Heightened Environmental, Moral Awareness Leads To “Breakthrough Marketing”

The food industry and its marketing/packaging units are taking serious notice of the raised health- and eco-consciousness of consumers. What has emerged from this attention is “unexpected, breakthrough marketing” that features, among other tactics, “origin stories” that may be tongue-in-cheek but still appeal to a desire for “authenticity” in edibles. Companies know that consumers are politically, morally and environmentally aware, so cage-free, grass-fed, fair trade, non-GMO, sustainably raised, locally grown, heirloom, and ancient are now important buzzwords in food marketing. Another facet of raised awareness is concern about food waste. So retail grocery chains tout donations to shelters and food kitchens, and celebrity chefs describe their stepped up activism. Chef Mario Batali recently published an e-book titled “Ugly Food: A Collection for Earth Day,” that urges home cooks and industry pros to embrace "cosmetically challenged produce" that usually ends up in landfills.