This holiday season felt different to me…

It was the first in a new state, in a new home; the first with me hosting my immediate and extended family (12 to be exact). But, that’s not the only thing that felt different to me.

Leading up to Christmas and the New Year, I couldn’t help but take notice that this year there seemed to be a more intentional push to be inclusive to those faiths, ethnicities, and races that celebrate something other than Christmas. Perhaps it was the international festival instead of Christmas party we celebrated at my daughter’s daycare, or the international celebration my neighborhood held at our clubhouse, but it seemed to also playout on my social media channels.

In school we always learned about the “staples” like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but this year my attention was brought to “newer” holidays such as Diwali celebrated in India and Three Kings Day celebrated throughout Latin America. I personally loved the infusion of other cultures throughout this season, but why not incorporate this more into the rest of the year?

Gen Z is on track to be the most racially and ethnically diverse cohort, and it appears the media and society is taking notice and preparing for this group’s increase in buying power that is to come. As much as I don’t want to call myself ‘obsolete’ or ‘unimportant’ it’s time for us meat marketers to look past learning about millennials and look toward the future – Gen Z.

Last year my friends at the Pork Board released a series of report detailing pork’s Hispanic consumer. They realize and are taking the steps now before one of their largest customer segments that have a large affinity for pork disappears.

At industry conferences last year, I’ve just briefly seen the topic of multiculturalism touched on. The focus (and perhaps rightly so) has been on those generational factors that influence meat buying. However, we must not forget about how different cultures consume meat differently as well.

It’s important this year to keep a focus on the authentic cuisines, traditions, and nuisances when marketing meat to people of different backgrounds. You may just be missing out on an opportunity for incremental purchases by not tailoring your message to these diverse groups of individuals.

My question to other meat processor’s or industry associations out there…are you prepared for the multicultural impact of the future?

Happy New Year!

Move over Millennials; get ready to market meat to Gen Z

Join for free* to continue reading.