The food industry has seen big changes in recent years with organics foods and ethnic options becoming more prominent. According to BakingBusiness.com, these changes are led by both Baby Boomers (age 51 to 69) and members of Generation Z (17 and under). Both sets of consumers are much more aware of the foods they are putting in their bodies than similar age groups were ten years ago, which will have a positive overall effect on the health of the US community.

While both groups are an important part of the changes taking place in the food industry, they are playing rather different roles.

Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers are a leading force behind the organic food movement and the less-processed food movement, viewing the food they eat as an important factor to leading a long and healthy life. While only 39 percent of boomers consider organic foods healthier than non-organics, they do see them as a way to reduce the amount of negatives (chemicals and additives) that we are putting in our bodies.

Generation Z

Unlike the majority of Baby Boomers, Generation Z synonymizes the word organic with healthy. To many members of Gen Z, organic foods seem to taste better than their non-organic counterparts.

As a whole, Gen Z is also a big fan of customization and experimentation when it comes to the foods they eat. With almost 50 percent of Gen Z identifying as non-Caucasian, there has been a lot more experimentation with ethnically diverse and global foods.

On top of this, Gen Z is also more likely to try different ways of eating – like vegan, vegetarian and paleo diets. While they may not stick to these food choices all the time, they do enjoy the opportunity to experiment and try new recipes, usually with the help of a photo-based recipe online, instead of the traditional printed version.

The most important bit of information to gleam from all of this is that people of all ages are becoming more interested in the foods they are putting into their bodies and the healthy effect that good food can have. For bakeries looking to resonate with their customers, we recommend taking a health-conscious approach, advertising the organic ingredients you are incorporating into your recipes and making a point to offer more health-conscious options along with your traditional favorites.

You can even try experimenting with ethnic sweets and baked goods if you are looking to draw younger generations into your shop!

Regardless of how you choose to approach these healthy eating trends, Empire Bakery Equipment is here to provide you assistance with our wide array of bakery equipment. Shop with us online for the latest equipment or give us a call at 1-800-878-4070 for help finding the right products for your bakery.