Defining the Consumer of the Future: How Innovation Is Reshaping Our Interaction with Food

For centuries, the way in which consumers interacted with food had been dictated by a set of fixed factors. With evolving consumer demand and growing innovation, however, thousands of tech developers are now trying to help a much more complex consumer choose, buy, and measure the impact of food. While no two consumers are alike, there are a total of six value drivers that impact consumers' food choices today and four distinct stages of consumer interaction with food, as representing on the graph to the right. Food and electronics companies alike must critically think about their products’ positioning toward consumers, and remember that consumer needs and desires are constantly changing; developers must not become complacent or risk losing substantial market share to more forward-thinking competitors. In this report, we categorize and define consumer interactions with food, assess innovation activity, and outline strategies for success.