As increased health and environmental awareness continues to drive consumer desires and decisions, manufacturing technologies should adapt accordingly. Many of the existing solutions are already meeting this increase in demand, but manufacturers should also consider adapting to customers' unique internal processes, the type of product being developed and the means of processing. Today, Generation Z prioritizes “flavor” and “nutrition” in their food choices with “cost” in mind. Cassandra predicts that Generation Z will refocus their priorities on nutrition, environmental impact and the dining experience as young people explore cultural variety through cooking.
Generational trends can be influenced by a variety of factors. In addition, when consumers reach important milestones in life, such as adulthood for Generation Z, fatherhood for millennials and retirement for baby boomers, food and beverage needs and decisions are affected. Herbaceous and more ecological flavors are also expected to appear, which will highlight a cultural shift towards food and beverage trends with more natural flavors. I predict that this “trend” will influence food labeling, food products and marketing statements, leading companies to even share information about their work culture and their inclusion measures.
As these new processes expand, specialists will work with customers to transform existing batch processes into efficient continuous processes and bring their strong experience in conventional food science to this new technology. I believe that the growing need and interest of consumers for transparency in the food industry continues to hold food companies accountable and drive change in the industry. Generation Z will promote climate-conscious eating and beverage behaviors as food becomes a fundamental tool for mitigating the climate crisis. Food is fundamental to the identity of Generation Z; to say that food is important to young consumers is an understatement.
At the beginning of COVID-19, the restaurant sector sank and, in many cases, retail trade exploded due to the decline in demand for the food that is normally supplied to restaurants and the increase in demand from grocery stores.
