Living in the age of the prosumer

From a company perspective, it means that more and more prosumers shape, and even control, the message and drive demand — not the manufacturer.

Food production world is changing

Nowhere is this more evident than in the changing world of food production. Food is becoming incredibly cheap, representing less than 10% of the household expenditure in the Western world. For the first time perhaps in history, the biggest challenges facing the food chain involve not just production technologies or costs, but the environmental and social impact of both production processes and the food itself.

Sales of processed foods are dropping as consumers turn to products with ‘clean labels’ (ingredients that you would find in a home kitchen) and organic foods. Sales of carbonated soda drinks, potato chips, packaged cereals, frozen dinners, chewing gum and even orange juice have dropped by as much as 25% in the last 5 years as consumers come to see these as unhealthy food choices.

By contrast, the growth in craft beers and craft breads, artisanal cheeses, coffee shops and organic stores reflect the intersection of craft and mass marketing. At the same time, recognising these changes, government regulators, non-governmental organisations, suppliers of goods and services, and even potential employees are more proactive and outspoken than ever.

Welcome to the era of the prosumer

Consumers who can easily research ingredients, processes and companies to make more informed decisions regarding food safety and nutrition are driving the pace and imperative for change in the food industry. According to Forbes’ contributing author Susan Gunelius, these prosumers are “product and brand advocates,” who now significantly affect the success or failure of companies, products and brands through their involvement on the social web.

Author: Aiden Connolly

This an excerpt from a post by Alltech Chief Innovation Officer Aidan Connolly on LinkedIn. In response to this trend, Aidan and his team spoke to leaders within 50 of the top food and beverage companies and asked them to identify what they felt customers wanted from them, and what they expect they’ll want in the future. Their collective responses of these companies cover eight key categories. To find out what they are and to “future-proof” your own business, read the rest of Aidan’s post.