The millennial generation is “choosing organic,” and as they become parents, the market for organic food will boom, says the Organic Trade Association, based on a survey of U.S. households. “Over the next 10 years, we’ll see a surge of new organic eaters and consumers – the Millennial parents of tomorrow and their children,” said Laura Batcha, chief executive of the trade group.
Defined roughly as people born from 1982-2004, Millennials became the largest U.S. consumer group last year. The OTA says Millennial parents are the biggest block of organic buyers in the country. A quarter of Millennials are parents now, with the proportion expected to rise to 80 percent over the next 10 to 15 years.
“The survey shows that the heavy buyer of organic – the consumer who always or most of the time chooses organic – is driven by a strong belief that selecting organic for their family makes them a better parent,” said the OTA. “That buyer is actively seeking out healthy, nutritious choices for themselves and their children.” The survey said Millennials are more likely to shop online for food and to purchase meal kits than their parents. They also rely on digital sources of information about food. “The Millennial device of choice is the smartphone vs. other mobile or desktop computer devices.”
Organic food accounts for more than 5 percent of U.S. food sales.