FeelGoodFood

Trends and Business Opportunities at the crossroads between Feeling Good and Food

Terja Kuuri-Riutta, Esa Wrang & Ines SeidelFinpro, May 2008

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Feel Good Food - Ingredients

1. Goal + Methodology

2. Food Trends

3. Discussion

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Methodology: From Signals to Opportunities

Signal

collection

Pattern/Trend

Recognition

Analysis light – Ad

hoc-Opportunities and

illustrative samples

Bazaar Culture

Done by Finpro

Network with help

of sharing platform

Done by Foresight

& Industry TeamDeeper Analysis

can be a next step

Compassion Food

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Feel Good Food - Ingredients

1. Goal + Methodology

2. Food Trends

3. Discussion

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Food Experience relates to 4 major consumer concerns

Word clouds created with wordle

As the economic situation increases

uncertainty and fear, traditional values

and activities bring back stability and

assurance – especially in relation to food!

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Opportunities

• Value proposition: durable, heritage,

authentic, solid, traditional, natural,

saving, family, home

• Enable traditions : e.g. how-to guides for

food preservation; traditional recipes,

„grow-your-own soup“ kits,…

• Marketing: Retro packaging; partnering

with nostalgic brands

Fresh TraditionsSuccessful Retro cereal

packaging by General Mills

celebrated as “providing comfort

kitchen art” (BrandWeek, Mar

2009)

…a café that combines eating

out with knitting

This trend is a result of both the desire to

experience something special (and not

something franchised) with the desire to enjoy

food in a sustainable (& affordable) way: The

“100-Mile-Diet” or “underground” restaurants in

unusual places are typical manifestations.

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Opportunities

• Be proud of the local: Regional recipes in

modern outfit, unusual local catering venues,

seasonal food, seasonal traditions

• Local Sourcing made public: regionally

branded food, enable bonding with local

producer

• Exporting Local Experience - especially as

travelling to the real location is out of reach

Local Experience

Pop-Up Restaurant in a Redwodd

Tree (New Zealand)

Get to know farmers of your Iglo

frozen spinach on the web

(Germany)

In the Canadian

bestseller The 100-

Mile-Diet (2007) a

couple narrates how

they ate only food

from their own region

for one year

The financial crisis destroyed the belief in a

reliable value of money. Price comparison or

price negotation become routine. Buying on a

farmer’s market and dining with friends at

home are serious competition to food

retail/catering.

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Opportunities

• Play the Bazaar Game: street markets, pop-up

stores and restaurants, home selling, auctions

(also in B2B), partnering directy with producers

• Pricing: Enable flexible pricing, price

comparison; Alternatives to money?

• Differentiate from the Bazaar: with added

value/experience (see other trends)

Bazaar Culture

Covent Garden Real Food Market

(UK)– has become so popular since

its launch in 2007 that this year it's

running for four months rather than

the usual one month

The downturn means not only smaller

budgets but also mental pressure for many

people. Food providers and restaurants can

emotionally bond with their consumers by

showing some compassion.

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Opportunities

• Show Compassion: Free extras (e.g.

during special times), compassion

marketing , compassion as a core value

• Offering: comfort food, rustic food

• Enable compassion: allow consumers to

help others e.g. by partnering with charity,

donating part of sales for social cause

Compassion Food

"We're giving 5 dollars-off

coupons and every now and then

a buy one get one" – Highland

Grill owner, U.S. (Feb 2009)

Modern technology is used to make grocery

shopping, cooking and eating out more

convenient and more fun for consumers who are

increasingly used to “living digitally”.

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Opportunities

• Use digital media e.g. for being found,

getting rated, announce special

occasions, make food tracking

transparent…

• Monitor social media to learn what

consumers talk about (about you!) and

engage with them

Convenience 2.0

Tool for alerting costumers

when their table is ready

Screenshot from McRib Locator,

a crowdsourcing project initiated

by a McRib enthusiast.

In a post-consumerist society, status is no

longer derived from owning things but from

experiencing something special. Food

Experience can be as exclusive as dining in

a dark restaurant – but even customizing a

burger can be a value adding experience!

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Opportunities

• Offering: enable customization,

personalization, exclusivity, limited

offers

• Marketing: Focus on sensual appeal

of food, experience of eating or

preparing food

• Cooperation: unusual partnerships

Status Experience Dark Restaurants – Dining

blindfolded can be enjoyed for

instance in Beijing, Moscow, London,

New York, Prague,…

Almond Pudding in Manga Fan Shop (Japan)

Consumers are worried about healthy eating –

and information overload is only making it more

complicated to eat the right thing. Food

scandals around the world as well as the costs

of food-related diseases have increased

regulation (and will continue to do so).

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Opportunities

• Be ahead of the regulation: Fulful coming

regulation criteria already today

• Build trust: transparent food tracking for

consumers, open communication with

consumers, easy to comprehend

labels/certificates

Safe to Eat

Enter barcode number on website and

find out where, when and by whom the

jam was made

Being (or at least appearing) young,

sportive and healthy adds to a person’s

self-esteem – in private life as well as in

working life. Food that boosts fitness or

prevents diseases perfectly fits this lifestyle.

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Opportunities

• Help to stay fit: functional food, „brain

food“, anti-age-food, food for

athletes,…

• Marketing: Awareness for

health/fitness can be used in

marketing

Health Enhancement

Both health concerns and a growing sense of

responsibility for the environment and the

wellbeing of others have an impact on what

people prefer to eat. Consumers are

increasingly sensitive of sustainable production

and logistics. Nevertheless: Organic food can

still be stylish and convenient!

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Opportunities

• Eco experience: organic food, slow

food, local food, eco-friendly packaging

• Know your partners: malpractice can

ruin reputation

• Be active: Save resources, support

communities - and speak about it

Sustainable Food

Häagen Dasz supports Honey Bee

Protection with a campaign (e.g. about bee-

friendly gardening), a share of sales funds

research of sustainable pollination…

(screenshot)

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Feel Good Food - Ingredients

1. Goal + Methodology

2. Food Trends

3. Discussion

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Summary: Main trends on the list of consumers

Which ones should be investigated more?

•Fresh Traditions

•Local Experience

•Bazaar Culture

•Compassion Food

•Convenience 2.0

•Status Experience

•Safe to Eat

•Health Enhancement

•Sustainable Food

Picture notepad courtesy of ilco

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Thank-you!

Finpro

Life Sciences & Foresight

www.finpro.fi