If there is one particular group of people that sets the most trends in the modern day, it would be Millennials. While they mainly think of themselves as the lost generation, they are single handedly reshaping the world around them.
The way they do this is by setting new and innovative trends. These trends not only become popular overall, but they also influence businesses and manufacturers to cater to these trends.
In a 2020 food and beverage trends article published recently by Ripples, producer of the innovative Ripple Maker, they discussed the influence Millennials have on the food and beverage industry and on some of the latest and most exciting trends set by Millennials within this industry.
Let us take a look at a few of these trends that Millennials are driving, and see just how they are shaping the world around them and the food and beverage industry in particular.
#1 Instagrammable Is Key
One of the primary desires and wants of the Millennial generation when it comes to their food and beverages is that they be Instagrammable. It is not just about making things look presentable or attractive. They need to have that certain spark, that je ne sais quoi that makes it unique. It isn’t enough for a beverage or a dish to look pleasing to the eye; it has to be eye grabbing, to be puzzling and interesting and special all at the same time.
The kind of thing that, if you were scrolling past it on an Instagram feed, would make you stop and consider it.
According to Ripples this gives rise to three interesting food and beverage related trends: edible flowers, ugly produce and bev top media.
#2 Health & Consciousness
Not every trend of the Millennial generation is focused on self centered photo posting; they also care deeply about the world around them, as well as their own health.
More so than any generation before them, Millennials are health conscious. This does not just mean that they want to stay fit and healthy, but that they want to be consciously aware of everything they put in their body.
This means a great deal more awareness of both the ingredients that go into their food and drinks, as well as where it comes from. Millennials are as likely to disregard something because it is made with inferior quality ingredients as they are to refuse something that was made inhumanely.
This extends to both the care of animals and of workers, as well. Since the rise of the Millennial generation, companies that rely on animal exploitation or poorly paid employees generally found a lack of interest in their new potential consumer base.
According to Ripples this leads to 3 major food trends: healthy substitutes, add ins and sustainables.
#3 Choice
While perhaps obvious to some, our final key trend of the Millennial generation is increased choice.
Whether this is a focus on making sure that they can pick from a large variety of options, or just about having a lot to consume at once, Millennials want the right to choose.
They enjoy having a vast range of different product options to choose from, with easily customizable options and designs that make it a tailor made experience just for them.
Even more key is the importance placed on having lots of different brands and businesses to choose from.
In precisely the same way that Millennials want to be able to buy products that represent their values, and look incredibly Instagrammable at the same time, they want variety in their choice of businesses.
This means lots of smaller, more boutique businesses, rather than plenty of endlessly similar chains. To Millennials, being able to choose from lots of different options means that they get to support small businesses, while at the same time continuing to vote with their wallets and pick only trustworthy, reputable brands.
Summary
The main thing to take away from the Millennial generation is that they are far more aware of what they choose to consume than previous generations. They know what they want and are not afraid to ask for it. That’s why they have a huge impact on many industries, including the food and beverage.
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