ATLANTA — The National Peanut Board (NPB) welcomed over 30 food service professionals and food influencers last week to the fourth annual Next Gen Food Summit, held in Napa, Calif., at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Held over the course of two days, this year’s discussion focused on learning how to strike the balance between marketing to the Gen-Z population while maintaining relevance with millennial audiences. According to Pew Research, Gen-Z are those born in 1997 or later, and millennials are those born between 1981 and 1996.
For the past few years, millennials have been the center of the universe for marketers, particularly in the food industry. According to Mintel, millennials are responsible for the rise in specialty foods, snacking and the plant-forward movement. With Gen-Z on the rise, food professionals are left to wonder: “Can I meet the needs of both generations at the same time, and if so, how?”
At this year’s Next Gen Food Summit, we tackled this issue with panel discussions, a chef demonstration from Southern chef and cookbook author, Virginia Willis, and held a Market Basket Challenge, where attendees were given the task of creating a plant-forward dish incorporating peanut products that would appeal to both the millennial and Gen-Z consumers. Attendees also learned about the latest in sustainability and peanuts with a presentation from Casey Cox, NPB Georgia alternate and vice president of Longleaf Ridge Farms.
Our highlighted speakers included Cathy Holley, editor-in-chief of Flavor & the Menu; and Amy Sung, director of content for Food & Travel, SmartBrief. Panelists included Elaine Magee, MPH, RD; Melinda Goldstein, vice president of marketing, Peanut Butter & Co.; Kimberly Behzadi, senior associate brand manager, Planters; Haile Thomas, founder of H.A.P.P.Y Organization; and Kelly Bone, a vegan food writer.
–National Peanut Board