Today’s food landscape is filled with information on health, wellness, nutrition, sustainability, and ingredients, making the path to purchase more complex. Ardent Mills’ Trend to Table™ cuts through the noise with research findings on five trends driving consumer purchases, offering practical insights to help create the foods people desire.
The insights in Trend to Table™ are the result of a recent large-scale quantitative study conducted by Ardent Mills, involving over 10,000 consumers. The study provided a nationally representative sample of consumers aged 18 and above, who are primary or shared decision-makers for food sourcing both at home and away, with a focus on grain-based foods.
These findings were combined with industry market data and macro-societal trends to provide a comprehensive view of consumer preferences, motivations, and information needs. Here’s a sneak peek at the five trends covered:
- Ingredients matter – Consumers prioritize ingredients when making food choices, with 85% considering them a key factor. Over half (58%) are willing to pay more for foods with whole and less-processed ingredients.
- Heritage is hero – Consumers are influenced by the dishes they grew up with, inspiring a desire for culinary exploration that aligns with cultural traditions.
- Adding with intent – Consumers seek foods that contribute to wellness goals while enhancing taste, focusing on mindful dietary decisions and the benefits grains offer.
- Desire to do good – Consumers want to support sustainability but face challenges due to confusion and higher prices. They seek more information on how their food choices impact the planet.
- Indulge me – Great taste is essential, with 68% of consumers valuing indulgent moments in their dietary goals. From nostalgic treats to everyday joy, grains play a significant role in satisfying consumer cravings.