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| Countries covered: United States Special offer: now 20% off original price of $1,999 For food aficionados, food offers much more than nourishment. It offers a framework through which they can build relationships, make new friends, explore the world and even examine which behaviors are ethical. They use food to define who they are in greater society. The term foodie, which first appeared in the early 1980s, has entered the English language to describe this new type of food lover and a surrounding new culture of food. Foodies are distinct from gourmets in that their interests tend to be more wide ranging. Foodies enjoy high-end gourmet food, to be sure, but they also seek out hole-in-the-wall BBQ shacks, taco trucks and Chinatown markets. Foodies enjoy the thrill of the hunt and being the first to catch on to new food trends, and food outlets considered "authentic" carry the most prestige in the foodie world. As authenticity frequently equates to a degree of separation from big food conglomerates and corporate marketing campaigns, foodies can be an elusive target for marketers. At the same time, foodies are a desirable demographic, as they are avid, tech-savvy consumers who embrace all sorts of trends, not just those that are food-related, and who introduce these trends to their communities and peers. Through an analysis of selected lifestyle statements in Simmons Market Research Bureau's national consumer survey, Packaged Facts has determined that 14% of U.S. adults-or 31 million-are foodies. Drawing on cross-tabulated Simmons data, this report examines foodies' demographic characteristics in depth while also discussing foodies' values and consumer habits. Following a thorough trend overview chapter, the report profiles the foodie cohort known as restaurant foodies, pinpointing their unique characteristics across areas including demographics and attitudes, media responsiveness, shopping habits and restaurant behavior. Read an excerpt from this report below. Report MethodologyThe information in Foodies is based on primary and secondary research. Primary research entails in-depth interviews with consultants and industry insiders to obtain information on food trends and the people that drive them. Secondary research entailed data gathering from relevant sources, including consumer and industry publications, newspapers, government reports and company literature. Dozens of charts and tables from diverse sources are included. Consumer demographics are derived from Simmons Market Research Bureau data. What You'll Get in This Report This report helps companies understand what motivates foodies and how to appeal to them, even in difficult economic times. It makes important predictions and recommendations regarding the future of this market. Plus, you'll benefit from extensive data, presented in easy-to-read and practical charts, tables and graphs. How You'll Benefit from This Report If your company is involved in the grocery or restaurant industry or launches new food products regularly, you will find this report invaluable. Because foodies also like to lead the way in other consumer areas-from shopping to fashion, nutrition matters to "green" pursuits-marketers of non-food products will also benefit from learning how to reach this trend-setting demographic. This report will help:
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Additional Information
Market Insights: A Selection From The Report
Smaller Households, Less Encumbered Lifestyles
Restaurant foodies seem to enjoy pairing off, as they are 14% more likely than U.S. adults on
average to have two adults in their households (index of 114), and 16% more likely to live in
households comprising two employed adults (index of 116). These traits are in line with the
relative youthfulness of restaurant foodies, who are concentrated in the 25-44 age range.
While they may enjoy grooving as co-habitating couples, friends or roommates, restaurant
foodies also seem to be part of the demographic phenomenon of young adults delaying
marriage and parenthood. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the median
age for a woman to marry for the first time is age 25, while in the mid 1970s the median was
age 20. Women also have their first child later, at age 25 on average, up from age 22 in the
1970s (pbs.org, June 19, 2006). Demographers have seen a shift where young adults instead
prefer to focus on their careers, to seek out new experiences and to partake in cultural
activities, which include exploring the restaurant scene on a local, national and international
basis.
This delayed childbearing trend seems particularly apparent in restaurant foodies, as they are 14% more likely than U.S. adults on average to never have been married (index of 114) and 12% less likely to be divorced (index of 88). They are also significantly less likely to have children age 6-11 (index of 88) or 12-17 (index of 86). [Table 3-1]
Gourmet and Organic at Fast-Casual and Quick-Service Restaurants
Restaurant foodies are clearly seeking out gourmet experiences in their daily lives, with 24% agreeing a lot that they try to eat gourmet food whenever they can, making this group over four times above average in this regard (index of 419), and another 22% agreeing a little with the statement. Accordingly, celebrity chefs are opening casual outlets with gourmet flair, which make it possible for customers to “go gourmet” without breaking the bank or committing to a formal restaurant experience.
In the NewsFoodies Pilot Consumerism Beyond Obvious Culinary Curiosities
New York, December 16, 2008 - Foodies are passionate and curious and a truly American phenomenon. In the all-new report, Foodies in the U.S.: Five Cohorts: Foreign/Spicy, Restaurant, Cooks, Gourmet and Organic/Natural, market research publisher Packaged Facts reveals that the 31 million U.S. adults (14% of the population) who qualify as foodies strive to lead the way in other consumer areas such as shopping, fashion, nutrition, and automobiles.
“Some foodies don’t think of themselves as trendy, but overall they are open-minded, curious, and eager to experiment with the new. Research shows that they are significantly more likely than average adults to be the first among their friends to shop at new stores or try new styles,” says Tatjana Meerman, publisher of Packaged Facts.
Outside interests exist, but for Foodies it always comes back to pleasing the palate. For them food is more than body fuel. It is what defines who they are in a greater society. Their food passion provides a framework through which they can build relationships, forge new friendships, discover the world, and even examine which behaviors are ethical. It is for these reasons that Packaged Facts forecasts that even as most consumers seek ways to tighten spending, Foodies will continue to dine out almost daily, purchase gourmet and organic foods exclusively, or indulge themselves in exotic ingredients.
Packaged Facts uses data from Simmons Market Research Bureau to segment the overall foodie demographic into the five foodie cohorts reflected in the report title. Foreign/spicy foodies and restaurant foodies are the two largest foodie cohorts. Approximately 71% of foodies representing 10% of all U.S. adults, or about 22 million, fall into the foreign/spicy cohort. This cohort is helping to introduce the next wave of international cuisine to the American palate. Meanwhile, 65% of foodies fall into the restaurant cohort, representing 9% of all U.S. adults, or approximately 20 million. Unlike most Americans who eat at fast food chains for the sake of convenience, foodies avoid fast food and consider dining out to be a hobby or leisure activity.
Foodies in the U.S.: Five Cohorts: Foreign/Spicy, Restaurant, Cooks, Gourmet and Organic/Natural examines foodies’ demographic characteristics in depth while also discussing foodies’ values, attitudes, culinary interests and consumer habits. The report includes separate chapters on the five titular foodie cohorts. Foodie trends and opportunities, including trends among children and teens, are also explored. .
About Packaged Facts - Packaged Facts, a division of Market Research Group, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer industries, including consumer goods and retailing, foods and beverages, demographics, pet, and financial products. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. For more information contact Jenn Tekin at (240) 747-3015 or jtekin@marketresearch.com.