You’ve probably heard the saying: “You can’t build a strong house on a weak foundation.”

In our industry, this means you can’t build a winning strategy with insufficient insights. Understanding historical context, emerging trends, and culture at large is a vital part of the equation.

Our team has been tracking patterns across consumer culture and key topical areas in the food and beverage industry for over 30 years, helping us build a deep library of knowledge that fuels everything we do.

Insights at work: New generations

For example, our latest research on Gen Z highlighted how current cultural factors, like the rise of e-commerce and growing emphasis on sustainable business practices, have cemented authenticity as a core value for these consumers.

A key implication that will inform future work for us and our clients: Gen Z favors personalized experiences, values integrity, and will abandon brands that fail to meet these expectations.

Insights at work: snacking culture

In our last investigation of snacking back in 2020, the pandemic surfaced a heightened desire for nostalgic flavors and formats as consumers turned to familiar favorites during uncertain times. 87% of consumers reported typically buying the same brands of snacks every time.

A long-term trend we’ve been signaling to our clients: Despite this demand for familiarity, consumer preferences also point to an ever-increasing desire for discovery and delight through new, global flavors — especially true for younger generations, as proven in our 2023 generational study.

Frequent fielding keeps everyone sharp

We conduct at least four syndicated studies annually, plus many other data-rich publications throughout the year. All this new data adds valuable context and helps us continually spot new opportunities on the horizon.

These reports will ultimately make your organization smarter at all levels, from insights to innovation opportunities and strategic planning. Explore our 2024 study lineup, including an updated perspective on snacking culture, to see how our upcoming research can support your organizational priorities.