SupplySide West: A Power Shift in the Food Industry

LAS VEGASWith the popularity of social media outreach and increased activism centered on food ingredients, consumers are being heard. As a result, companies are paying attention and have begun changing their formulations whether there is a serious concern with the ingredients safety or not. Carrageenan, HFCS and BVO are only a few examples that come to mind; the Starbucks color change from cochineal is another one. Lori Colman, CEO, CBD Marketing, and Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., principal, Corvus Blue LLC, explored the power shift in the food industry during an education session at SupplySide West 2013

Coleman began the session by reviewing some of the most influential consumer voices and outlets. "People are making noise and companies are paying attention," she said. Or at least most of them are. Via examples of how companies have reacted to consumer activism in the recent past, she offered the following advice on what not to do should your product come under fire:

·         If people are talking about it, don't ignore it.

·         Don't be defensive

·         Don't delete consumer comments from company-related social media, such as Facebook or Twitter

Shelke continued the conversation, saying, "This is not funny business, this is serious. Most consumer objections are based on emotion, not science. Nevertheless, consumer perception is a reality. There is a lot of information online about the negative side of ingredients, but it's hard to find a supplier defending ingredients. This is the cause of a growing lack of understanding and distrust among consumers."

To find out what food manufacturers can do to help dispel misconceptions, view the presentation in full, available on DVD in the SupplySide Store.

The SupplySide West education program was underwritten by BASF.