“I am looking for products and
brands that are real, authentic and
honest, because I know I can trust
what's in them and where they
come from”
1
“I am looking for products and brands that are real,
authentic and honest, because I know I can trust
what's in them and where they come from”
•
As the recession struck, brands that had stood
the test of time and remained true to their
values became points of stability and comfort
amongst the turmoil. But as life has settled into
new routines the meaning of authenticity is
changing.
•
The unwavering commitment to an ideal or set
of values, the honesty of the brand or the
people that make them and the openness to
scrutiny, mark those brands that are seen as
real and genuine from those that merely have
history and a past.
2
“I am looking for products and brands that are real,
authentic and honest, because I know I can trust
what's in them and where they come from”
•
The past has to have modern relevance to
maintain its meaning and value; genuine
benefits need to lie behind the origins or
craftsmanship that is used in their making.
Provenance or sourcing need to deliver unique
or distinctive product attributes.
•
Locality and seasonality are becoming
increasingly important; and are seen as a way
of accessing products at their best whilst
protecting local interests.
3
Growing consumer scrutiny of brands and their
products means that corporate transparency is
becoming more important
„I am increasingly likely to spend time researching a
product before making a purchase‟1
% Agree
2010
2011
100
90
80
70
67
66
68
70
66
56
60
59
64
56
54
50
40
30
20
10
78% of the firms measured in the
Ireland RepTrak 2012 survey have
seen their reputation fall over the
last 12 months. Google was the
only firm to score over 80 points
out of a possible 100, compared to
six companies last year. The study
ranked 101 of the largest
organisations in Ireland including
indigenous, multinational and
semi-state bodies and rates how
highly these organisations are
held in esteem, and how much
they are admired and trusted.2
0
Ireland
UK
Western Europe
USA
BRIC
Source:1. Global MONITOR. See appendix for details; 2. Ireland RepTrak 2012
4
„Seasonal‟ and „local‟ have become bywords for quality
and trustworthiness
Seasonal is equated with better quality
72% of Britons actively seek to buy British seasonal
produce. Of these, almost half think seasonal food
tastes better and two-thirds prefer to buy according
to the season, with 30% saying they want to support
British farmers.1
Growing focus on local produce
ARAMARK Ireland, serving a quarter of a million
people daily across its 400 operations,
commissioned a survey in 2012 amongst its
customers to support its second „Celebrate Irish
Food Fortnight‟. The survey found that 76% of
people say they are more conscious of the need
to „buy Irish‟ and support local food suppliers.2
Source: 1. Defra, Rural Enterprise Solutions 2011; 2. Institute of Grocery Distribution 2011
5
People are returning to home cooking in order to
better cope with financial constraints
„It is extremely/very important in my life to learn
new things‟1
% Agree
100
90
80
75
74
72
66
70
67
Home cooking is on the rise in
GB. One of the biggest
increases in consumer spending
over the past year has been on
in-home food, with 38% of Brits
claiming to have spent more or
started spending on this
category in the last 12
months.2
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ireland
UK
Western Europe
USA
BRIC
Source: 1. Global MONITOR. See appendix for details; 2. Mintel, 2011
6
Key takeaways
•
Honesty and transparency have become key markers of authenticity for people
looking for tangible anchor points in uncertain times.
•
Linking history, heritage, craftsmanship and tradition to tangible product
benefits resonates strongly with people looking for products that are authentic
and real but have relevance in their modern lifestyles.
•
A „back to basics‟ approach to buying and preparing food – from seeking out
local and seasonal ingredients and produce, to more time cooking from scratch
– has grown in importance. Again, people are focusing on the tangible benefits
of these approaches, such as better quality and freshness or supporting local
producers.
7
Drivers
Sub-trends
Back to basics:
Adopting traditional approaches and skills
to meet today‟s needs
Declining trust in governments
and big business
Continuing economic
uncertainty
Increasing availability of
information
Rising consumer curiosity and
desire for transparency
Celebrating tradition:
Taking the best of tradition and heritage to
meet modern tastes
Craftsmanship:
Rising interest in the people and artisan
skills behind products
Behind the scenes:
Transparency as a mark of quality and trust
Passion for place:
Growing interest in origin as a mark of
quality and authenticity
Embracing the seasons:
Growing interest in consuming seasonal
produce
8
SUB TRENDS
9
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Back to basics
Adopting traditional approaches
and skills to meet today‟s needs
The current economic climate has led
many people to apply a DIY approach to
more areas of their life. Nostalgia is no
longer the driving theme of this trend;
rather, people understand that making
things from scratch makes better financial
sense. Many are looking to older
generations to teach them the skills they
need to cope.
FROM
A „do-it-yourself‟ approach
and a desire for the
practical wisdom of the
past
Grandmothers‟ Day dedicated to
remembering and
recording lost skills,
of previous
generations, Ireland
My Farm offers
home selfsufficiency
through
outsourced
vegetable
growing in the
garden, US
TOWARD
Less about nostalgia, more about
paring back in order to better
manage financially
Waitrose adds offal to its
„Forgotten Cuts‟ range of meats
as a flavourful and affordable
staple from the past, GB
App finds a recipe for the
ingredients you already have in
your cupboards, Spain
The Kitchen Garden „grow
your own‟ herb packs
contain everything you
need to grow herbs from
seeds, Australia
10
SUB-TREND: Back to basics
Adopting traditional approaches and skills to meet today‟s
needs
„Grow your own‟ herb
packs, Australia
Cooking app for the food
you already have, Spain
Seeds and bulbs specialist Mr
Fothergill‟s brings people the
Kitchen Garden range of herbs in
easy „grow your own‟ packs
containing everything you need
to grow herbs from seeds. You
simply open the seed packet and
pour into the container, add
water and let them grow.
Spanish food brand Gallina
Blanca has launched an initiative
which offers people free recipes
based on the ingredients they
have to hand. People can send a
tweet to Gallina Blanca listing
the ingredients they have
available. Gallina Blanca
automatically searches its
database for an appropriate
recipe and sends a link to it in a
direct message to the user.
Reviving forgotten meat,
GB
Waitrose has expanded its so-called
„Forgotten Cuts‟ range, under which
it is trying to re-popularise
traditional and more affordable cuts
of meat, by introducing lamb and
veal offal. Many of the meats would
have been familiar to mothers and
grandmothers but have fallen out of
favour. Waitrose is trying to
encourage people to use them
again – providing modern recipe
suggestions to bring them up to
date.
11
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Celebrating tradition
TOWARD
Taking the best of tradition and
heritage to meet modern tastes
Reviving traditional products and
processes for discerning and
leading edge audiences
Brands and products that have stood the test of
time continue to provide people with
reassurance and continuity. At the same time,
forgotten traditions are being reinvented as hip
and aspirational, and are now aimed at those
who are on the lookout for something new.
FROM
Family known for
industrially made, massproduced loaves return to
traditional baking, Spain
Celebrating products that have
stood the test of time to offer a
sense of stability and continuity
Persil Celebrating 100
years of helping
mums, GB
Morro Fi bar revives the
tradition of the predinner vermouth, Spain
100 year old Polish classic
Knishes reinvented into
hip street food, US
M&S celebrated its 125 year
anniversary with the Penny Bazaar,
where people could pick up products
for just 1p, GB
12
SUB-TREND: Celebrating tradition
Taking the best of tradition and heritage to meet modern
tastes
Classic Polish dishes
reinvented as street food,
US
Return to traditional
baking, Spain
Polish „knishes‟ – Jewish snack
food – that arrived in New
York from Poland more than a
century ago have re-emerged on
the city‟s trendy food scene,
courtesy of start-up food vendor
Knishery NYC. The owner hopes
to bring the snacks - which have
a 100 year history in New York –
back into mainstream cuisine.
Anna Bellasolà, whose family
fortune was made from
industrially made mass-produced
bread, has rediscovered and
reinvented traditional breads via
her bakery Baluard. People
queue for up to 20 minutes to
buy the traditionally-made
bread, which has been the focus
of renewed consumer interest in
the past few years.
Reviving the vermouth
tradition, Spain
The Morro Fi bar in Barcelona is
dedicated to the art and
tradition of „El Vermut‟
(vermouth), which typically
features in the Spanish custom
of pre-dinner aperitifs. The bar
is aimed at young urbanites in
Barcelona who enjoy traditional
practices that have been
reinterpreted for the modern
age.
13
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Craftsmanship
Rising interest in the people and
artisan skills behind products
People continue to take an interest in the
story of how things are made and by
whom. Both artisan and more mass brands
are emphasising stories behind
craftsmanship and are increasingly
bringing the craftsman directly to the
consumer.
TOWARD
Brands bring the craftsmanship
story – and the craftsman - to the
consumer
Pop-up workshop transports
Gucci‟s craftsman from the
factory to a Gucci store, Global
Chocolate artworks made by
"passionate chocolatier”, USA
FROM
Direct access to the
company‟s experts and
choosing your own craftsman
Purity Brewing allows people
to email specific staff with
their thoughts and questions,
GB
„Crazy Gang‟ winemakers call for a
return to quality and craftsmanship
in winemaking, Spain
Golden Hook allows
you to choose the
knitwear design and
the granny to knit it,
France
14
SUB-TREND: Craftsmanship
Rising interest in the people and artisan skills behind
products
A return to traditional
wine, Spain
A group of winemakers known as
the ‟Crazy Gang‟ are seeking to
change negative perceptions of
Spanish wine in their native
country by conveying a message
of quality and craftsmanship in
every bottle. The group‟s mission
is to rid Spain‟s vineyards of
alien varieties of wine and return
to forgotten slopes to produce
wines with natural character and
fresh appeal.
Intricate hand crafted
chocolates, USA
Chocolatier Jean-Michel Carré
makes themed handmade truffles
and bon bons, such as red lips
made with dark and milk ganache
chocolate with tangerine and
truffle buddhas in his shop
Chocolats du CaliBressan. Each
day the self-professed "passionate
chocolatier” can be found
experimenting with ingredients like
avocado, curry, Sichuan pepper,
balsamic vinegar and lotus.
Gucci pop-up workshop,
Global
Gucci has set up pop-up
workshops to demonstrate the
craftsmanship of Gucci‟s
Florentine leather goods factory
in its stores, flying artisans to
both Mumbai and New Delhi to
give fans a demo of how Gucci‟s
iconic bags are made. Artisans
hand-stitch handles, assemble
bamboo handles and hand
emboss customer‟s initials
during the events.
15
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Behind the scenes
Transparency as a mark of
quality and trust
People are putting brands under greater
scrutiny and now demand comprehensive
transparency from the companies that they
buy from. As a result, more brands are
lifting the curtain on the processes behind
their products in order to communicate
their quality and authenticity.
FROM
Full disclosure and real
time transparency
Dole Organic bananas
through their farm
codes show fully
transparent sourcing,
GB
Via webcams,
consumers can watch
the vegetables grow on
the Harrods Allotment in
real time, GB
TOWARD
Transparency tied to real benefits
Nissin food opens
noodle museum to
showcase its production
methods, Japan
Chicago‟s first boutique
distillery since the days of
prohibition, produces
handcrafted spirits from
scratch, US
Each pig has a face,
for quality and to
encourage less
meat consumption
Germany
16
SUB-TREND: Behind the scenes
Transparency as a mark of quality and trust
See your pork, Germany
Meine kleine Farm is an online
pork retailer with a difference: the
site allows you to see pictures of
each pig and read about each one
before selecting which one you
would like to order your meat
from. The company‟s tagline “Less meat – more respect” –
encourages people to buy less
meat but ensure that the meat
they do buy is reared to high
ethical standards.
Organic small-batch and
handcrafted spirits, US
Koval is Chicago‟s first boutique
distillery since the days of
prohibition, and produces
handcrafted vodka, whiskey,
brandy and liqueurs entirely
from scratch. People are
encouraged to visit the distillery,
where the entire production
process - from mashing to
bottling - is managed in-house.
Noodle museum, Japan
Nissin Foods has opened a
museum celebrating the craft and
industry of noodle making.
Visitors can create their own
varieties at the „My Cup Noodle
Factory‟ and get a better
understanding of the company‟s
corporate practices. The museum
also showcases Nissin‟s package
designs available in different
locations around the world.
17
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Passion for place
TOWARD
Growing interest in origin as a
mark of quality and authenticity
People are taking more interest in the
specific qualities of different foods – such
as flavours and health properties –
particular to different regions of the world.
At the same time, more products are being
granted protected status, allowing them to
safeguard their unique characteristics and
claim to origin.
Importance of certified status
and origin ensuring unique and
distinctive qualities in products
Piacentinu Ennese cheese is
1000th product to receive EU
DOP protection for unique origin
and attributes, Italy
Bar only sells sandwiches filled
with protected designation of
origin products, Spain
FROM
Sourced from „down the
road‟ and owning a stake
in the source
Nudo allow you to
adopt an olive tree in
Italy and secure your
year‟s supply, GB
Growing popularity of honey‟s with
antiseptic properties from manuka
bees, NZ and Australia
Shetland Wool receives
PDO status for the
distinct high quality of
Scottish sheep fleece,
GB
18
SUB-TREND: Passion for place
Growing interest in origin as a mark of quality and
authenticity
Antiseptic honey,
Australia and New
Zealand
Bar specialises in local
protected foods, Spain
There has been a global rise in
interest in Manuka honey – a
mono floral honey which is
collected by the manuka bees
which are indigenous to New
Zealand. The honey has naturally
strong antiseptic and
antibacterial properties and
comes in different quality grades
or strengths depending on its
properties.
Fast Vínic, a sandwich shop in
Barcelona, prepares sandwiches
made exclusively with local
protected foods, all with a strong
link with particular territories in
Spain. The tagline in the poster
above translates as “Bites with
designation of origin”.
Piacentinu Ennese saffron
cheese, Italy
Piacentinu Ennese, a Sicilian
sheep-milk cheese had become
the 1,000th product to win EU
protection. The DOP cheese has
an intense yellow colour and
aroma from the saffron it is
infused in – Enna, the province
the cheese hails from is a key
safforn producer - and is
imprinted with the marks of the
reed baskets it matures in.
19
HOW IS THE SUB-TREND EVOLVING?
Embracing the seasons
TOWARD
Growing interest in consuming
seasonal produce
Better information about when and where
foods are grown has triggered an interest
in buying seasonally. Mainstream brands
and retailers are demonstrating more
commitment to sourcing seasonal produce
whilst high end independent brands are
making exclusive use of seasonal
ingredients their selling point.
FROM
Seasonal produce limited
to niche offerings
Abel and Cole
seasonal fruit and
vegetable home
delivery, GB
Focus on seasonal becomes mass
and more upscale
Zac & Jac‟s Kitchen
Produce usews only the
best of locally produced,
seasonal ingredients,
Australia
Fresh & Easy‟s “Farm to
Store in 24″ programme
teams up with local
farmers to bring their fresh
seasonal produce into the
stores, US
Riverford iPhone
app with meal
Burgerville fast food chain
suggestions for
sources only seasonal
seasonal
produce for its
produce,
GB
restaurants, US
20
SUB-TREND: Embracing the seasons
Growing interest in consuming seasonal produce
App for seasonal recipes,
GB
Organic veg box company
Riverford, based locally at
Sacrewell Farm just outside
Peterborough, has launched a
free-to-download iPhone app
featuring almost 800 searchable
recipes. The seasonal organic
produce that Riverford‟s
customers receive in their veg
boxes has inspired the featured
recipes.
Seasonal produce in
store, US
The Fresh & Easy chain of
grocery stores have launched
their “Farm to Store in 24″
programme in California, under
which they have teamed up with
local farmers to bring their fresh
seasonal produce into the stores.
These items are labelled in-store
to let customers know what farm
they are from.
Gourmet products from
seasonal ingredients,
Australia
Zac and Jac‟s Kitchen Produce
is a boutique, ultra premium
range of gourmet products made
from local seasonal ingredients
that have been created in the
Stillwater restaurant kitchen
near Melbourne. Visitors can
take home a premium quality
Peninsula product, made by
chefs and in small batches.
21
COUNTRY RELEVANCE
How does this trend play out in Ireland and GB?
This trend continues to be of high importance to people in both Ireland and GB, although it is far more
entrenched in Ireland where pride in Irish is well established and has been boosted by the current economic
climate. Growing concern about transparency, and higher expectations of companies to be transparent
characterises both markets.
Ireland
• The recession has prompted people to look to older
generations for advice on how to pare back their
lifestyles in order to cope e.g. home cooking and
household budgeting.
• Purchasing local meat and produce that clearly
indicates origins is engrained behaviour in Ireland
and the current economic climate is bolstering the
desire to „buy Irish‟. This pride in Irish producers
and the traditional processes they use is well
entrenched and is likely to remain so for the time
being.
• There is a preference for traditional, established
brands rather than newcomers – people value
origins, traditional ingredients and production
processes. They seek traditional products at an
affordable price point that are relevant to modern
living.
Great Britain
• Consumers are demonstrating higher expectations
of brands, with increased scrutiny of food labels
and engagement with ingredients and processing
methods. Brands that are completely transparent
on ingredients are seen as setting the standard.
• There is support for British farmers, particularly
amongst people who shop at more upmarket
supermarkets or butchers. However, for many
people value still dominates purchase decisions.
• Back to Basics still resonates among people in GB.
Often healthy eating is associated with „mum‟s
home cooking‟ – balanced meals made from
scratch.
• Finding out about the skills and people behind
products is most important to affluent audiences in
GB.
22
COUNTRY RELEVANCE
How does this trend play out in Ireland and GB?
Ireland
Great Britain
Back to basics:
Back to basics:
Celebrating tradition:
Celebrating tradition:
Craftsmanship:
Craftsmanship:
Behind the scenes:
Behind the scenes:
Passion for place:
Passion for place:
Embracing the seasons:
Embracing the seasons:
Adopting traditional approaches and
skills to meet today‟s needs
Adopting traditional approaches and
skills to meet today‟s needs
Taking the best of tradition and
heritage to meet modern tastes
Taking the best of tradition and
heritage to meet modern tastes
Rising interest in the people and
artisan skills behind products
Rising interest in the people and
artisan skills behind products
Transparency as a mark of quality
and trust
Transparency as a mark of quality
and trust
Growing interest in origin as a mark
of quality and authenticity
Growing interest in origin as a mark
of quality and authenticity
Growing interest in consuming
seasonal produce
Strength in 2012:
Growing interest in consuming
seasonal produce
Cooling
Still warm
Heating up
23
SHOPPER DIMENSIONS
24
SHOPPER DIMENSION
How does this trend play out for shoppers?
An emphasis on seasonal and regional
produce in-store
Consumer interest in seasonal and local products will increase
as better information about how food is grown becomes more
widely available and people continue to look for ways to
support local businesses.
Retailers increasingly recognise the growing importance that
people are assigning to products that are locally made or
grown in season. In the future, they will organise stock based
on these criteria, communicate seasonal and local offerings
much more emphatically in-store and suggest ways for
people to make the most of these products – such as offering
recipes cards based on seasonal or locally produced products.
Location-based technology offers more possibilities for
interaction between people and nearby shops and foodservice
businesses. There is an opportunity for retailers to explore
the potential for location based services and apps to direct
shoppers to local shops and suppliers and access location
based offers – especially those for seasonal and local items.
Glimpses of the future
Championing
local produce,
Germany
Even at the non-premium end,
shoppers are looking for more
local produce. Lidl has tapped into
this desire with its, „Quality from
your region‟ labels that include
regional symbols and coats of
arms on the packaging.
Seasonal
products, GB
The Co-Op has created a „taste the
seasons‟ range of British products
that capture and celebrate the
mood of the season in response to
growing desire for more varied
and specific, seasonal offerings.
25
SHOPPER DIMENSION
How does this trend play out for shoppers?
Conveying a sense of authenticity in store
Retailers are tapping into peoples‟ desire for less generic and
faceless shopping experiences by designing displays and
formats to create a sense of authenticity, craftsmanship and
quality around their products or brand.
Large scale retailers are creating the feel of more artisan
producers in-store through product displays and layouts that
evokes the sense of small scale or handmade production.
Simple touches, such as rustic displays, wicker baskets and
old fashioned signage are being used to create a feeling of
authenticity and heritage in store.
Transparent approaches, often found in foodservice, where
products are made in front of people, are becoming more
popular in retail formats as a way of providing reassurance
around quality or to showcase the skills behind products.
Glimpses of the future
Shop with a
dairy feel, UK
Neil‟s Yard cheese shop in Borough,
London, evokes the feel of an artisan
producer with wet concrete floors,
floor to ceiling racks of cheese wheels
on the shop floor and staff dressed in
full cheese making clothes – wellies
included.
Rustic
patisserie,
Spain
The Hofmann patisserie in
Barcelona is renowned for the
quality of its baking and pastries.
The store has specially constructed
timber cabinets and shelves that
give an authentic feel, with wicker
baskets and chalk boards to
display the daily specials.
26
POINTS TO PONDER
Consumer
•
How can you tap into the growing consumer
desire to make things from scratch?
•
•
•
•
Shopper
•
What could you do to better communicate
the specialist skills of your producers and
employees (e.g. in-store butchers)?
What is the potential for special „anniversary‟
goods that celebrate the lifetime of your brand
or product?
•
How can you better use packaging or display
materials to get the authenticity of you
produce across?
What traditional ingredients or processes can
you revive to give a sense of authenticity to
your brands?
•
What different retail channels can you use to
better convey the authenticity of your
products?
•
How can you use your website or webcams
to give shoppers a better look into your
production processes?
What could you do to highlight ingredients in
your products which are particular to certain
regions of your country? How could you
communicate the unique benefits of these
ingredients?
How might you better use seasonal ingredients
in your products?
27