BIG SHIFTS SERIES with Allyson Borozan, Chief Growth Officer at Bob’s Red Mill

1. What are CULTURAL shifts that you see emerge over the next 24 months?

FROM: Teaching and preaching on broad issues
TO: Support my daily lifestyle

“It's easy for healthy brands to preach to consumers and frame themselves as the hero with messages like, ‘We can help you! We have a miracle ingredient! Let us do this!’ Instead, consumers and their day-to-day challenges should be at the heart of the story, and the brand should help them live the life they want.”

2. What are CATEGORY shifts that you see emerge in NATURAL FOODS?

FROM: Retailer’s health halo alternative
TO: The definition of healthy living

“In today’s landscape, natural food brands need strong values to be able to transcend category. Before it was ‘Quaker is fine, but Bob’s is the better alternative because it's organic, gluten free, and has certifications.’ Now, private label brands are of ‘moving up’ and they're taking over the space previously owned by CPG brands and pushing legacy brands into either into premium or niche classifications.”

3. What are CONSUMER shifts that you see emerge in NATURAL FOODS?

FROM: Claims and confusion
TO: Give it to me straight

“There's always been a lot of claims in natural foods, whether it's organic, gluten-free, or protein-based claims and it can become very confusing and starts to feel gimmicky. Consumers today are interested in real, healthy foods they can incorporate into their cooking and eating habits and people are no longer willing to sacrifice taste for the ‘healthy alternatives’ brands offer.”

4. How are marketing practices going to evolve to adjust to these shifts?

FROM: Chasing conversion
TO: Starting at the top

“It’s easy to get lost in the noise and end up talking to yourself, so it’s important for brands to be very critical about impactful storytelling. We're moving away from the historical approach of category-based innovation and focusing more on our brand's values and allowing that to direct strategic market choices. The basics are the same, but thinking beyond our category impacts the marketing strategy as we think about widening our funnel and focusing efforts on awareness rather than conversion.”