March 2020 - 47

FARM MARKET & AGRITOURISM
Tribal food patterns impact farm market strategies
BRIAN MOYER
Penn State Extension
bfm3@psu.edu
I like to have salads for lunch. I
usually make my own and take it with
me to my office but on this day, I was
traveling so I decided to visit a chain
restaurant that specializes in salads
and bowls. I had never been to this
restaurant before and was a bit confused
on what and how to order.
Usually at chain restaurants there is
a menu board and you pick what meal
or item you want. At this establishment
there is a menu board, but it is made up
of individual items. You select what you
want, tell them, and they assemble it for
you right there. This model seems to
reflect what is happening in our evolving
food culture.
An increasing number of consumers
are identifying as members of a " food
tribe. " A desire to express ourselves
through our food choices or identifying
who we are through our diet and creating
personalized solutions for customers.
The Washington Post had an article
in 2018 entitled " Paleo, keto, fasting,
Whole 30: Why food tribes are on
the rise. " Consumers are increasingly
identifying themselves as members of
various tribes such as paleo, gluten-free
or keto. We can control what we eat so
this allows us to express our identity
through our food choices.
Futurist Mike Lee of Alpha Food Labs
was speaking at 2020 Potato Expo and
he suggests that we are at the end of the
" One size fits all " era. We are seeing an
increase of various food tribes looking for
solutions to their dietary requirements.
Recent research by Potatoes USA
suggests that 44% of those surveyed
say they are following some specific
dietary guidelines. Social media just
makes it that much easier for likeminded
eaters to find one another and
influence food manufacturers.
Dedication and mass appear
to brands is continuing to shrink
particularly with younger consumers.
It's no longer just Coca-Cola or Pepsi as
a choice. Look at the rise of plant-based
products and beverages such as oat
beverage, plantain chips and meatless
burgers. It's almost impossible to keep
up! I don't suggest you even try. But you
should probably pay attention.
If you know what is going on in the
marketplace, you can identify products
you already have that might match the
various trends taking place and promote
them in your market.
I've worked with some markets whose
focus on organic and health allow them
to cater to customers who follow one of
these dietary regiments since these types
of customers would most likely seek
organic options. You don't have to be
organic to appeal to this consumer, but
you can focus on some key things that
might be appealing regardless of what
tribe they belong to.
How transparent are your products?
Is it clear how they are produced or
grown? Once again, it comes down to
telling your story about your farm, your
market, your values.
Whatever your food tribe is, we can
probably all enjoy a nice apple. FGN
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March 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2020
