Millennials Ask: Is It Local? Is It Healthy? The Food Industry Responds

Eighteen- to 35-year-olds – Millennials – are now the biggest demographic in the U.S., and their food preferences have changed the industry. For several years now consumers – especially Millennials – have increasingly chosen locally- or regionally-produced foods, giving a big sales boost to those brands. The Winn-Dixie grocery chain, for example, no longer sells Mike’s Pies under the Winn-Dixie label. The result: sales of Mike’s Pies are up 57 percent. "Millennials are asking: Is this healthy, is this local?" said a representative of the Food Marketing Institute. Grocery chains have responded by highlighting locally-produced and so-called natural foods, prospering in the process.