The Consumer of the Future

Millennials and Gen Z together represent over half of the population by 2030. Ranging in age from 25 to 50, they will dictate much of how the world will operate. They are culturally diverse, well-educated and technology-oriented. Millenials are particular about their food. Fearful of GMOs. Fearful of chemicals. This momentary fear of BigCo in control has slowed progress, as rapid progress in yield in the 80s and 90s have led to a stalemate over technology in 2018. But emerging markets and Gen Z are changing all that. Gen Z is embracing CRISPR. They are biohacking. Liberated from privacy and fanatical for data, Gen Z has had their microbiome sequenced, going well beyond just DNA. They innovate. It is only a matter of time before Silicon Valley integrates 23 and Me, blockchain, Amazon Basic, and Fitbit to personalize food to the individual’s Xome and Microbiome. Perfect traceability of every ingredient. An integration of food, health, and social justice. Will “organic” stand the test of time? Does the GMO argument go away?