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The newwellness paradigmFor today’s consumers, healthy eating is just one part of the formula for optimizing wellness

What’s inside040606070809 10 11 12 15

What your shoppers want

Values matter

The transparency factor

The connected consumer

Elevated products

The tastes of today’s consumers: It’s personal

Optimization not deprivation

Innovations in plant nutrition and diversity

Shifting priorities: Wellness is a mindset

Love thyself

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As fast as the world of new iPhone models and social media platforms changes, so too do consumers’ wantsand needs. The evolving consumer craves wellness brands and products that align with her shifting lifestyle and beliefs. Increasingly, these demands are based on consumers’ unique health needs. “People will buy on taste and convenience, that hasn’t changed, but now they are thinking about optimal health,” says Sari Levy, New Hope Network’s market research manager.

So, what does health and wellness really mean to today’s consumers? “When we think about wellness as it relates to how we lead our lives, food is one piece of the puzzle,” says Julie Salmen, a registered dietician partnering with Kashi. “The energy and nutrition our food provides helps us get the most out of life.”

That’s key for today’s shoppers: getting the most out of life. And while that starts with food, it doesn’t end there. In a U.S. natural shopper study conducted by Social Nature, a Vancouver-based social product sampling company, the majority of consumers showed they are taking a more holistic approach to wellness, one that embraces mental, physical and emotional goals. “Wellness is definitely being defined in a holistic way more than ever,” says Jessica Malach, vice president of growth at Social Nature. “Twenty years ago, wellness was limited to physical measurements and exercise. Now, consumers are defining it across their entire selves,” she says.

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What your shoppers want* 55% of surveyed consumers said they want to eat healthier

53% want to lose weight

51% are looking to reduce stress in their lives

45% want to increase energy levels

45% are seeking to be happier

43% want to get better sleep

A desire to improve an exercise or fitness regime, restore emotional balance and increase mental and cognitive performance were also notable.

*According to a Social Nature survey

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The fact that self and environment are interconnected isn’t lost on today’s consumers, either, resulting in more eco-conscious decisions. Malach says that 45% of survey respondents report they will be making environmentally friendly purchases in the upcoming year. Today’s wellness consumers, she says, have a greater propensity to invest in and buy from companies that share their values, and many consumers started buying natural products because of this.

Although millennials and Gen Z tend to be the heavy hitters when it comes to using social media to represent the wellness ideal, the desire to embrace wellness and connect with values-driven brands is an intergenerational trend that spans many demographics.

“It’s more about values and less about specific stages of life,” explains Malach. “People in general are really hungry to feel better and to live a happier and healthier life.”

Research conducted by New Hope Network delivered similar cross-generational results, according to

Levy. Today’s “connected” consumers, no matter their age, prioritize health, animal welfare, climate awareness and social responsibility. These consumers seek out clean ingredients. They read labels and look for ingredients they can

pronounce and understand. They are willing to pay more for products that demonstrate environmentally responsible practices, and are actively trying to eat less meat and focus on a more plant-based diet. Finally, they value brands that are transparent about products and how they are sourced.

It’s more about values and less about specific stages of life,Jessica Malach, vice president of growth at Social Nature

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Values matter Wellness consumers are taking a closer look at all aspects of the products they use, and this ultimately ladders up to wanting to know the story behind brands. They want to know why companies are doing what they are doing and how are they making a difference in the world.

“The progressive wellness consumer is looking beyond ingredients and product inputs to business practices and behavior in the broader sense,” says John Grubb, managing partner at Summit Venture Management.

Understandably, lifestyle marketing is here to stay. The brands winning in the marketplace aren’t just about product features and benefits; they’re inviting people to learn and be a part of a lifestyle. They’re giving consumers the tools, such as healthy recipes and wellness tips, to do that. Beyond quality and price, Malach says a company’s mission and sustainability platform are the most important factors with the wellness consumer.

The transparency factor

Wellness consumers are focusing more and more on local, real food with simple and clean ingredients they can pronounce. Most importantly, they want companies to be totally transparent about what they do.

75% of consumers crave more transparency*

76% value companies that use quality ingredients*

*According to business consulting company Accenture

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The connected consumer These days, consumers are more educated about health and nutrition than ever before. Thanks to access to information online, they feel empowered, with activist groups forming around the health and wellness and food space that are pushing brands to bring better products to market and putting pressure on them to tell their full stories. Not only do wellness consumers want to know the story behind a brand, if they support that story, they are also willing to help tell the brand narrative.

For example, says Malach, 81% of wellness consumers said they would be interested in participating in their favorite brand’s ambassador program. “Certainly, from a marketing standpoint, brands winning in the marketplace are going beyond features and benefits of a product and they are inviting people to learn and be a part of a lifestyle. But it has to be authentic—a woman in a yoga pose next to a cereal box isn’t authentic if it doesn’t connect back to the roots and have consistency in brand values,” she says. “Consumers are now advocating for their health, and they are voting with their dollars.”

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Elevated products So, how does this shift in awareness and focus on lifestyle change what consumers are looking for when it comes to nutrition and foods? “There is a delicate balance of providing consumers what they want in taste with what they need in nutrition to meet well-being goals and life’s daily demands,” Salmen says. “Today’s consumers are extremely busy and often on the go. Foods need to provide sustenance no matter what life may bring.”

For instance, she says, a mix of plant protein and fiber in a food can help fill you up and fuel your next adventure, but you also need to think about food enjoyment. Selecting ingredients that boost the taste of foods to meet that emotional desire with the nutrients you need to meet physical well-being is a winning combination.

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The tastes of today’s consumers: It’s personal With this in mind, healthy eating is no longer focused on the single idea of fewer calories or calories in, calories out for weight loss. In fact, there are so many ways people are eating to support wellness, whether it is to lose weight, build muscle, reduce stress, support brain health, support healthy metabolism or address inflammation in the body.

This move from a one-size-fits-all to a personalized nutrition plan usually changes based on how a person feels. Some ways to accomplish individual goals include swapping in new plant-based foods for the traditional meat-based dish, following a specific diet like keto or paleo, eating superfoods with antioxidants, consuming adaptogens, going grain free or gluten free or even trying intermittent fasting. “No matter what personalized eating plan works for you, you still need to make sure you’re eating the basics, like protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals to support your well-being,” according to Salmen.

Kashi GO cereals and bars highlight the attributes of food that help support all aspects of well-being —not just physical, but also emotional and mental health.

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Optimization not deprivation Blogger and registered dietician Tracey Grant, founder of Whole Daily Life, agrees that today’s consumers are more in the know about their options and what they want. Consumers are aware that their nutrition decisions can impact their health and are looking at ingredients more so than counting calories. They are seeing how profoundly quality ingredients can affect their health. “As consumers become more aware of this fact, they are looking for brands that are more quality, so we are seeing brands make a shift in the way they produce products,” says Grant. “Brands are responding by cleaning up ingredient lists, minimizing sugars and capitalizing on superfoods and functional ingredients. They’re recognizing people want to optimize health and are capturing them by incorporating quality ingredients into products.”

One specific wellness trend, Salmen says, is people gravitating toward fewer processed ingredients and more whole plant foods, such as whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. “People want to eat closer to nature for the inherent nutrition through recognizable ingredients,” she says. “This strategy also helps to reduce the consumption of additives and levels of sodium, added sugar and saturated fat commonly found in some processed foods.” Some call this “clean eating,” but she believes it’s more about quality eating. A great example is plant protein, which Salmen says is the highest quality protein because it not only provides a level of protein, but also boosts fiber, vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient intake, while reducing saturated fat intake. And it’s better for the planet. As Salmen says, “Eat more plants!”

“Eat more plants!”

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Innovations in plant nutrition and diversitySome people believe that eating just plants will leave you falling short on nutrition, but this just isn’t the case, according to Salmen. You can survive on plants alone, she says, although many people choose not to—only a small percentage of Americans follow a vegan diet. “Instead, people are rethinking the ‘center of the plate’ to now include more plant-based solutions, and hopefully with this more essential nutrition to support the health of us and the planet.”

By plant based, Salmen doesn’t just mean corn, potatoes, wheat and rice, which she notes account for 60% of the calories consumed around the world. Consumers should seek out a greater variety of ingredients—think chickpeas, ancient grains, lentils, nuts and seeds. Salmen wants to challenge the recommendation of “the shorter the better” when it comes to ingredient statements by having consumers look at whether that longer list of ingredients provides a wider variety of nutrients.

“Longer ingredient statements that contain a wider variety of plants may also be providing a wider variety of nutrition,” she says. “People need to rethink their quick reactions to foods and dig a little deeper into what a food is made of when it comes to ingredients.”

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Prioritizing how their food is made, where it comes from and what’s in it is all part of how new wellness consumers define self-care. Wellness was once looked at as lack of illness or staying out of the doctor’s office, with a simplified focus on physical fitness or maintaining a healthy weight. Today, it is much more comprehensive—and exciting.

“Wellness is a mindset: It’s mental health, sleeping well, stress management, exercise and organic movement throughout the day. It’s community, as people are now seeing relationships as a key part of wellness, as well,” says Grant. “Wellness has shifted from prevention of disease to living well in all aspects of life every day.”

Aspen, Colorado-based certified nutritionist and health expert Lisa Cohen agrees that wellness is no longer one dimensional. “Wellness is not a singular goal anymore but more like a lifestyle habit. When I use the word wellness, it is more of an approach to living a way of life that emphasizes balance in mind, body and spirit.”

Cohen notes that for her clients, wellness manifests in wanting to look and feel their best and having mental clarity to focus on what is important to them. Cohen’s clients are interested in having more energy and are understanding that what they eat and how they move their bodies every day is directly related to how they perform and how they feel.

Shifting priorities: Wellness is a mindset

As they say at Kashi, 7 Whole Grains are Better Than 1Now Kashi has expanded beyond 7 Whole Grains to include even more

plant variety in its portfolio, like the array of plant proteins in Kashi GO—chickpeas, soy, peas, whole grains, nuts, seeds and more. Customers

will benefit from brands using these new plant-based ingredients with optimum health and wellness.

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“When I use the word wellness, it is more of an approach to living a way of life that emphasizes balance in mind, body and spirit.”Lisa Cohen, certified nutritionist

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“People are wanting to take better care of themselves. They want to enjoy their days and make sure they can move and think the way they want.”Tracey Grant, registered dietician and founder of Whole Daily Life

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Love thyself Grant sees this shift as consumers learn how to prioritize self-care. “The one thing I have seen change about wellness is this idea of prioritizing self-care and people taking time out of their days and schedules and budgets to prioritize wellness,” says Grant. While we have for decades been a go-go-go society that glorifies busy, Grant notes that in the past two years she has seen an increase in the desire to slow down. “People are wanting to take better care of themselves. They want to enjoy their days and make sure they can move and think the way they want.” She notes that people are now allocating resources (time and money) to this and are more educated about how to approach wellness.

With studies showing the detrimental health effects of stress, isolation and poor diets, along with the benefits that meditation, exercise and nutritionally well-rounded diets can have on our mental health, it’s no surprise that embracing wellness is on the rise. Similarly, research has put a stop to the glorification of getting too few hours of sleep each night; today, it’s understood that a cumulative lack of sleep can impair our cognitive abilities and have long-lasting ramifications on our health.

Despite the improved awareness, we still need to slow down and make a conscious effort to reduce stress. “That is where mindful eating and meditation can help; we need to take a moment to sit and savor our meals, as well as calm our minds, to prioritize wellness and be our best, and as we like to say, ‘do more of what you love,’” says Salmen. “Even I get caught up in all of the daily ‘to-dos’ and find that I need to remind myself to slow down and be more conscious of how I am treating my body.”

Cohen agrees that self-care should include stress management, as well as fostering a healthy sense of belonging to your community. Of course, you want to start with healthy nutrition as a base. But, she says, “It’s about finding something you enjoy doing and moving your body every day, and stress management as an approach for reversing disease. Working less, slowing down, finding strategies that work for the individual, as well as healthy relationships and surrounding yourself with people you have healthy relationships with.”

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