Packaged Facts: Baby Boomers, Millennials Defining U.S. Foodie Culture

Foodies as a subculture of gastronomically adventurous individuals are a smorgasbord of shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and principles. They are, in essence, the personification of the very culinary diversity that has come to define the Foodie movement. Yet many food retailers and foodservice companies persist in focusing their marketing efforts on foodies under the age of 35, or those who are members of the Millennial generation, according to Foodies in the U.S.: Opportunities for Restaurants and Retail, 2nd Edition, a report by market research firm Packaged Facts. "Foodies have an above-average likelihood of being under the age of 35, so there is good reason for marketers to ramp up efforts to attract Millennial foodies. However, marketers need to be cautious about assuming that the only foodies who count are Millennials," says Packaged Facts research director David Sprinkle. Packaged Facts research has found that members of the Boomer generation also represent a key market segment for food retailers and restaurants. While the demographic characteristics of the foodies highlighted in Foodies in the U.S.: Opportunities for Restaurants and Retail, 2nd Edition reflect those of various age groups as a whole, the psychographic profiles of Millennial and Boomer foodies are remarkably similar. In fact, there is a noteworthy convergence across a broad spectrum of attitudes and behaviors on the part of foodies of all age groups. Whether they are Millennials or Boomers, foodies share a common underlying desire not only to seek out new food experiences and products but to try new things of all kinds, whether shopping at a new store, wearing new clothing styles or buying new gadgets, Packaged Facts reports.  Moreover, there is a strong similarity in the eating habits, food preferences, food shopping habits and attitudes toward cooking at home of foodies all ages.  For example, foodies in the Boomer generation are about as likely as their Millennial counterparts to usually only snack on healthy foods, look for organic or natural foods when shopping for food, only look for the freshest ingredients when they cook, view their kitchen as the most important room in their home and really enjoy cooking.