The Insatiable Appetite: Recent Episodes
The Hartman Group, Inc.
The Insatiable Appetite is a podcast for people who are in the serious business of food — making it, marketing it, selling it, serving it. With each episode, The Hartman Group’s social scientists, business analysts and culinary experts give listeners more than a heaping helping of facts and insights into what’s going on with some of the hottest topics in our vibrant contemporary culture of food and beverage.
One of the fundamental tenets of innovation is that it has to solve a problem or need. But what if we were to think beyond the functional and the emotional needs? How can CPG products answer symbolic consumer needs, like belonging, differentiation, status and more?
In our latest episode, Tamara and Stas discuss why we view cultural demand forecasting as the lynchpin to successful innovation, trendspotting and portfolio advisement.
Download the free white paper: The Case for Cultural Demand Forecasting
Over the past decade, demand space frameworks have emerged as a trusted tool to help food and beverage companies identify areas of growth that can shape strategy, marketing and product innovation. However, many in the industry disagree on the RIGHT approach to developing and implementing these frameworks.
The Case for Cultural Demand Forecasting explores the secrets to success.
Download white paper
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
This week on the podcast we’re joined by our friend and colleague, Steve Markenson from FMI — The Food Industry Association, to talk all about the latest installment of FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. Listen as we unpack the state of grocery shopping today:
- Why we might be witnessing “the end of the primary shopper”
- How shopper habits and sentiments have shifted (or stayed the same) as inflation persists
- What is driving shifts in the variety of stores shopped, and why the supermarket still reigns supreme
- How the shoppers’ evolving understanding of value impacts it all
About the report
FMI's U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2024 series helps food and beverage industry professionals gain a deeper understanding of grocery shoppers’ changing habits and behaviors over the past few years. It explores shoppers’ weekly spend, primary store choice, engagement with emerging dimensions of value and more.
Explore the report
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Despite an oversaturated landscape of brand partnerships, celebrity endorsements remain a hot topic for both consumers and business professionals. Why? Because when those partnerships are done right, they can deliver some pretty buzz-worthy results.
In this week’s podcast, our Hartman Retainer Services team breaks down everything you need to know about successful brand partnerships in the age of influencers and social media:
- How younger consumers have changed the conversation around branding and personal/social identity
- Why knowing your audience (and the celebrity’s audience) is the first step to a successful partnership
- Common challenges companies face when engaging in celebrity partnerships — and how to avoid them
Explore the benefits of HRS
Want on-demand access to these kinds of insights? Let’s tailor an HRS consulting package to your unique priorities and budget. Reach out to Shelley Balanko to learn more: shelley@hartman-group.com
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
You may have seen the controversy around Alexandre Family Farms and the alleged mistreatment of cows that would invalidate many of the organic farm’s certifications. This got us thinking about a larger question: what are the lasting impacts of conflicting media information on consumer trust, and how can discerning organizations combat them?
Listen to this week’s podcast for a fascinating discussion about how media, brands, and consumers influence public perceptions. We touch on important issues like:
- The evolution of consumers’ understanding of food production and farm operations
- How certifications can help (or hinder) consumer trust and decision-making
- Tips for companies seeking to offer a transparent view of their systems and processes
And in the spirit of transparency, we’re providing links to the primary articles referenced in this episode:
- The truth about organic milk, The Atlantic
- Corruption and Consumer Fraud at Leading “Humane” Dairy Raise Questions About State of the U.S. Dairy Industry, Farm Forward
- [UPDATED] Report From Animal Advocacy Group Finds ‘Deception, Cruelty and Animal Abuse’ at Alexandre Family Farm in Crescent City, Lost Coast Outpost
Want to know more about consumer perceptions within organic?
As consumers become more aware of the nuances within the organic market, issues around safety, health, and sustainability are becoming even more prominent — and animal welfare is a key topic gaining consumer attention. We’ll explore the ins and outs of these issues and more in Beyond Organic 2024: Expanding Distinctions in Food & Beverage.
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Want a deeper understanding of the topics covered in our new Future of Snacking 2024 report? Hear directly from our lead researchers as they give a sneak peek of some interesting insights we uncovered, such as:
- How needs around Nourishment, Optimization, Pleasure and Distraction highlight a shift toward more intentional snacking choices
- Why taste goes beyond just flavor, and how different dimensions of taste play a role in the overall snacking experience
- What consumers look for in terms of snack packaging and how it underscores the importance of convenience
About the report
Future of Snacking 2024 – Balancing Intent with Indulgence explores the culture of snacking and how snacking is integrated into our daily lives. Built around our proprietary Modern Snacking Framework, this report provides a foundation for identifying opportunities in product development, brand positioning, and marketing. It also examines eight major snacking categories and the attributes consumers consider most important for each.
Purchase your copy today to secure preferred pricing (valid through April 15, 2024).
Purchase Future of Snacking 2024
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You’ve probably heard us talk about Hartman Retainer Services, or HRS, quite a bit. But you might still be wondering what kind of questions we can answer — and how detailed we can get (spoiler alert: very detailed!).
On this week’s podcast, Rob and Alissa from our HRS team are breaking down some examples of recent client requests and the resulting deliverables, ranging from a deep dive on functional mushrooms to an analysis of evolving consumer needs within meat and seafood occasions.
Listen now for a behind-the-scenes look at how we tackled these unique requests, and how this on-demand consulting service could help your organization.
Explore the benefits of HRS
Want to pick Rob’s and Alissa’s brains some more? Let’s talk about how we can tailor an HRS consulting package to your unique priorities and budget. Reach out to Shelley Balanko for a demo call: shelley@hartman-group.com
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
Plus, what the Kroger-Albertson’s merger says about pricing, accessibility, variety, labor and more
Businesses face significant pressure to predict market trends accurately — almost like having a crystal ball. Although seeing into the future is impossible, you can come very close with the right insights and cultural understanding.
Hartman Group’s Futurecast 2024 helps guide you through discussions on major changes affecting consumer behavior so you can pinpoint trends and pockets of demand for sustained growth.
This week’s podcast offers an inside look at this strategic exercise, using the ongoing Kroger-Albertson's merger as a case study of the intricate challenges that Futurecast can help your business navigate.
Ways to engage in Futurecast 2024
This customizable exercise can be done either in-person or virtually:
- Ideal for strategy setting with small groups and executive teams: Our team can facilitate an engaging interactive session focused on specific topics noted in Futurecast that are most relevant to your business. Ability to customize for larger groups (10+ participants) with breakout groups or a series of sessions.
- Ideal as inspiration for large teams or divisions: Our team can give a dedicated Futurecast presentation (with or without Q&A) to inform and inspire further internal discussions and initiatives.
To learn more about Futurecast and to schedule your session, reach out to Shelley Balanko: shelley@hartman-group.com
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
We recently had the pleasure of hosting our friend Julie O’Brien, owner of Seattle-based Firefly Kitchens, for a Trend Trek at Hartman Group’s offices. Julie shared an impressive spread of gut-loving sauerkrauts, kimchis and tonics, and taught our team more about the delicate fermentation process behind them.
In this week’s podcast, Robert and Melissa break down (pun intended) highlights and key learnings from the Trek:
- Our favorite bites and recipe ideas from the tasting
- The benefits of fermented foods, immunity to digestion to microbiome health
- Challenges faced by fermented food producers, like pasteurization requirements
Plus, get our take on how the growing consumer interest in fermented foods ladders up to other trends we’re seeing in both the health and wellness and sustainability spaces.
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
In this week’s episode, Alissa and Danielle are giving our listeners an exclusive sneak-peek into our new Ideas in Food report. They discuss several emerging trends and their critical implications:
- The increasing importance of texture and how it can enhance taste
- Surprising ways sound influences our perception of food
- Backlash toward everything being marketed as healthy or functional
Ideas in Food focuses on the cultural roots of over a dozen trends and their implications for your business. You’ll walk away confident about where you can make the greatest impact in the years ahead.
Purchase the report
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
The USDA organic certification is becoming table stakes, and many consumers are starting to recognize it may not be enough (more to come on this in our Q2 syndicated study).
We sat down with Ted Robb, founder of New Barn Organics to chat all about the next evolution of organic. Nearly all New Barn’s products are Regenerative Organic Certified, including the first-ever ROC unsweetened almond milk. But their story goes much deeper than that.
Ted shares an honest and inspiring perspective on:
- The ups and downs of growing a new brand
- Thoughtful distribution
- How brands can help create a market for ROC products
- Finding the right innovations for your customers
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
This week we’re joined by Steve Markenson from FMI, The Food Industry Association, to discuss FMI’s ongoing work monitoring shopper attitudes and behaviors, plus a sneak peek of key findings from its latest wave of tracking:
- How have shopper concerns with food inflation evolved as of the end of 2023?
- How do shoppers feel about the year ahead, and what are their personal ambitions?
- What exposure have American adults had to AI-enabled tools like ChatGPT, and how do they want to incorporate new tools for personalization into their food lives?
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
In this episode, our lead researchers discuss key topics from our latest study on Gen Z and Gen Alpha:
Gen Alpha (ages 0-12):
- How parents are shaping food habits and personal values
- Exposure to diverse tastes and textures
- Proactive approaches to social media and technology
Gen Z (ages 13-26):
- Digital connection and food “hacking” culture
- How food and lifestyle choices are intrinsically linked to over-arching values
- Where there’s opportunity for brands to connect
Listen now
The Taste of Tomorrowreport is now available for purchase, providing deep insights and actionable implications for companies seeking to foster long-term relevancy as these two generations mature.
Get the study overview
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A new year is full of promise…and long to-do lists. We know you’re busy, so we’re saving the data deep dives for future podcast episodes. To help us all ease back into our routines, our first 2024 installment of The Insatiable Appetite offers a few things to get excited about.
Join us as we chat about new four-legged family members, professional goals, and new tech developments here at The Hartman Group.
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
As GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic gain attention and popularity, some suggest that it could impact everything from the alcohol sector to health and wellness products.
Listen in as our analysts discuss the genesis of these drugs, dispel some myths, and hypothesize how your business may need to adapt.
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
Consumers are just beginning to make the connection between healthy soil and healthy humans, leaving many food and beverage companies wondering how to start incorporating regenerative practices.
If you can relate, this week’s podcast is for you!
Elizabeth Whitlow, Executive Director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance, demystifies the who, what, why, and how behind regenerative agriculture and the Regenerative Organic Certification in our latest episode.
Spoiler alert: it’s much less daunting than you think.
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
With all the buzz around Gen Z and Gen Alpha lately, it’s understandable if your team is eager to answer the question: “How do we reach them?”
In this week’s podcast, our lead researchers challenge you to consider a different question first: “WHY it is so critical for food and beverage companies to understand these consumers?”
From our POV, companies that can answer this question correctly will have a competitive advantage on:
- Crafting products that resonate on multiple levels — from flavor to values
- Leveraging technology the right way
- Preparing to evolve with consumers
Once you’re grounded in the “why,” insights and data on these generational cohorts become even more valuable. Our Q4 report, Taste of Tomorrow: Navigating Food through the Eyes of Gen Z and Alpha will uncover strategic implications for your business so you can ultimately answer the question: “How do we reach them?”
Preview the Gen Z/Alpha study
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
There are 340 million people in the U.S., and those people engage in a whopping 500 billion eating occasions each year. The tricky thing about eating occasions? They’re pretty much invisible…
Unless you know how to illuminate them.
We sat down with David Feit, our VP of Strategic Insights and resident occasion-based sampling expert, to make sense of this mysterious sampling method in our latest podcast episode. Listen in to learn:
- What makes occasion-based samples so complex, and how to harness those complexities
- The science and art of defining an occasion to reveal the “why” behind it
- Why this method helps illuminate strategic implications
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
Our latest sustainability study found that 78% of consumers are concerned about single-use plastics, and 84% want companies to take the lead in developing more sustainable packaging solutions.
Manufacturers— especially those that primarily use plastic packaging — have both an opportunity and responsibility to build consumer trust by making both their production and packaging more sustainable.
Learn how the established beverage brand, Talking Rain, is aligning its sustainability efforts with current consumer concerns in our latest episode of The Insatiable Appetite.
For more sustainability insights…
Consumer expectations of corporate sustainability initiatives are growing increasingly complex. Learn how to authentically tailor your efforts to these expectations in our newly released study: Sustainability 2023: Making Things Personal.
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
“Sustainability” has become an increasingly nuanced and complex topic over the years, leaving many food and beverage companies searching for answers. We’re addressing some of the hottest topics from our newly-released report, Sustainability 2023: Making Things Personal, in this week’s podcast:
- Who consumers view as responsible for specific concerns, from climate change to food waste; pollution to labor practices
- How to alleviate consumers’ frustrations around sustainable packaging and recycling
- Specific animal welfare considerations and consumers’ meat/dairy consumption habits
- How consumers are navigating sustainable purchasing priorities in inflationary times
About the report
Is your company concerned with greenwashing accusations? Wondering what will help increase consumer buy-in on your sustainability efforts? Curious how issues like climate change, worker welfare, and third-party certifications are playing out at shelf? Sustainability 2023: Making Things Personal answers these questions and much more.
Read the study overview
To learn more about the report and how it can inform your strategy, contact Melissa Abbott: melissa@hartman-group.com
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
How to authentically market sustainability efforts
When it comes to your ESG efforts, the old adage rings true: honesty is the best policy.
The good news is that you don’t have to have it all figured out — but you do have to show and tell.
Rather than getting caught up on all the challenges food and beverage companies are facing with sustainability right now, we’re highlighting some practical paths forward in this week’s podcast.
Learn how to harness consumers’ evolving relationship with sustainability and develop authentic communication strategies for your brand in our new episode of The Insatiable Appetite.
Your complete guide to sustainability in 2023
This podcast only scratches the surface: we’re making sense of all the headlines, trends, and consumers’ conflicting feedback so you can confidently take action. Find your path forward to sustainability success with our new report, Sustainability 2023: Making Things Personal.
Learn more
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Ever wonder how to reconcile what consumers say and think with how they're actually behaving?
The answer lies in understanding how they interact with culture.
Listen to our latest podcast to learn how semiotics can:
- Fuel culture-led strategies
- Unlock blue ocean innovation
- Help you create passionate and bold messaging that inspires consumers
Dive even deeper into the application of semiotics in our latest white paper, Signs, Codes & Trends: How semiotics can align your brand with culture.
Download the white paper
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What do a pandemic-forced restaurant shutdown, celebrities, Vikings meditating with cows, and the American dream all have in common? They’re all part of the Thor’s Skyr brand origin story.
In this fascinating discussion with the Icelandic skyr company’s founder, Unnar Danielsson, we touch on brand authenticity, reimagining locale, and a host of other topics:
•Sustainable, high-quality ingredient sourcing
•Earning consumer trust in a health-oriented category
•Sweeteners and unique sugar alternatives, like allulose
•Social media and influencers’ role in food culture
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
Sustainability is not a fad. It's a long-term value that consumers across a wide variety of demographics are resonating with. But consumers don't expect you to be perfect in your quest for better practices. Instead, they’re looking for authentic effort and transparency around your goals.
Listen to an insightful Q&A with our CEO, Laurie Demeritt, about seven crucial sustainability considerations in today’s food & beverage landscape.
The Hartman Group’s Sustainability & Transparency 2023 study will examine how consumers navigate their environmental and social values, and how companies can respond.
Learn more
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You read that right: nearly one quarter of all US adult eating occasions involve restaurant sourcing, which points to plentiful opportunities for both foodservice providers and their competitors.
But restaurant occasion priorities are dynamic and complex. For example, health was historically at the bottom of consumers’ priorities when dining out. But recently freshness, health and sustainability have emerged as key attributes for restaurant sourcing, as demonstrated by the evolution of fast-casual restaurants like Sweetgreen or CAVA.
So how can foodservice providers (and their competitors) win consumer selection? Listen to our latest podcast episode for a look inside our Restaurant Need State Framework, which helps contextualize and illuminate consumers’ restaurant sourcing motivations from casual takeout to fine dining.
Get the full report on restaurant sourcing motivations
For even deeper insights on restaurant sourcing, check out our latest Compass Eating Occasions report: Reliance on Restaurants: an American Eating Occasions Perspective.
Connect with Shelley Balanko to see how Compass data can help inform your strategy: shelley@hartman-group.com.
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
Taste. Hydration. Nutrition. Experience. Energy. Pairing. These core beverage needs help illuminate the “why” behind consumer purchasing choices.
But there are at least 40 other needs that fall under each of these categories, adding dimension and complexity to the already dizzying beverage landscape. Lead researchers Judi Harris and Danielle Kleiner-Kanter offer deeper insight into the Hartman Group Modern Beverage Need State Model and other key topics from Modern Beverage Culture 2023 in this week’s podcast.
About the report
Modern Beverage Culture 2023explores how consumers engage with today’s rich beverage landscape, including cultural context, attitudes, behaviors, and aspirations around beverage consumption. It offers a deep dive into consumer perceptions around 12 different beverage categories, the complex balance between need states and occasion priorities, plus innovation opportunities that lie within.
To learn more about the report and how it can inform your strategy, contact Melissa Abbott: melissa@hartman-group.com
If you like these insights, subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter where we share data-packed infographics, insightful articles, food & beverage industry trends and more.
The FDA recently approved the sale of the first lab-grown chicken product, and yet a new GFI report highlights the challenges of scaling alternative protein products. Every day seems to bring new headlines in the food tech space.
While there are a lot of big promises being made about how technologies like AI, cellular agriculture and more can address some of the biggest challenges facing our food system, the struggles companies continue to face underscore a persistent question: is the promise of these technologies enough to sustain consumer interest?
We’re taking a fresh look at this complicated landscape in the latest Insatiable Appetite episode. From difficulties sourcing cell lines to obtaining religious certifications, we’re getting deep into some of the most complex challenges and opportunities.
34% of consumers said fighting food waste is one of the most important factors when choosing foods and beverages to buy, according to our Sustainability 2021 study, but thousands of pounds of food still goes to waste every day. So what do you do with nearly 17,000 pounds of “abnormal” oranges that no one wanted to buy?
In the latest episode of The Insatiable Appetite podcast, we recap our recent Trend Trek volunteering at Food Lifeline, a local organization that sources surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, grocery stores, and restaurants for re-distribution to nearly 1.4 million people facing food insecurity in western Washington.
Carbon negative. Carbon positive. Climate positive. Net-zero. Carbon neutral. What does it all mean? And more importantly, what do consumers think about these claims?
Consumers are quickly becoming more attuned to the broader meaning of sustainability, making it increasingly important for companies to speak credibly and eloquently about their sustainability practices
This week’s episode of The Insatiable Appetite podcast is packed with predictions:
- Emerging trends in the World of Sustainability
- Inflation’s impact on consumer priorities
- Consumer perceptions of claims used to address broader environmental and social initiatives
Listen in for our team’s take on these important topics as we prepare to develop the Sustainability & Transparency 2023 study survey.
More
information about Hartman Group’s capabilities and services is available here.
Key findings from our Modern Beverage Culture 2023 study indicate that there are only a handful of need states behind all beverage occasions — and they often overlap. In our latest podcast, lead syndicated research analysts Danielle Kleiner-Kanter and Judi Harris give us a taste of one of those needs: hydration.
Water is a logical and popular choice when fulfilling this need state, but it can sometimes feel boring in a sea of other options. Danielle and Judi discuss opportunities to infuse beverages with fun and flavor when addressing hydration, plus how consumers feel about sugar in their beverages.
Click here for information about Hartman Group’s Modern Beverage Culture 2023 syndicated research.
In this podcast, Melissa Abbott, VP of Syndicated Studies, interviews the CEO of Wheyward Spirit, Emily Darchuk. Join Melissa and Emily as they discuss an innovative approach to spirits production that utilizes surplus whey in our food system. Consumer demands for more sustainable options and purposeful beverage consumption experiences are behind this specialty spirit. Topics like upcycling and consumers’ desires for experimentation in modern beverage culture are covered during this engaging conversation.
Click here for information about Hartman Group’s Modern Beverage Culture 2023 syndicated research.
In this podcast, lead syndicated research analysts, Alissa Chevalier and Judi Harris, provide a sneak peak into consumers’ Great Wellness Reset 2023. The podcast explores a range of wellness topics from perennial to emergent trends. While consumers still conceive of wellness as a holistic and multidimensional construct, listen to learn about important nuanced shifts in health and wellness expressions: consume, treat, act, measure.
Health and Wellness 2023: The Great Wellness Reset updates and extends The Hartman Group’s decades-long study of health and wellness. The World Model segments are detailed with fresh insights on defining consumer behaviors and attitudes. The report also covers how animals are integral consumers’ health and wellness and how pet owners uniquely engage in wellness activities.
Find more information about what is included and purchase the report here.
In this podcast, we present how Hartman Group stays on top of food culture and what is happening in the marketplace via Trend Treks to explore the frontiers of food culture, health and wellness and sustainability.
Hartman Group Trend Treks have a long history of exploring all things related to food more in destinations in the Pacific Northwest (and virtually). Trend treks have ranged from company excursions to tea shops, cannabis dispensaries, recycling centers and food trucks to Starbuck's Reserve Roastery and Bastyr University's vegan cafeteria (to name but a few unique trek destinations).
In this episode, we highlight previous trend treks and share insights from our recent trek to Theo Chocolate factory. Listen in to hear how the team stays on top of food culture and what was learned about sourcing and the health benefits of this sweet category.
In this podcast, our analysts are back to share additional highlights from our latest Compass report on U.S. adult eating behaviors in 2022 with a focus on top consumer needs—such as convenience, real ingredients, better flavor—driving eating/drinking today and how needs shift throughout a consumer's day based on their daily routine.
A New Landscape of Eating: 2022 Eating Occasions Report highlights U.S. adult eating behaviors in 2022, how aspects have shifted from previous years, and how eating occasions differ among generational cohorts and across the day. The report, prepared by the Hartman Retainer Services team, explores the context, needs, and behaviors associated with eating and drinking occasions with detailed dashboards for the 8 dayparts that extend from early morning to late at night.
Find more information about what is included and purchase the full A New Landscape of Eating: 2022 Eating Occasions Report [here].
We are also offering a free excerpt of the report, which can be downloaded [here].
In this podcast, our analysts provide highlights from our annual Hartman Retainer Services’ Ideas in Food 2023 report, which explores modern takes on wellness, innovative experiences, and purposeful procurement and what it all means for the food industry today.
For over ten years, Hartman Retainer Services has been forecasting trends they see in a changing food culture in their annual Ideas in Food report prepared for proprietary Hartman Group clients. Hartman Retainer Services is a customized subscription service that provides access to all The Hartman Group’s non-proprietary reports and publications, plus access to our analytics team for consultations. Through this partnership, we connect you to a deep well of data, insights, and strategy.
In this podcast, our analysts share highlights from our latest Compass report on U.S. adult eating behaviors in 2022 and what it all means for the food and beverage industry.
A New Landscape of Eating: 2022 Eating Occasions Report highlights U.S. adult eating behaviors in 2022, how aspects have shifted from previous years, and how eating occasions differ among generational cohorts and across the day. The report, prepared by the Hartman Retainer Services team, explores the context, needs and behaviors associated with eating and drinking occasions with detailed dashboards for the 8 dayparts that extend from early morning to late at night.
Find more information about what is included and purchase the full A New Landscape of Eating: 2022 Eating Occasions Report [here].
We are also offering a free excerpt of the report which can be downloaded [here].
In this podcast our analysts provide highlights from our recently released Food & Technology 2023 report.
The report updates the inaugural report in the series, which was released in 2019 and explores the rapidly accelerating FoodTech space and consumers' attitudes towards scientific and technological innovation in and around their food.
Listen now to learn how consumers evaluate innovations in their food lives, especially when it comes to the actual products they put in their mouths, and the concerns companies must address to make a compelling and relevant case for new, tech-forward foods.
Download a copy of the Food and Technology 2023 study overview and order form here.
In this podcast, our analysts breakdown the New York Times predictions on how we will eat this year and how such trends fit into a changing food culture.
Listen in to learn our thoughts on a diversity of topics that intersect with how we’ll eat in 2023 including:
- Flavor of the year? Let’s talk about all things brine.
- Regenerative agriculture: What does it mean to consumers … and industry?
- Crispy chicken skin snacks—snacking trends and global cuisines.
- The thrill of thrift: Frugality, inflation woes, private label and the thrill of the hunt at discount retailers.
- Tuber of the year: Ube, the brilliant purple and colorful fun food which we've seen it in a lot of different baked goods.
- Delving deeper into West African cuisine: African and specifically Nigerian cuisines and ingredients are beginning to mainstream.
- Vibe of the year—communal eating—and a return to shared eating and the third space.
Interested to learn more about consumer culture and changing eating habits? We have a wealth of insights on Consumer Meals, Eating Behavior & Occasions Reports & Research. Our most recent report in this area, Modern Approaches to Eating explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them.
In this podcast, we give a preview to our upcoming study, Health & Wellness 2023. Now in its third decade, The Hartman Group’s Health and Wellness research series tracks evolving consumer attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in the wellness space.
Listen in to learn more about how, while our most recent health and wellness study took place during COVID-19 in 2021 (which centrally informed that research), COVID is becoming more of an ongoing backdrop to consumers' lives.
We highlight how some of our earlier health and wellness research informs key questions in 2023 about how consumers might be:
Thinking about mental health, anxiety, and stress: We discuss how mental health is likely a key topic in 2023 since in previous research we saw a cultural emphasis on mental health even prior to COVID (in 2019) when stress and anxiety were top conditions of concern. We discuss how we'll be examining consumer approaches to mental health going forward, the factors that they think are impacting it, and what they're doing to manage mental health in their everyday lives.
Viewing health through a more holistic lens: We discuss how we'll be further exploring how consumers are considering different aspects of health being interconnected, ranging from physical and mental health to even making connections between personal health, environmental health, and sustainability.
Thinking about "food as medicine" and how consumers are relating to functional products in the context of inflation and economic pressures. We discuss how we'll be examining in 2023 how consumers view investing in the concept of food as medicine and their willingness to spend on products and ingredients which don't necessarily provide immediate benefit.
Interested to learn more about Health & Wellness 2023? The study provides current, in-depth insights into underlying motivations and behaviors for how and why consumers live, shop and use brands, products and services in the health and wellness space. Health & Wellness 2023 will examine the American marketplace for well-being as the country has moved from the pandemic to the endemic phase of living with COVID-19.
In this podcast, we discuss what’s important to consumers as they return to sit-down dining at restaurants.
Drawing on our proprietary Compass Eating Occasions Database with data from 2021, we discuss the who, what, when and why behind restaurant occasions which we define in this podcast as any eating or drinking occasion that physically took place at a restaurant or food service establishment (not including takeout or delivery).
Our analysis includes outlets like fast food restaurants, local casual eateries, national chains, cafes, high end and fine dining, restaurants, as well as food courts and cafeterias.
Listen in to learn more about sit-down dining occasions today as we examine:
- Key differences between restaurant occasions that take place when dining-out alone versus those take place with others
- Dining-out occasions that take place in the morning versus lunch and dinner
- Key demographic differences between generations when dining out
- Taste experiences on restaurant occasions
- Need states on restaurant occasions (including connecting socially with orders, enjoying local artisanal foods and convenience)
- Differences between parent and non-parent households on restaurant occasions
We finish with insights and strategic recommendations for the restaurant industry on what stakeholders should take into consideration in order to appeal to consumers today, with analysis of the effects of inflation on dining out, the importance of employees who are treated well, and the lingering concerns among diners about issues relating to COVID-19.
Interested to learn more about consumer food and beverage sourcing from restaurants? Our Food Sourcing in America report offers a comprehensive consumer-centered perspective on key topics, motivations, tensions and drivers associated with food shopping and food procurement (including restaurants), both today and in the future.
Download a copy of the Food Sourcing in America reportoverview and order form here.
Want to learn more about the Compass Eating Occasions Database and consulting services that relate? Please contact Shelley Balanko, Ph.D., Senior Vice President: shelley@hartman-group.com
In this podcast, we present a Hartman Group review of dozens of trend treks our company has made to explore the frontiers of food culture, health and wellness and sustainability.
Hartman Group trend treks have a long history of exploring these topics and more in destinations in the Pacific Northwest (and virtually) and have ranged from company treks to tea shops, cannabis dispensaries, chocolate factories, recycling centers and food trucks to Starbuck's Reserve Roastery and Bastyr University's vegan cafeteria (to name but a few unique trek destinations).
In this episode, we discuss previous trend treks and then focus in on exploration of injera (a fermented, pancake-like flatbread derived from the grain teff), Ethiopian cuisine and related topics like immunity, fermentation, gluten-free, digestion, plant-based and health and wellness.
Listen in and learn more about how injera meets many trend-forward consumer needs and may also represent unique opportunities for food and beverage marketers as well as restaurant operators.
Interested in how topics like fermentation are influencing consumers and the food and beverage marketplace? The Hartman Group’s Food & Technology 2022 study (which is now fielding) builds on and updates our 2019 research and explores evolving consumer awareness, attitudes, usage, and drivers around a range of food-tech advances and innovations. In particular, the study explores technologies related to food production and in-home food management through the consumer lens.
You can download a copy of the Food & Technology 2022 study overview and order form here**.
Learn more about how Hartman’s syndicated reports can be an essential resource to help you navigate the way forward in these uncertain times. Contact: blaine@hartman-group.com More information about Hartman Group capabilities and services is available here**.
In this podcast, Hartman Group CEO Laurie Demeritt and Steve Markenson, FMI's Research Director, discuss highlights from FMI's recently released Holiday Shopping report (research conducted by The Hartman Group).
The report is Part VI of FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 series, an expansive survey of food shoppers’ journeys. Holiday Shopping explores the sentiment and behaviors of consumers as they head into the holiday season.
The report finds that as they contemplate the holidays ahead, 45% of consumers report being most concerned about rising meal prices as compared to other holiday expenses. Fortunately, most shoppers indicate they are in control of their grocery budgets, with 71% of consumers making some adjustment to their holiday meal shopping to adapt to the changing economic landscape.
Listen in as Laurie and Steve analyze other notable findings from the report, which include:
- Widespread declines in consumer concerns over COVID-19 and how that's influencing grocery shopping and plans for the holidays.
- Efforts and behaviors made by consumers at a range of income levels to adjust to inflation and rising prices especially in terms of food shopping, holiday meal planning and food consumption at home.
- Consumer thrift and savings strategies employed for grocery shopping, including use of loyalty programs, private label and more.
- Changes in use of online grocery shopping among different demographics—in particular, younger shoppers.
The podcast concludes with in-depth discussion of how consumers are planning to celebrate the holidays ahead including Thanksgiving, the December holidays, and New Year's in terms of gatherings, festivities, travel, shopping, and meals.
Further information about this report and FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 series is available here.
Curious about other trends relating to how consumers are shopping for and sourcing groceries and meals today? Information on The Hartman Group’s newly released Food Sourcing in America 2022 report is available here.
More information about Hartman Group capabilities and services is available here.
In this podcast, we interview Jami Lewchik, Head of TAZO and Portfolio Sustainability at ekaterra Americas, about TAZO tea’s multi-year initiative to transition its portfolio to a regenerative organic approach.
Listen in as The Hartman Group’s Melissa Abbott, Vice President Retainer Services, discusses with Jami the history of regenerative approaches to agriculture and the details of what it takes to transition an established brand with a long history in sustainable achievements toward a next-level framework focused on regenerative organic agriculture – and why such a transformation is necessary today.
They discuss how TAZO is currently working toward getting its full range of products Regenerative Organic Certified™ and is an ally of the Regenerative Organic Alliance in its pursuit of increased soil health, improved animal welfare, and economic stability and fairness for farmers and workers in its framework.
The discussion includes an overview of TAZO’s current reformulated TAZO Regenerative teas which feature certifications in USDA Organic, Fair Trade USA, Rainforest Alliance, as well having ingredients grown with verified regenerative organic agriculture practices.
Melissa and Jami discuss consumer response to both the concept of regenerative agriculture as a topic (as measured in Hartman Group research) and how consumers are responding to TAZO’s efforts.
They also discuss how the brand is communicating its efforts and finish the podcast with TAZO’s plans for the future.
In this podcast, we interview Jami Lewchik, Head of TAZO and Portfolio Sustainability at ekaterra Americas, about TAZO tea’s multi-year initiative to transition its portfolio to a regenerative organic approach.
Listen in as The Hartman Group’s Melissa Abbott, Vice President Retainer Services, discusses with Jami the history of regenerative approaches to agriculture and the details of what it takes to transition an established brand with a long history in sustainable achievements toward a next-level framework focused on regenerative organic agriculture – and why such a transformation is necessary today.
They discuss how TAZO is currently working toward getting its full range of products Regenerative Organic Certified™ and is an ally of the Regenerative Organic Alliance in its pursuit of increased soil health, improved animal welfare, and economic stability and fairness for farmers and workers in its framework.
The discussion includes an overview of TAZO’s current reformulated TAZO Regenerative teas which feature certifications in USDA Organic, Fair Trade USA, Rainforest Alliance, as well having ingredients grown with verified regenerative organic agriculture practices.
Melissa and Jami discuss consumer response to both the concept of regenerative agriculture as a topic (as measured in Hartman Group research) and how consumers are responding to TAZO’s efforts.
They also discuss how the brand is communicating its efforts and finish the podcast with TAZO’s plans for the future.
In this podcast, we explore and analyze the influential expectations of Gen X (ages 41 - 56) in terms of their eating habits, needs and values in relation to foods and beverages today.
Listen in to learn how Gen X, who while often overlooked (since they’re sandwiched between Millennials and Boomers), are still a dynamic and influential generation embracing a wide variety of food and beverage needs relating to sustainability, cooking, health, functionality, social and (alone) eating occasions.
We discuss how Gen X are more likely to have premium expectations and needs for foods and beverages which include high interest in local seasonal foods, authentic global flavors, artisan ingredients, and purchasing products with sustainability-related narratives and ingredients.
As measured in our Compass Eating Occasions Database (which records the who, what, why, when and where of eating behavior in three waves of annual research), learn how Gen X are:
- Exploring their interests in cooking (with new culinary appliances, tools and techniques)
- Because of their use of restaurants, more apt than most other generations to utilize leftovers
- Eating earlier in the day (focusing on early morning snacks)
- Eating both alone and with others
- Eating out and at home – and their relationship with restaurants as influenced by the pandemic
- As parents, influencing their children in terms of eating and cooking behaviors
- Embracing sustainability and the social impact of brands in the way they vote with their dollars when purchasing
- Seeking global tastes and flavors and foods and beverages with attributes that include baseline considerations for convenience, flavor, fresh, less processed and sustainable
- Positioned demographically to have significant market influence today and in the future
We finish the podcast with implications for the food and beverage industry to meet the eating occasion needs and values of this influential, yet often overlooked, generation.
Interested to learn more about consumer eating occasions? Our Modern Approaches to Eating 2022report explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
In this podcast, Hartman Group executives discuss findings from our new Food Sourcing in America 2022 report. The new report is our sixth syndicated project dedicated to food and beverage procurement in the past decade and builds on a long line of linked research that examines both in-person and digital food procurement in terms of both grocery shopping and use of foodservice.
Among topics, we discuss changes in online vs in-person grocery shopping, the effects of inflation on acquiring foods and beverages from a demographic perspective, consumer attitudes toward grocery shopping experience, channel loyalty, and trends in attitudes and use of digital food and beverage procurement.
We discuss how one of the bigger findings from the report includes both the permanent shift to online grocery shopping and the ubiquity of shoppers returning en masse to food retail stores for in-person shopping as they emerge into a semi-post COVID world.
Listen in to learn more about how grocery shoppers today are:
- Showing a big (and seemingly permanent) shift to online grocery shopping amidst a simultaneous return to in-store food shopping – with differing opinions on the experience of navigating both spheres of a hybrid world
- Using online grocery shopping as a means of convenience, to simplify shopping and reduce impulse buying
- Demonstrating a lack of channel allegiance when it comes to where to grocery shop both in person and online – all the while showing increased use of mass channels like Target and Walmart
- Cutting back in different ways on food shopping due to the effects of inflation and depending on demographics
- Voicing opinions on how they both celebrate the return to in-store grocery shopping but also have concerns about the in-store experience relating to the behavior of other customers, employee morale, and even safety
We finish the podcast with some thoughts on the implications for the food and beverage industry as shoppers increasingly embrace an omnichannel environment but seek improvements in both digital and in-person tools and experiences.
Interested to learn more about food and beverage shopping and sourcing behavior? Our new Food Sourcing in America 2022 report builds on 20 years of shopper and digital procurement research and examines how Americans shop for and procure foods and beverages today.
Download a copy of the Food Sourcing in America 2022 study overview and order form here.
In this podcast, we analyze the influential expectations of Millennials (ages 25 - 40) in terms of their eating habits, needs, and values in relation to foods and beverages today.
Listen in to learn how Millennials are a truly food forward generation embracing a wide variety of needs relating to health and functionality, social connections, and scratch cooking. We discuss how Millennials are more likely to have premium and experiential needs which include high interest in local seasonal foods, authentic global flavors, artisan ingredients, and purchasing products with unique brand narratives and stories.
As our analysts share insights from our Eating Occasions Compass database (which records the who, what, why, when, and where of eating behavior in three waves of annual research), learn how Millennials are:
- Eating earlier in the day than other generations
- Exploring their love for cooking (with new culinary tools and techniques)
- More apt than other generations to utilize leftovers
- Eating both alone and with others
- Eating out and at home – and their relationship with restaurants
- Embracing sustainability and the social impact of brands in the way they vote with their dollars when purchasing
- Seeking global tastes and flavors and foods and beverages with attributes that include baseline considerations for convenience, flavor, fresh, less processed, and sustainable
We finish the podcast with implications for the food and beverage industry to meet the eating occasion needs and values of this influential generation.
Interested to learn more about consumer eating occasions? Our Modern Approaches to Eating 2022report explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs, and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
Learn more about how Hartman’s syndicated reports can be an essential resource to help you navigate the way forward in these uncertain times. Contact: blaine@hartman-group.com
Baby Boomers represent the second largest generation in the U.S. and maintain significant spending power.
In this podcast, our analysts share insights from our Eating Occasions Compass database (which records the who, what, why, when, and where of eating behavior in three waves of annual research) on generation-specific needs and behaviors for Baby Boomers today.
Listen in and learn more about how Baby Boomers are:
- Signaling a desire for solutions and convenience when it comes to cooking
- More likely to be living in one or two-person households
- More likely to be eating alone
- More likely to eat dinner (and plan for it)
- Cooking and eating with a health condition in mind
- Seeking products and easy recipes geared toward one or two servings with minimal preparations and ingredients that are “familiar”
Interested to learn more about Boomers' eating and drinking needs and behaviors? Our Modern Approaches to Eating 2022report explores in depth the spectrum of eating approaches that consumers pursue today along with the attitudes, needs, and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
Learn more about how Hartman’s syndicated reports can be an essential resource to help you navigate the way forward in these uncertain times. Contact: blaine@hartman-group.com
In this podcast, our analysts discuss highlights from our new Modern Approaches to Eating report, which explores the spectrum of diets and eating approaches that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Listen in as they discuss five chapters from the report, with key statistics and insights. Learn how Modern Approaches to Eating unpacks the cultural underpinnings of diet and ways of eating in its examination of how these behaviors and beliefs actually play out in consumers' day-to-day lives. Their discussion includes:
- The cultural context for diets and eating approaches and the use of food as a tool for eating approaches.
- Eating approach motivations, strategies and challenges, including a focus on "rules about eating."
- Use and perceptions of popular diets with accompanying discussion centered on low-carb diets like Keto, Paleo and Atkins.
- Plant-focused diets and eating, with a discussion on vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets.
- Weight management challenges, practices and beliefs, with analysis of the range of different approaches and strategies consumers use to try to manage or lose weight.
Interested to learn more about the new report? You can download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating report overview and order form here.
In this podcast our analysts discuss highlights from our new Modern Approaches to Eating report which explores the spectrum of diets and eating approaches that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Listen in as they discuss five chapters from the report, with key statistics and insights. Learn how Modern Approaches to Eating unpacks the cultural underpinnings of diet and ways of eating in its examination of how these behaviors and beliefs actually play out in consumer's day-to-day lives. Their discussion includes:
- The cultural context for diets and eating approaches and the use of food as a tool for eating approaches.
- Eating approach motivations, strategies and challenges, including a focus on "rules about eating."
- Use and perceptions of popular diets with accompanying discussion centered on low-carb diets like Keto, Paleo and Atkins.
- Plant-focused diets and eating, with a discussion on vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets.
- Weight management challenges, practices and beliefs, with analysis of the range of different approaches and strategies consumers use to try to manage or lose weight.
Interested to learn more about the new report? You can download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating report overview and order form here.
How are grocery shoppers navigating an ever-changing world? Find out as The Hartman Group’s Vice President of Strategic Insights David Feit and FMI’s Steve Markenson, Director, Research & Insights, discuss key findings from the first three reports in FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 report series (research conducted by The Hartman Group).
FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 is composed of a series of six-monthly analyses providing context for the food shopper’s journey.
Listen in as David and Steve discuss topics ranging from trends in shopping, cooking and store choices, to a final focus on hybrid grocery shoppers and choices made between online and in-store shopping. Insights in the podcast are drawn from the following FMI Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 reports:
Shopper Landscape (released by FMI in April 2022): Looks at how shoppers’ concern with COVID-19 and their perceptions of rising prices influence spending habits and store choices.
Shopping Trends 2022 (released by FMI in May 2022): Provides a closer look at grocery shoppers’ changing habits and behaviors over the past few years and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The report explores in detail shoppers’ weekly spend, primary store choice, and engagement with the emerging array of online and in-person grocery options.
Navigating a Hybrid World (released by FMI in June 2022): Examines how grocery shoppers today can choose their own adventure when purchasing groceries. Maybe they occasionally shop online, go to the store in-person regularly, or perhaps they combine both methods. This report looks at the food shopper's journey and how it is indicative of a growing hybrid approach to grocery shopping.
Navigating A Hybrid World and further information on FMI’s US Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 series are available here.
Each FMI U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 report will be posted online at FMI.org/GroceryTrends, and users can sign up to be notified when the next report is available.
Come along for a podcast that describes a Hartman Group trend trek with provisions inspired by our newly released report Modern Approaches to Eating. Hartman Group trend treks have a long history of exploring food culture and sustainability-related destinations in the Pacific Northwest and have ranged from company treks to cannabis dispensaries, recycling centers and food trucks to Starbuck's Reserve Roastery and Bastyr University's vegan cafeteria (to name but a few unique trek destinations).
In this episode, and based on our Modern Approaches to Eating report's exploration of complex consumer eating approaches, we describe our reactions to various snacks and beverages that orient to keto and plant-based ingredients and marketing. Find out our reactions to a variety of different snacks and beverages including (but not limited to):
- Plant-based jerky from Country Archer Provisions and Beyond Meat
- Chicken chips (from EPIC Provisions)
- "Keto-Friendly" Gummy Bears with added fiber (from Lily's Sweets)
- Cauliflower-based snacking crackers
- Upcycled banana chips (from Barnana)
- Gluten-free brownie brittle (from Sheila G)
- Probiotic seltzer (from Molson Coors)
Listen in and learn more about how plant-based and keto trends are shaping up to include products like those tasted here with connections to gut health, low-carb, low sugar, vegetables, good fats and protein from sources like nuts, seeds and legumes.
The podcast finishes with a discussion about how going forward (and as observed in our Modern Approaches to Eating report) among very diverse eating goals and habits, consumers are increasingly interested in holistic nutrition and its connections to whole food ingredients.
Interested to learn more about consumer eating occasions? Our new Modern Approaches to Eating report explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating study overview and order form here.
Learn more about how Hartman’s syndicated reports can be an essential resource to help you navigate the way forward in these uncertain times. Contact: blaine@hartman-group.com
In this podcast, we analyze how as Gen Z matures into young adults (ages 18 - 24), they embrace a wide range of beliefs, behaviors and values that intersect with eating occasions and food culture ranging from an enthusiasm for cooking (yet loving to eat out) to interests in global tastes that go beyond traditional American cuisine.
As measured in our Eating Occasions Compass database (which records the who, what, why, when and where of eating behavior in three waves of annual research), learn how Gen Z adults are:
- Exploring their love for cooking (with new culinary tools and techniques)
- Eating both alone and with others
- Eating out and at home
- Consuming snacks, foods and beverages during gaming
- Seeking global tastes and flavors
- Interested in foods and beverages with functional benefits like reducing stress and anxiety
- Seeking foods and beverages with attributes that include simple ingredients, organic, fresh and less processed, sustainable and convenient
Interested to learn more about consumer eating occasions? Available June 30, 2022, our upcoming Modern Approaches to Eating 2022report explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
What’s the meaning of “diet” for consumers today? How do popular eating approaches like plant-based or low-carb fit into cultural views on diet? In our latest podcast, our analysts provide a preview of findings from our upcoming report, Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 (due for release June 30, 2022).
They highlight findings from the new report, which examines the overall landscape of eating approaches and specific diets today with a starting point of what diet means culturally to how consumers think about specific eating approaches today and how they implement them in their lives.
Learn how Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 unpacks the cultural underpinnings of diet and ways of eating in its examination of how these behaviors and beliefs actually play out in consumers' day-to-day lives. Topics discussed include:
- Historical cultural views on the term “diet”
- Consumer distinctions between diet and behavior changes
- Consumer definitions of diet in terms of restrictions
- Differences between the degree of attention or intention that consumers bring to their eating approaches
Interested to learn more about the new report? Available June 30, 2022, Modern Approaches to Eating 2022explores in-depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
Learn more about how Hartman’s syndicated reports can be an essential resource to help you navigate the way forward in these uncertain times. Contact: blaine@hartman-group.com
What are kids of all ages eating today and what’s the influence of parents? In this podcast, we discuss highlights of eating habits, attitudes, and values of kids aged zero to 17 as measured in our Eating Occasions Compass database, which records the who, what, where, when, why, and how of consumer eating habits. We discuss the demographics and eating habits of households with children aged zero to 12 (as reported to us by parents in the household), and then the self-reported eating habits of teens up to age 17.
We discuss differences between kids and their parents in terms of eating occasions and also differences that exist between the age groups in terms of where foods and beverages are consumed and from which outlets they are sourced.
Learn how kids today are adopting modern understandings and values of health and wellness and sustainability as well as appreciating the importance of fresh, less processed, and responsibly sourced food.
We close with observations on how brands and products can align with parents' values around health and wellness, sustainable sourcing, packaging, and the need for convenience but also what factors are less likely to make parents feel like they're having to compromise when feeding their children.
Interested in similar topics? Our newest study launching, Modern Approaches to Eating 2022, explores in depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs, and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
In this podcast, we discuss how kids today are caught up in the same tides of cultural change as their parents with resulting impacts on eating behavior. As households become increasingly multi-generational as well as multi-cultural, children today are growing up with a broader cultural heritage in food and beverage.
We examine how kids are learning their food values from their parents, adopting modern understandings of health and wellness, appreciating the importance of fresh, less processed food, and seeking personal, customized, and global foods. And it’s not just a one-way street: Older kids are bringing new values back to their households, like dishes that are inherently meatless.
Listen in to learn how parents struggle to find solutions for nutritious and balanced meals for their family, sometimes causing meal plans to break down. As guideposts to help with meal planning solutions, we describe three key themes shaping kid's meals today and in the future. These themes are:
- Less Processed, Organic, and Sustainable
- Custom Nutrition and
- For the Whole Family
For food industry stakeholders, acknowledging these macrodynamic shifts is essential to understanding eating culture today as well as where the next generation of eaters is headed.
Interested in similar topics? Our newest study launching, Modern Approaches to Eating 2022, explores in depth the spectrum of eating approaches (e.g., plant-based eating) that consumers pursue today, along with the attitudes, needs and goals that motivate them and the considerations and challenges they encounter along the way.
Download a copy of the Modern Approaches to Eating 2022 study overview and order form here.
In this podcast, our analysts provide a preview of our soon-to-be-released Organic 2022: Then, Now, Nextreport. Last updated just before the early days of the pandemic—and part of a biannual series of studies dating back over 20 years—-they discuss findings from the new report which document how consumers have actually increased their purchase of organic food and beverage products despite historic price premiums in the segment, and related, how private-label organic products are increasingly viewed to be achieving parity with national organic brands.
Other topics discussed include—
- What consumers look for when they buy "better-for-you" foods and beverages
- What consumers think about organic as a term and how that compares to the broader term "natural"
- Perceived differences by category of organic foods and beverages
- How prioritization of better-for-you claims play out for individual categories
Listen now to learn the expectations ahead for manufacturers, retailers and restaurant operators offering organic and natural products.
In this podcast, members of Hartman Retainer Services discuss five key takeaways from their newly released Shifting Food Habits & Routines: 2021 Eating Occasions report. They discuss how the pandemic has altered a number of different eating habits and needs, including those that relate to early morning snacking, social eating, use of restaurants and leftovers, and trading up to premium food and beverage products.
Listen in and learn how food retailers, CPG food and beverage manufacturers, and restaurant operators alike can benefit from meeting the changing needs of consumers in terms of snacking, cooking, eating both in and away from home, and their use of restaurants.
Data in the Shifting Food Habits & Routines: 2021 Eating Occasions report (available for download next week) is derived from the Hartman Compass database, which analyzes food and beverage and meal dayparts, location, social composition, and need states as well as items consumed and broadly when and where items were acquired. Hartman Retainer Services is a customized subscription service that provides access to all of The Hartman Group’s non-proprietary reports and publications plus access to our analytics team for consultations. Through this partnership, we connect you to a deep well of data, insights, and strategy.
More information about Hartman Group's capabilities and services is available here.
In this podcast, members of Hartman Retainer Services discuss highlights from their newly released Ideas in Food 2022: Six Key Trends in Modern Food Culture report and discuss topics and brands relating to regenerative systems, rethinking plastics, gut health, nostalgia, upcycling and equitable, and experience retail.
Listen in and learn how retailers and brands like Erewhon, Thrive Market, OLIPOP, Cocojune, GoodSam and Snow Days are innovating in relation to these trends and what strategic implications there are for marketers in the food and beverage industry.
For over ten years, Hartman Retainer Services has been forecasting trends they see in a changing food culture in their annual Ideas in Food report prepared for proprietary Hartman Group clients. Hartman Retainer Services is a customized subscription service that provides access to all of The Hartman Group’s non-proprietary reports and publications plus access to our analytics team for consultations. Through this partnership, we connect you to a deep well of data, insights and strategy.
Download a copy of the Ideas in Food 2022: Six Key Trends in Modern Food Culture report here.
More information about Hartman Group capabilities and services is available here.
What's an ideal meal these days and how are kitchen gadgets and appliances like air fryers helping busy consumers with their culinary ambitions?
In this podcast, our analysts discuss the impact of current events on American cooking habits as examined in our new report, At the Dining Table: American Meals and Cooking. We learn more about why 20% of Americans say they bought an air fryer during the pandemic and whether or not such tools really deliver against our shared cultural standards of an ideal meal.
The podcast also explores other trendy culinary tools, and we examine how consumers—younger consumers in particular—are looking for convenient ways to achieve scratch cooking ambitions.
Listen in to find out how the intersection of meal preparation tensions and aspirations is a rich area of white space opportunities for the food industry to address both long-standing and emerging consumer needs around meal preparation.
Learn more about the new report At the Dining Table: American Meals and Cooking by downloading an overview here.
It doesn't seem that long ago, but it was over 25 years ago when Harvey Hartman founded The Hartman Group with a focus on discovering opportunities in meeting rising consumer demand for what were then called "green" products. In this podcast, Hartman Group CEO Laurie Demeritt and Senior Vice President Davey McHenry reflect on how the company has evolved from those roots into a multi-faceted solution provider for the food and beverage industry, with diverse products and services in consulting, custom research and syndicated studies.
Listen in and find out how the company now works to translate consumer behavior into strategic growth opportunities relating to mega-trends like health and wellness, sustainability, eating behavior and shopping for its custom consulting and research clients. You'll also learn more about Hartman’s methodologies and the topics and trends the company is investigating in the coming year, including modern approaches to eating (and its relation to plant-based, keto and low-carb diets) and the wide-ranging topic of "food and technology."
To learn more: Hartman Group Capabilities & Services
Meals in American households are woven into the cultural fabric of everyday life: They serve as a unifying experience shared by most, if not all, consumers. As we approach nearly two years of a pandemic, how do Americans think about and approach meals and cooking today? In this podcast, find out as our analysts provide chapter-by-chapter highlights from our new report, At the Dining Table: American Meals and Cooking. Trends discussed include planning, procuring, and preparation of meals, archetypes of food-engaged consumers, changes in daypart meal occasions (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and in-depth analysis of how we cook today, ranging from purchase and use of appliances to scratch cooking (and the “ideal meal”), ingredients, and sources used.
Two tidbits from the podcast: "55% of consumers say that they love or like cooking, but just as many hate having to clean up afterwards" and "fully 20% of all consumers have got an air fryer since March, 2020." Have a listen to learn more about how Americans approach the institution of meals today and what business opportunities exist for the food industry to meet the changing needs of consumers.
Download an overview of the At the Dining Table here.
In this podcast, Hartman Group CEO Laurie Demeritt and Melissa Abbott, Vice President Retainer Services, explore trends to watch in 2022, drawing on insights from Hartman Retainer Services’ annual report, Ideas in Food. Laurie and Melissa discuss the expectations consumers have for companies and brands going forward in 2022 in the context of megatrends like sustainability, health and wellness, and discount shopping. They discuss a broad range of topics linking to sustainability, including carbon claims, regenerative agriculture, packaging waste, repurposing, and exemplary sample brands that relate. Other trends discussed include those that link to health and wellness (and the key role that herbal products and digestion and the microbiome play) as well as the rise of discount retailing—and the joy of the treasure hunt for shoppers—during the pandemic.
We’re delighted to be speaking with Jane Freiman, founder of Smart Kitchen Insights Group, a virtual test kitchen that helps companies get closer to their targets. Jane is an innovator with more than 30 years of test kitchen experience.
On this episode, we compare notes on recipe development and testing from the perspective of the home cook. We explore what it's like for consumers to cook today as if standing in their shoes and survey a variety of cooking styles and culinary tools used as well as the influence of ingredients, family structure and skills on how meals get created. We also discuss the role that CPG food and beverage brands and retailers can play today in terms of partnering to influence where home kitchen culture is headed next.
Craving more insights? For the most comprehensive study of our changing mealtime and cooking behaviors, pre-order your copy of Hartman’s new report: At the Dining Table: American Meals and Cooking 2021
During the course of 2021, we’ve witnessed are key shifts in both when and how much Americans are consuming across the day. In this episode, we delve once again into our Eating Occasions Compass database to reveal some interesting insights into the early-morning snacking occasion.
On an average day, almost a quarter of American consumers are participating in early-morning snacking occasions. Listen in as our expert occasions analysts discuss what’s they’ve uncovered about the behaviors taking place before breakfast.
Craving more insights? For the most comprehensive study of our changing mealtime and cooking behaviors, pre-order your copy of Hartman’s new report: At the Dining Table: American Meals and Cooking 2021
Carbon neutral or carbon positive? How do consumers perceive the carbon claims food and beverage companies are making today and do they influence purchase behavior? In this podcast, we draw inspiration from both the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference underway in Glasgow, Scotland as well as findings from our newly-released report, Sustainability 2021: Environment and Society in Focus. We discuss how consumers are reacting to carbon certifications, claims and labels and how topics like regenerative agriculture are linked to the topic. We end with thoughts on how food and beverage companies can best meet consumer demands in this space and communicate the details of their journey toward carbon neutrality.
Let’s talk about the use of leftovers. We know, perhaps not the most exciting topic to discuss, but this past year, we’ve actually uncovered some pretty dramatic changes in this space. Did you know that 29% of eating occasions, as of summer 2021, involved at least some leftovers? That's up nine percentage points from before the pandemic and up three percentage points from just last year. Listen in as our analysts dish on what’s up with leftover eating occasions, including some very interesting demographic skews.
Craving more insights? For the most comprehensive study of our changing mealtime and cooking behaviors, pre-order your copy of Hartman’s new report: At the Dining Table: American Meals and Cooking 2021
In this podcast, we discuss how co-founder John Mackey’s retirement from Whole Foods Market is a good reminder to recount the chain’s outsized influence on trends ranging from clean product standards to organics, GMOs and animal and employee welfare.
From its involvement in establishing organic standards to sustainability efforts at retail like banning plastic bags, our analysts discuss how, since the 1980s, Whole Foods has been ahead of the curve in terms of the retail marketplace and its alignment with trends in consumer food culture.
Already trending upward, wellness has gone even more mainstream during the pandemic, and despite competition from a diversity of retailers, independent natural products retailers still manage to offer premium wellness experiences.
On this podcast, we discuss the hallmarks of authentic wellness retailing with Jay Jacobowitz, who shares his expertise as a consultant to natural retailers on why such stores still function as authentic destinations for wellness. From knowledgeable staff to authentic physical shopping experiences, we discuss how wellness retailing has evolved over the past 20 years and where digital and physical shopping for wellness might go next.
Sustainability is very much on consumers’ minds these days. As we emerge from a year defined by a global pandemic and growing concerns around social justice, political turmoil, and climate change, previously abstract environmental and social well-being concerns are becoming increasingly more tangible.
On this episode, we share some key findings from our latest report, Sustainability 2021: Environment and Society in Focus. Our analysts provide new insights on what sustainability means to consumers today and how they incorporate it into their everyday lives—and prioritize it in their purchasing.
Get your copy of Hartman’s Sustainability 2021 report here: THGSUSTABILITY21
Prior to the pandemic, one of the biggest trends in the beverage landscape was a change in how consumers—particularly younger consumers—approach the consumption of alcohol. This rising interest in low- and no-alcohol beverages is largely driven by consumers’ health-centered concerns.
The pandemic seemingly altered the trajectory of this trend overnight, but despite a boozy pandemic surge in alcohol sales, the “sober curious” movement has gained relevance as new products have appeared on the market that meet emerging consumer needs for more mindful drinking, personalization, functionality, and flavor.
On this episode, we examine the drivers behind this movement.
Get your copy of Hartman’s Sober Curious report here: TREND SPOTLIGHT REPORT
It’s been quite an unsettling and uncertain time, with COVID-19 impacting eating and drinking behaviors in dramatic ways: In this podcast, our analysts discuss highlights from our ongoing eating occasions research and provide insights on changes in behavior during the 2019 to 2021 time period. Topics discussed include changes in early morning eating occasions, lunch, snacks, eating away from home, use of leftovers (and restaurant food) and interests in premium foods and beverages.
A close parallel to this podcast: Our new report, Redefining Normal: Spring 2021 Eating Occasions, examines how, over a year into the pandemic, consumers continue to seek out certain aspects of “normalcy” in day-to-day eating. However, some behaviors have been and will continue to be impacted by the pandemic, including when we’re choosing to eat, where we’re eating, who we’re eating with, how we’re sourcing, and the need states driving our food and beverage occasions. Utilizing The Hartman Group’s proprietary Eating Occasions Compass, this report explores American eating and drinking occasions in spring 2021 compared to both the beginning of the pandemic (spring 2020) and pre-pandemic (spring 2019).
You can obtain your free copy of Hartman’s Redefining Normal: Spring 2021 Eating Occasions report here
The Hartman Group’s Sustainability study has tracked consumer attitudes and behaviors related to environmental and social responsibility for over 20 years. Join us for a conversation with Robertson Allen and Abby Cullinan, Hartman consultants and lead researchers on previous sustainability-related research. Robertson and Abby discuss how a shifting cultural context for sustainability concerns over the past half-decade and recent events have set the stage for critical insights in Hartman’s forthcoming report, Sustainability 2021.
The latest FMI-Hartman Group U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends Tracker 2021: Back to School/Back to Office report measures the impact of COVID-19 on U.S. grocery shopper perceptions and behaviors. On this episode, The Hartman Group’s Vice President of Strategic Insights David Feit and FMI’s Steve Markenson, Director, Research & Insights, discuss key findings from the report. Americans continue to have anxieties about staying safe and healthy. David and Steve share insights as to whether it’s possible to imagine a light at the end of the tunnel and a return to a new – or next – normal.
Not all celebrity collaborations with food and beverage companies and brands work. But when they do, well, the results have been off the charts—such as McDonald’s collaboration with K-pop sensation BTS.
BTS is influencing music, dance and now food trends. They have an ability to connect and resonate with Gen Z fans with billions of worldwide views of their #1 hit music videos and for tying sales records once held by The Beatles. This has led to a collaboration with McDonald’s and frenzied sales of its BTS Meals in both the US and globally as a result. BTS also prominently features dairy products within their hit songs, which has likely increased sales of butter and dairy milk among their young fan base while potentially countering sales of plant-based dairy alternative products.
This summer, we’ve been fortunate to have Lauren Howard, a student from Haverford College, interning here at The Hartman Group. Lauren is passionate about food, social psychology, and health and wellness. On this, the 100th episode of our Insatiable Appetite podcast, Lauren shares her observations about what it’s like as a member of a generation that is a driving force behind many food-forward trends to watch a company like The Hartman Group work to be the voice of the consumer. She describes her impressions of the company as it studies and advises on many of the trends shaping food culture ranging from the effects of COVID-19 to learning about why consumers are pursuing new diets, flavors, and cuisines.
The Hartman Group’s latest report, Brand Ambition: Food and Beverage Private Brands & Beyond, describes consumers as more empowered than ever before in demanding that brands—private brands and name brands—meet an expanded and diversified set of needs. In this episode, Doug Baker, Vice President of Industry Relations at FMI—The Food Industry Association, returns to share his perspectives with our own Shelley Balanko, Ph.D., on the role of brands in consumers’ lives, particularly private brands. Listen in as they discuss that while there is a huge upside for private brands today, with great opportunity comes great responsibility.
One of our favorite podcast topics is delicious and healthy snacking provided by brands with a unique twist. On this episode, we’re delighted to be chatting with Nick Mendoza, founder and CEO of Neptune Snacks. Nick shares with us how he “became obsessed with inspiring people to fight for a better global seafood industry through something they could hold, touch, and taste.” This led to the creation of Neptune and the sourcing of undervalued yet delicious and very nutritious fish species with a hundred percent traceability.
When it comes to marketing based on gender, brands today are shunning stereotypes and embracing neutrality. On this podcast, analysts from The Hartman Group’s Retainer Services team share key insights on how brands are shunning stereotypes and embracing neutrality. They share their perspectives on why today, as marketers, we can't really rely on the polarity of segmenting by male or female as we're definitely in a cultural moment where gender is being redefined and consumers (particularly younger consumers) are increasingly vocal about their evolving understanding of gender itself.
The Hartman Group recently released its Brand Ambition: Food and Beverage Private Brands & Beyond report. One of the report’s key findings is that consumers no longer view the role of brand in a traditional sense when deciding which food and beverage products to buy. On the episode, Hartman’s two lead research analysts, Iva Naffziger and Louisa Edgerly, Ph.D., share their perspectives on what they learned about why this is occurring. They also provide a broad view on how trends in the American cultural landscape have affected the role brands play in consumers’ food lives.
In this podcast we speak with Karen Levy, Director of Marketing for Maple Hill Creamery, and learn how the organic brand has grown to represent 150 dairy farms while establishing itself at the forefront of premium, sustainable dairy. We learn about the brand’s efforts to produce dairy products with organic, grass-fed and regenerative agriculture distinctions and certifications, all the while maintaining standards for humane treatment of animals. We also learn about new Maple Hill products, including a zero sugar milk and the brand’s plans to innovate the dairy aisle.
In this podcast, our analysts discuss how consumers continue to seek out plant-based foods based on the positive sustainability aspects they see in such products and also linkages they make between alternative proteins and better personal health outcomes. We also discuss how Bill Gates is similarly interested in battling climate change through investments in seed science, sustainable agriculture, alternative protein and plant-based production, and biofuel development.
In this podcast, we are fortunate to speak with Dawn Sherman, Chief Executive Officer of Native American Natural Foods, which produces the unique, all-natural Tanka Bar, a buffalo jerky snack bar based on authentic Native American food traditions. We learn how Tanka Bar is part of returning the buffalo to Native American lands and what that means in terms of indigenous people, cultural traditions and environmental and social justice. We also learn how Tanka Bar is expanding economic horizons for the Native American producers it represents and also how the brand is working with Niman Ranch and its plans for the future.
For this episode, we were fortunate to be able to have a chat with Jackson Kempker, Sales Development Manager at AgroFresh. AgroFresh is a global solutions provider focused on food preservation and food waste reduction for the fresh produce market. We learn how various AgroFresh products and services are working to lessen food loss as well as conserve resources throughout the supply chain – improving both the look and appeal of fresh produce at retail. We also discuss some of the effects of the pandemic in terms of packaging and shopper perceptions of freshness and produce offerings in food retail.
For this episode, we were fortunate to be able to have a chat with Turner Wyatt, co-founder, and chief executive officer of the Upcycled Food Association. Turner shares his views on how the association came to be, its mission, and the power of collaboration in growing a successful food category and environmental movement. The story of the Upcycled Food Association is one about how a group of people who came together recognized that they could accomplish more by working together — even if they were competitors.
Pets influence the overall health and wellness of the household in significant ways—and their human parents know and appreciate this. Beyond the clear physical benefit of encouraging consumers to move more, the love and care that goes into the people-pet relationship provides value in and of itself. The Hartman Group’s Health & Wellness: Reimagining Well-being Amid COVID-19 report finds that more than half of U.S. dog/cat biped companions say they spend time with pets specifically to take care of their own health and wellness. On this episode, our analysts discuss the role pets play in human wellness during the pandemic.Additional resource! Hartman’s Health & Wellness: Reimagining Well-being Amid COVID-19 report.
Stryve Foods is an emerging healthy-snack company that manufactures, markets and sells a range of healthy snacking products, including Biltong air-dried meat snacks. In this podcast, we interview Jaxie Alt, Co-CEO and Chief Marketing Officer of Stryve, to discuss trends in snacking behavior, Stryve’s popularity during the pandemic and the specifics of what makes Stryve’s brands unique. We also learn how the company is working to “help Americans snack better and live happier, better lives” and what’s next in terms of new products.
On this episode, we’re privileged to have as our guest Doug Baker, Vice President of Industry Relations at FMI—The Food Industry Association to share insights into how the pandemic has significantly disrupted and is changing the ways consumers shop and trading partners conduct business. The Hartman Group’s Shelley Balanko examines with Doug the role of brands today in consumers’ lives, in particular, consumers’ perceptions and expectations of private brands and what the future holds for brands as we move toward a new, post-pandemic marketplace.
AeroFarms is on a mission to transform agriculture by building and operating environmentally responsible farms throughout the world to enable local production at scale and “nourish communities with safe, nutritious, and delicious food.” In this podcast, find out how this award-winning and truly innovative company is working on multiple fronts ranging from consulting, research, and development on a global level to community-oriented efforts aimed at addressing issues like food deserts, food inequity, and food waste. We also learn in this podcast how AeroFarms is sunsetting its current Green Dreams retail microgreens brand and going forward will be rolling out a new, unified approach using just the AeroFarms brand name.
Consumers use the range of modalities available to them to not only manage specific conditions but optimize their health and wellness overall. The Hartman Group’s Health & Wellness: Reimagining Well-being Amid COVID-19report finds that more consumers now seek out alternative care and herbal remedies — including a rise in the use of cannabis compounds. Our report also uncovered that among the 34% of consumers who have used products with CBD or THC in the past year, virtually all do so for health-related reasons. The most commonly sought benefits are relaxation and relief of pain, highlighting the role cannabis plays in both mental and physical health and wellness support.
Efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 meant that consumers spent considerably more time confined to their homes last year, and many of these consumers turned to baking to help alleviate stress and/or boredom. Because of this, we observed that baking had become something of a national pastime. In this episode, we interviewed Ralph Carlton, co-CEO of King Arthur Baking Company, to see if consumers were continuing to keep their hotline buzzing and for his thoughts on the outlook for baking in the coming months.
Social media platforms have evolved over the years from consumers' go-to resource for inspiration, information, and entertainment and are now active players in their own way. In this podcast, we discuss the transformation of social media and its impact on food culture, and the role of the media darling of the moment, TikTok.
In honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we pay tribute to the inspirational women who have changed the status quo when it comes to how we think about food here in America as well as several women who are innovating in various areas of the greater food arena. Listen in as we celebrate women's achievements and the promotion of equality in food and beyond.
We took our recent trend trek online for a cooking class on fermentation with PCC Community Markets, based in Seattle, WA.
Tom Brady's focus on performance derived from both diet and mental acuity has earned him yet another Super Bowl. We discuss how his focus on clean eating and meditation is forging new territories for sports performance and potential consumer emulation.
As we discussed in our post-Super Bowl podcast a year ago, food and beverage brands play a big role in the game day ad strategy . On this episode, in this very different year of COVID-19, we reflect on this year’s ads.
How might online grocery and SNAP benefits help shoppers who face food insecurity issues worsened by the pandemic? In this podcast, our analysts discuss access to online grocery shopping for low-income consumers and how food retailers might help.
From appliances to kitchen gadgets, the pandemic has pushed consumers to explore cooking in new ways. In this podcast, our analysts discuss how families — especially kids — are bonding in the kitchen while learning new culinary tools and techniques.
As tracked by our Eating Occasions Compass database, the pandemic continues to impact food habits and eating behavior. In this podcast we compare our recent fall 2020 findings with spring and summer 2020 along with pre-pandemic eating behaviors from 2019.
From skyrocketing revenues in food delivery apps to immune-boosting foods and beverages, the food and drink we'll be consuming in 2021 reflects the reality of our current world coping with the pandemic.
Ahead of the much anticipated release of The Hartman Group’s Snacking 2020 report, our analysts provide a glimpse at some of the significant research findings, notably how snacking has shifted from the workplace to the home.
Breakfast may seem like a simple meal concept, but it is becoming more complex. In this episode, our analysts unpack the different approaches and needs and tensions that consumers have at breakfast.
Consumers are increasingly seeking more from their snacks: On this podcast, our analysts discuss how, with its acquisition of KIND, Mars looks toward a horizon that includes both iconic sweets and healthy snacks – but can they retain KIND’s authenticity?
Listen in as Steve Markenson, FMI Research Director and Hartman Group CEO Laurie Demeritt discuss highlights from the latest FMI Grocery Shopper Trends COVID-19 Tracker: Topics range from changes in grocery shopping and eating to plans for the holidays.
The pandemic has accelerated interest in contact-free fresh and premium vending. From meat to pizza and everything in between, find out what opportunities our analysts think exist for convenient high-quality fresh foods sold from a really small footprint.
Hoping to keep traditions alive, consumers are looking forward to the holiday season: Yet, weary of dealing with the health and safety risks of COVID-19, how will they adapt their celebrations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and the December holidays?
As tracked by our Eating Occasions Compass database, from eating out to shopping, cooking and eating at home, the pandemic has impacted food behavior. In this podcast, our analysts compare spring 2020 findings to newly analyzed summer 2020 behaviors.
What's behind the unique Hartman Group drive to interpret a changing consumer culture? Two long-time Hartman experts discuss the foundations of a company dedicated to unwinding consumer behavior using curiosity and provocative thinking.
COVID-19 has shifted food shopping behavior toward efficiency and safety, but consumers continue to rely on a broad range of retail channels. In this podcast, our analysts discuss highlights from our new Food Sourcing in America 2020 report.
Rooted in changing eating behavior, consumers love to snack and are expecting more from snacks than ever before. In this podcast our analysts discuss our previous research in snacking and where our new Snacking 2020 study might go.
While easy, quick, and accessible are still important, the pandemic is causing elements of modern convenience to take on new meaning in line with shifting needs: Find out how empowering, engaging, and flexible are emerging criteria.
In this podcast, we speak to Billy Shore, founder of Share Our Strength, parent organization for the No Kid Hungry campaign to learn more about how NGOs, CPG companies, retailers, and chefs are working together to end childhood hunger in America.
The stress and anxiety brought about by COVID-19 that have translated into shifting shopping, cooking and eating habits have also changed many pet owners’ relationships to their animals.
Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, Kraft Mac & Cheese offers parents and their finicky kids a way to rethink breakfast. Find out why we think this is all part of a more flexible approach to meals.
We might be in the midst of a global pandemic, but there is no doubt that the story of 2020 is about America’s great grocery retailers. Here’s our take on the ones we think stand out and why.
What's more iconic than ice cream in summertime? In this podcast, our analysts discuss how Seattle-based Frankie & Jo’s defies stereotypes by scooping out an innovative intersection of plant-based ingredients, delicious flavor, and sustainability.
As tracked by our Eating Occasions Compass database, from snacking to dinner, the pandemic has impacted how we eat. Our analysts discuss highlights from a new report that examines changes in the who, what, when, where, why, and how of eating occasions.
As consumers try to stay at home and avoid contact as much as possible, the surge in online grocery shopping has been well documented. But what changes in food shopping will persist long after the pandemic subsides?
On this podcast, our analysts discuss some highlights from our white paper, Value in the Time of COVID-19, in which we revisit the topic of value and how notions of value—what it is and how it is expressed—have changed in some crucial ways.
Our research finds that soil health is an emergent area of consumer concern. On this podcast, our analysts take a more holistic look at agriculture and discuss the long-term implications of regenerative agriculture.
The Hartman Group is set to release a new report that delves into the world of functional foods, beverages and supplements. Here, our lead analysts on the study share an overview of what the report covers as well as some high-level findings.
On this podcast, we discuss The Hartman Group’s signature thought leadership POV, The Future of Food in the U.S. Marketplace.
Why are several niche and premium brands that were acquired by legacy brands just a few years ago now being sold off by these big companies? In this podcast, our analysts discuss big brands and the challenges of niche acquisitions.
On this podcast two Hartman senior insights leaders dissect the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the food and beverage industry and discuss what will likely influence demand in the future.
Listen in as Hartman Group CEO, Laurie Demeritt, and VP of Strategic Insights, Tamara Barnett, discuss the question around product innovation and whether it should be put on pause, reduced, or amped up during this time of COVID-19.
On this podcast, our analysts discuss how consumers are concerned for their safety when eating out as well as issues of ethics, social fairness, and responsibility when it comes to the "little guy."
On this podcast, our analysts discuss the idea of how the “me affects the we” and how the pandemic has shed a spotlight on how we are all connected.
From the traditional to social media, and home delivery, here’s a look inside at where The Hartman Group’s teams of food culture wizards and analysts find inspiration to manage and feed their families during these unprecedented times.
In this episode, our analysts share findings from virtual ethnographies we conducted to understand how the pandemic is affecting people’s lives.
Our analysts look back on four key takeaways from a report The Hartman Group created back in 2011 that analyzed shifts in consumer attitudes and behaviors in the wake of the Great Recession and compare them with what we’re experiencing today.
Many of you know The Hartman Group for our data and insights, but there is so much more to us than reports and infographics. We invite you to listen to get a more complete picture of what we can do for you.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, companies and consumers continue to stay engaged within their communities to support the greater good — a silver lining in a time of uncertainty.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, consumers still desire quality food and for many consumers organic is one of the more important signs of quality. But is organic’s halo dimming?
On this podcast, our analysts discuss the challenges that this channel is facing and how specialty natural may possibly be a harbinger for what is to come for food retailing in general.
On this podcast, our analyst shares insights into how modern times are bringing modern responses to epidemics and talks about ways that the Core wellness consumer proactively approaches immunity and resilience.
The Trump administration is proposing to roll back more federal guidelines in school lunch nutrition standards that have been in place since 2010. Our analysts discuss whether we’re heading back to the days when ketchup was once considered a vegetable.
On this podcast, our analysts discuss communication strategies that companies can employ.
While the trade media is fixated on reporting on the meteoric growth of plant-based foods, here at The Hartman Group we’re looking under the hood. And what we see is a paradox consumers are wrestling with: benefits versus values.
How does cultural change impact how brands express themselves? One way is visually through typography. Typography is an important part of how brands convey their personality and what they stand for to consumers.
With nearly half of all ads relating to the food and beverage industry, what's so unique about advertising in a Super Bowl? Our analysts discuss the Super Bowl occasion and its unique social and food rituals.
Pizza is so ubiquitous here in the U.S. But what about the rest of the world? Come along on this virtual trend trek outside the U.S. as our analysts discuss how consumers across the globe think about and eat pizza.
Listen to our analysts discuss how social responsibility has been playing out in the restaurant industry and implications for the broader food industry.
Think of the five trends that we’ve chosen to share on this podcast as primers for higher-level thinking for what’s important in moving the needle for your business in this new decade.
Consumers increasingly want authentic and all-encompassing transparency about food and beverage sourcing and production.
Online vs brick & mortar shopping is a dichotomy that doesn’t fully capture the way people are using retail channels these days; there is much more going on here.
The video gaming industry is now tops in entertainment surpassing music and movies. On this podcast, our team of gaming enthusiasts discusses video gaming’s relationship with food and beverage and the emerging opportunities for food companies.
America is a nation of immigrants, and this is reflected in our food culture. On this podcast, our lead analysts discuss what the research will look at and why.
From climate change to recycling, consumers have a new sense of urgency and anxiety about sustainability issues and are scrutinizing their lives to find ways they can act. At the same time, they are also looking to companies for solutions.
Highlights from our ACT Chicago Food Culture Forecast 2019 event: Riana Lynn explains how Journey Foods uses technology, the product life cycle and wholesome ingredients for innovating and commercializing better natural foods.
Highlights from our ACT Chicago Food Culture Forecast 2019 event: AeroFarms co-founder Marc Oshima describes his company's pioneering work as a leader in indoor vertical farming and its mission to sustainably transform agriculture.
With modern households evolving in their shopping, cooking and eating habits, how can grocers innovate in step with changing consumers? Find out as we examine Kroger's new Cincinnati-based supermarket with food hall "On the Rhine Eatery."
Highlights from our ACT Chicago Food Culture Forecast 2019 event: Caliper Foods CEO Justin Singer describes the unique challenges and opportunities Caliper faces as it goes to market with edibles and ingredients in the burgeoning cannabis market.
From trend tracking to syndicated studies, learn how Hartman Retainer Services (HRS) provides access to 30 years of knowledge on consumer behavior and works to translate an evolving food culture into strategic growth opportunities for clients.
Our social scientists and analysts are back from the field and neck-deep in data analysis of our latest sustainability research.
It’s 1985 all over again as New Coke makes a comeback in the season finale of Stranger Things season 3. Our analysts unravel this iconic pop culture moment and what drives enthusiasm for this nostalgic experience.
In this episode, we compare our online shopping experiences through "click and collect" services offered by two major grocery chains located in Seattle and Boston.
Culture is changing, prompting companies to rethink the ways they market to today’s female, male and LGBT consumers across a variety of categories.
There are many challenges as well as opportunities facing today’s food and beverage companies. Some are unique to the forces at play in food culture, while others are unique to your business. Here is our perspective on why understanding culture is key.
Blended meat products have one big advantage over plant-based meat alternatives and this factor is critical if either option is going to make serious inroads with mainstream consumers. Are blended burgers the gateway to plant-based meat alternatives?
No longer working behind the scenes, robots are making their way into mainstream grocery stores: What does this mean for grocery shoppers seeking authentic food experiences? It's a new frontier for humans and machines.
Nostalgia is an important element of modern food culture. Whether it is an iconic sensory experience that takes consumers back to a time or experience, for today’s food and beverage brands, nostalgia can be a powerful hook to engage consumers.
Concern for heart health is at the top of purchase criteria as consumers seek foods and beverages that are good for their heart. Here’s what they’re saying about buying foods and beverages to care for the ol’ ticker.
This episode is about how the food industry should be looking to fermentation for health AND deliciousness as well as upcycling for shifting consumer values.
The Hartman Group’s Eating Occasions Compass has the who, what, when, where and why of more than 136,000 adult eatings and much more. Listen to Hartman’s Renee Wheeler and Gray Stanton as they provide the scoop on the inner workings of Compass.
Beyond Meat has had the most successful IPO launch in the past twenty years. Will it live up to the hype? Is Beyond Meat being valued as a food stock or more like a tech stock? Here’s our analysts’ take on what it means for the food and beverage industry.
Hear how and why narratives connect with shoppers’ and consumers’ evolving priorities and higher expectations that they bring to purchase decisions and eating and drinking.
Learn the “why” behind The Hartman Group’s groundbreaking research that seeks to understand the drivers behind consumers’ desire and aspirations for buying and eating more plant-based foods.
Three specific types of lifestyle diets provide insights into why consumers are attracted to alternative approaches to eating. Here’s our perspective on what’s driving the attraction.
Botanicals are about more than being a source of flavor. Blending the culinary with inherent functionality, herbs and spices provide a powerful, potent potential for food-product development.
In this installment of our podcast series, Tamara Barnett and Melissa Abbott are back to chew the “fat” about why fats and oils are evolving to become an accepted and desired part of a healthy diet.
In this episode, Sarah Marion, Ph.D., Director of Syndicated Research, and Helen Lundell, Senior Consultant, have a free-wheeling discussion about the some of the highlights from latest Health + Wellness 2019 syndicated research report.
In this episode, this is the question Laurie Demeritt, Hartman Group CEO, and David Feit, VP Strategic Insights, take on as they discuss why sustainability now has to link to better quality products from the consumers’ perspective
In this episode of The Insatiable Appetite, Hartman Group senior thought leaders Melissa Abbott and Tamara Barnett have a lively and insightful conversation about three important trends in food culture today.