When It Comes To Eating, “Smaller” Has Less To Do With Size Than With Source, Freshness

American consumers, especially aging baby boomers, are driving the trend toward “smaller” eating, which can mean literally smaller portions but also implies smaller in terms of locally grown, fresh, healthy, and easy-to-pronounce ingredients. In short, says one researcher, “pure and simple” with “transparency” in their food choices. Shoppers read labels and select foods “holistically” based on taste, ingredients, source, manufacturer and nutritional composition. All of these present a challenge for food manufacturers, who will need to re-align old business models to keep up with demands.