.
Future of Food Special | EXPO Milan: Evaluation of its success and forecast of its legacy
144
LOOKING FORWARD:
Dining on
Driverless
Cars
Steve Bryant,
Director, Food & Beverage
Marketing; Managing Director,
MSLGROUP Seattle
@SteveBryantLive
On-board
equipment
Microwaves, coffee makers,
induction heating pads, and mini
fridges could soon be mainstream
in the personal auto space.
Picture something like the galley
on a small boat, then add a 3D
food printer.
Driverless (or autonomous) cars have been a

subject of fascination, but there is so far little
commentary on its implication for eating. We
believe the effect could be profound, as driving
hands are freed up to prepare and enjoy meals on
the road. It requires little imagination to picture
ever longer commutes giving way to full-scale
breakfast and dinner en auto.
Think popcorn on date nights. A microwaved
potato for carb loading on game day. Hot coffee
without a Starbucks stop.
We're already eating en route, but picture a virtual
pantry and kitchen on wheels as our wheels
shuttle us across town. Talk about Fast Food!
In reality, reliable hands-free driving is still quite
a ways off, but it's not too early for food and
beverage strategists to plan for the wave of
innovations these vehicles will help drive.
Future of Food Special | Looking Forward: Dining on driverless cars
146
118
On-dash biometrics
Where could driverless
cars and food lead to?
Joy Blakeslee, a
with MSLGROUP,
helped us brainstorm
some possibilities:
Envisioning health and nutrition trackers

in cars is not farfetched. Imagine your car
monitoring your pulse and advising
against a third cup of coffee. Or how
about a verbal cue that the chocolate
donut sent your blood sugar sky high?
Encouragement could be a standard
feature: Good job. You've lost three
pounds!
Drop-down dinner tables

Built in to doors/back panels of seats, this
could perhaps be the best bet for restoring
good old family dinners.
Preboarding of meals
What could be more practical?
Your car travels without you to pick
up a meal so it's fresh and hot for
your commute. Alternately, a
service drops off a meal on
schedule or on demand at your car,
wherever it might be parked,
making you ready to roll and dine.
On-board equipment
Microwaves, coffee makers, induction
heating pads, and mini fridges could soon be
mainstream in the personal auto space.
Picture something like the galley on a small
boat, then add a 3D food printer.
Minibars
Once autonomous cars
prove to be absolutely
foolproof, this could very
well be a reality. Yes, we
said it. Drinking and
driving could be a thing
of the future.
Future of Food Special | Looking Forward: Dining on driverless cars
148
Conclusion: The All-Natural,

High Tech Future of Food
Steve Bryant,
@SteveBryantLive
The present paradox is that food

consumers are reverting to the
simplicity and trustworthiness of
naturally grown foods fresh from the
farm while at the same time
benefitting from rapidly developing
technologies that address the
demands of urban living and the
values of highly informed food and
beverage consumers. The resulting
tensions will require nuanced
communications that help consumers
navigate this new world and its
unprecedented range of choices.
om
In reality, these are not opposing

movements.
Image
i
Cred
n
uo
anh
t: xu
o/
gh
Sh
.c
ck
to
rs
e
utt
Opportunities for
Food Technology
Food technology can help
bring us foods that are safe
without preservatives,
colorful without dyes, and
flavorful without artificial
ingredients
Biological technology
promises to deliver plantbased nutrition that allows
us to maintain our blood
lust for a juicy burger
Biotechnology will help us

feed a burgeoning
population and adapt to an
altered climate
Packing and distribution

technology are putting
ready-to-eat food easily in
reach at any time
Digital communications
technology helps us
discover foods, refine our
tastes, and determine
which foods meet our
particular needs and
values, however specific
Agricultural technology now

helps us to harvest fresh
food practically anywhere
Nutrigenomic technology
will help us understand
which foods to favor and
avoid for our personal
benefit
Conclusion: The all-natural, high tech future of food
150
Technology holds incredible promise

and consumers are excited about it.
Still, effective communications will be
required to explain new technologies,
cultivate trust in unseen innovations,
and popularize new ways of eating.
When it goes right, everyone wins.
But in a time when knowledge of, and
trust in, science has ebbed, this task
is not without complications.
Take, for example, the genetic
modification of food. Most scientists
and policy makers agree that it is
highly beneficial and in fact essential
to our future food supply, yet
consumers remain suspicious. Some
say that's because the introduction of
the technology largely left them out of
the conversation, and its early
benefits tomatoes that would not
go bad, crops that could fight weeds
seemed to favor industry more
than consumers.
For another example, turn to baby
food, a category that was
revolutionized by the introduction of
pouch packaging, a technical solution
that made mom's life easier and
empowered babies to feed
themselves. The pouches are
plastic, and not recyclable, yet
moms are voting in huge numbers
for this technology, which was
introduced with an emphasis on
organic ingredients from smallerscale producers.
In each case, storytelling was a key
determinant in the acceptance of
the technology. And storytelling
will be pivotal to the adoption of
new technologies that will fuel
our food futures.
The wide range of global insights shared in this report look closely at
emerging food and communications technology, with an emphasis on how
various factors influence consumer consumption and behaviors.
For communicators and marketers looking to leverage this trend to

capture share of mouth, some key storytelling lessons emerge:
Transparency
The escalating pace of change,
and the growing scale of
global food enterprises
can spawn consumer
suspicion, making
transparency essential for
winning acceptance. Food
makers who embrace
transparency will win
share through enhanced
reputations, heightened
demand and more
rapid adoption.
Personalization
The more consumers know
and the more choices they
have, the more likely they are
to prefer, even demand
personal solutions that are the
closest possible match for their
tastes, values, health needs,
and sensory desires. This
phenomenon can fuel a high
degree of market
segmentation, but it also
opens up opportunities for
food makers and retailers
who can closely personalize
their offers and stories.
Innovation
It's essential to sustain
a brand and company,
whether that means
taking a brand like Oreo
and evolving it endlessly,
offering an endless parade
of varieties, or in some
cases more and new
ways to enjoy a beloved
brand. Winning brands
will innovate faster over
time as options proliferate
for consumers.
Communications will tell those
innovation stories, but also
contribute engaging content
and media innovations.
Mobility
Food and beverage
consumption is going mobile
at roughly the same pace as
communications technology.
Consumers on the move
require food on the move,
as well as positioned or
delivered everywhere
they might need it. This
heightens the value of
mobility in food and beverage
communications, and
requires smart storytelling to
highlight food mobility
innovations.
CREATIVE TEAM
Ankita Thobias
Sr. Copywriter
Ashish Shah
Sr. Design Director
Darshit Mahajan
Asst. Manager
Imran Memon
Sr. Graphic Designer
Nikhil Mehta
Sr. Visualizer
Roselynn Raj
Creative Specialist
Tapan Bhatt
Sr. Art Director
Vipul Barot
Sr. Graphic Designer
Write to us to start a conversation on how we can help you distill actionable

insights and foresights from conversations and communities.
Pascal Beucler
Steve Bryant
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer

(pascal.beucler@mslgroup.com)

(steve.bryant@mslgroup.com)
Melanie Joe
Consultant Research & Insights
(melanie.joe@mslgroup.com)
Some images from shutterstock.com
With more than 3,000 people across close to 100 offices worldwide, MSLGROUP is
also the largest PR network in Europe, fast-growing China and India. The group
offers strategic planning and counsel, insight-guided thinking and big, compelling
ideas - followed by thorough execution.
Designed by MSLGROUP CREATIVE+
MSLGROUP is Publicis Groupes strategic communications and engagement

group, advisors in all aspects of communication strategy; from consumer PR to
financial communications, from public affairs to reputation management and from
crisis communications to experiential marketings and events.

The Future of Food Communications

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

The Future of Food Communications

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

INDEX

Making the communication matter: imagery, words and

Share of Mouth in the Conversation Age

Six Consumption Drivers for Winning Share of Mouth

Health & Wellness

Reputation & Advocacy

Activating Appetite Appeal in the Conversation Age

Global Food Trends Predictions

Future of Food Special

About the People's Insights series

Our Insights Reports Include:

The Future of Creativity

A Chance for Change

The Future of Business

) Twitter icons throughout this report to tweet the quote highlighted.

The Future of Reputation

capabilities of advertising in order to drive brand lift

One cannot think

THE FUTURE OF FOOD &20081,&$7,216

Analyzing food conversations on the web

Understanding and monitoring what is at stake is

Nutrition as food turned

Nutrition as the "clear