“Healthy-minded Shoppers Across Cultural Segments Disagree on Healthy Brands Choices” [INSIGHT]

Despite commonly accepted notions of “healthy” among consumers, SSG’s recent analysis of “Healthy Breakfast Brands” revealed that there were no common brands among the top 2 “Healthiest Breakfast Brands” among various multicultural segments: Hispanics, Millennials, African Americans and White Non-Hispanics. 

Furthermore, there were only three common brands among the top five Wellness brands across these four segments. Analysis indicated that drivers to food choices are driven by healthy attitudes and outlooks, different wellness and even weight perceptions, distinct heritage and cultural palate preferences which are all very distinct drivers among various cultural segments, critical knowledge for CPG companies in a growing Total Market environment

The analysis was part of SSG’s presentation, Tapping Into the Total Market’s Healthy Living Movement, at the recent Hispanic Retail 360 Summit in San Antonio.  During the session, eight major breakfast brands received top honors when the 2014 Wellness Brand Awards were announced.  The winners were chosen from among 240 CPG brands competing for a “share of stomach” in various breakfast sub-categories. The top two Wellness Brands by segment include:  

• Hispanic: Quaker Oat Bran, La Yogurt
• Millennials: Oatmeal Crisp Raisin Cereal, Kashi Go Lean Crunch!  
• African American: Entenmann Multi-Grain Cereal Bar, Breyers Light Yogurt
• Non-Hispanic White: Fage Yogurt, Stonyfield Yogurt
• Total Market:  Stonyfield Yogurt, Kashi Go Lean Crunch!

The session revealed how “healthy” is defined by cultural and personal perceptions and preferences, making it challenging for CPGs to determine segment strategies.  Utilizing predictive analytics tools, such as the new SSG Wellness Spectrum™ powered by GfK MRI, can facilitate Total Market planning.  Through these tools companies can discern consumer patterns that may enhance growth for marketers and clarify what Total Market approach – segmented, cross-cultural, or both — is best for the Brand.

The methodology of the Wellness Brands began by looking at individuals’ wellness mindsets and behaviors – the personal values and lifestyle that guide healthy brand choices, to create a personal wellness score akin to an individual’s FICO credit score.  The brands’ wellness score were then measured by aggregating the wellness scores of its specific purchasers and ranked across Total Market, Millennial, Hispanic, African American, and White Non-Hispanic segments.

SSG’s analysis showed that greater growth will come to breakfast brands and sub-categories who lead with healthy-driven innovation.
With shoppers progressively trying to make healthier lifestyle and food choices, the result is that consumers are becoming more discerning about wellness, and demanding more natural, recognizable ingredients and healthier products.  This awareness clearly impacts CPG companies’ product and brand decisions.      
Using tools based on rigorous data-analytics is critical to land in the proper insight that will help guide what the Total Market approach should be for each brand.

In food & beverage marketing, especially with a ‘healthy’ twist, a Total Market approach will often necessitate complementary segmented approaches to more effectively adjust the overarching message to the nuanced wellness perceptions of key growth segments. A single cross-cultural strategy unifies the brand and the aligned segmented effort pushes the proper triggers and counters distinct barriers.

Top 30 Wellness Brands among 240 breakfast Brands

• Aunt Jemima Grits
• Bisquick Heart Smart
• Breyers Light
• Curves Chewy Granola Bars
• Dannon Activia
• Dolly Madison
• Egg Beaters
• Eggo Nutri-Grain Waffles
• Entenmann’s Multi-Grain Cereal Bar
• Fage
• Fiber One
• Kashi GOLEAN Crunch!
• Kashi Heart to Heart
• Kashi TLC Bars
• La Yogurt
• MultiGrain Cheerios
• Oatmeal Crisp with Raisins
• Oikos
• Old Fashioned Quaker Oats
• Oroweat
• Pepperidge Farm
• Post Spoon Size Shredded Wheat
• Quaker Cereal Bars
• Quaker Oat Bran
• Stonyfield
• Weight Watchers
• Wheat Chex
• Wonder
• Yoplait Light    

The SSG Wellness Spectrum is the joint property of GfK US, LLC and Santiago Solutions Group, Inc., to learn more click HERE.

To learn more information on SSG’s 2014 Wellness Brand Awards and Tapping Into the Total Market’s Healthy Living Movement click HERE.

About SSG:
We guide clients using advanced research, projectable opportunity sizings, innovative modeling and predictive analytics. Yet, integrating and distilling rigorous data is just the base to reduce your financial risk. Leveraging client-side experience and consulting, we arm you with intelligence, ownable insights to purchase, strategic pathways aligned with the highest impact priorities, and effective Total Market roadmaps inclusive of customer journeys.