The dairy industry needs to do a better job of listening and catering to consumers, says Charlie Arnot, chief executive officer of The Center for Food Integrity and president of consultation firm Look East.
He said young people in particular want to know that their food is healthy, safe and good for the planet.
He said those who are researching and introducing dairy substitutes are paying close attention to these factors, so the dairy industry “needs to be on its toes.”
They want products that will improve their health, he said, so the dairy industry needs to give them reasons to feel good about buying milk and dairy products.
He said these ideas circulate on social media popular with young people..
“It really is a result from the pandemic that it’s spread across all demographics,” Arnot said.
“People are looking for what can I eat, what can I consume, what can I do to enhance my immune health to help protect myself, protect my family from the pandemic.”
He also found there’s an increasing divide between those who need to pinch pennies because of the pandemic and those who are affluent and shopping for higher-end products.
Confirming that observation is a recent survey which found that organic milk sales are currently about 8.5 per cent greater than a year ago.
