Oct. 29--Millennials are twice as likely to distrust large food companies than older generations, says a study by research firm Mintel.
Among adults age 21 to 38, 43 percent said they don't trust large food manufacturers, Mintel said. That compares with just 18 percent of older adults. Also, almost three-quarters of millennials surveyed said they wish food companies offered more information on how they make their products, a slightly higher percentage than the previous generations.
The study names General Mills, PepsiCo and Northfield-based Kraft Heinz as examples of large food companies. General Mills makes hundreds of brands including Yoplait yogurt, Cheerios, Progresso soup, Pillsbury, Green Giant and Betty Crocker. PepsiCo's products, in addition to soft drinks, include Quaker Oats, Doritos and Tropicana orange juice. Kraft Heinz, beyond its namesake macaroni and cheese and ketchup brands, also makes Philadelphia cream cheese, Lunchables, Planters peanuts and Jell-O brand snacks.
It's clear that younger adults are also more concerned with the ethics of food companies. The study showed that 59 percent of millennials would stop buying a certain product if they believed the brand is unethical.
Millennials are also far more likely to make frequent trips to the grocery store instead of one big weekly trip, Mintel said. Once in the store, they focus more on freshness than their older counterparts and buy far fewer processed foods.
Millennials are a key demographic for food companies because they're the largest generation, accounting for a quarter of the U.S. population. Millennials are expected to occupy a bigger slice of the total population in the next five years as older generations decline, Mintel said.
sbomkamp@tribpub.com
