With the advent of recent technological advancements and social developments, the food & beverage industry is undergoing some serious adjustments. Social media has facilitated closer and stronger relationships between brands and their consumers. At the same time, the public has grown more conscientious of what they consume. Brands are under scrutiny. The Food & Beverage report outlines the industry’s social media landscape, how leading brands are optimizing their social strategies and techniques for intelligent consumer listening. Download the report to discover: - How to time Twitter activity to get more attention - What bacon and kale can tell us about the health food trends and US consumers - How Coke Zero, Snapple and Vitaminwater are covering niche interest groups - How the frappuccino became a summer beverage Why the health trend threatens to change big food & beverage brands’ businesses

1. Report/Food&Beverage/2014
Brandwatch Report/
Food & Beverage
AUGUST 2014

2. Contents
Food & Beverage/ 2014
Why read this?
3 A Primer on Food & Beverage
4 Scope of Report
5 A Force in Motion: Trends
6
11 The Person Behind the Purchase
19 The Lifecycle of a Crisis
26 Implementing the
Right Technology
27
“ ...
”
Patrick Dolan,
As social media propels the spreading of ideas, businesses
face a rising imperative to listen, understand and connect
with their audiences. This report explores the social media
landscape for the food & beverage industry and just how
powerful online social data can be.
brandwatch.com/demo2
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3. A Primer on Food & Beverage
the economy has slowly pulled forward
of the informed consumer, now empowered by widespread technologies, such as social media, that facilitate the rapid
dissemination of thoughts and opinions.
swing of momentum
Facing a series of pivotal developments in the social, political and economic
landscape, the food & beverage industry is undergoing a highly formative period that
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4. Scope of Report
The aim is to provide useful insights on the current social
Using current issues such as the health trend as a central
model, the report explores the nature of social preferences,
consumer-brand relationships, and the way social
movements affect businesses.
market landscape, access
underdeveloped opportunities and stay alert to rising trends.
2. The Person Behind the Purchase
underlying motivations
3. The Life of a Crisis
easy communication
management are discussed.
The following report will outline recent developments in the food & beverage industry
through the lens of social media.
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5. Temperamental shifts in consumer
preferences and trends constantly
set of opportunities and threats.
social movement for healthy, high
premium and healthy products as
among the most influential to their
Like past and future trends, the
push for health foods has rippled
throughout the industry, driving
strong reactions from existing brands
as well as exciting opportunities for
the newcomers.
For brands in the food & beverage industry, juggling
hitting a moving target from a moving platform.
/ Trends
Positive Effect No Effect NegativeEffect
Premium & Luxury 60% % %
Healthy & Nutritious 59% % 9%
Locally Sourced 49% % 8%
46% 49% 5%
Convenience % 50% 6%
Organic % 56% 8%
% 40% 24%
Ethnic % 60% 5%
% 60% 6%
Functional 29% 69% 2%
25% % 12%
22% 75% %
19% 71% 10%
15% % 47%
5
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Fig.1 Grant Thornton International

6. In online conversations surrounding
healthy eating intentions, the share
of voice is predominantly female.
While past research 1
has indicated
level of males suggests a reluctant or
Comparing the bacon trend against
that of health food kale reveals that
Brands operating within the health
trend should recognize the dearth
of males contributing to online
discussions. Products that are not
healthy should be wary of the effect
the trend may have on their female
consumers.
Every trend manifests itself differently. For industry
leaders, a clear understanding of a trend’s landscape is
essential for making informed, strategic decisions.
1
1 International Food Information Council (IFIC)
• FEMALE • MALE
TOTAL US MENTIONS TRENDS & DIFFERENCES BY GENDER
33%
49% 51%
67%
76%
24%
32,732
intentions
kale vs. bacon
comparative gender
from analysis of
the same mentions
sample
6
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Food and Beverage
Fig.2 data from the International Food Information Council

7. more receptive than others. Comparing
bacon conversation against that
remains a more common topic across
contender in the Northeast and West
the regional breakdown is indicative
Brands need to understand both the
structure of such trends as well as
how their products may be affected
market’s opportunity.
With the continual growth of online communication,
the spreading of social movements and ideas now
transcends physical borders.
/ A difference in taste1
RELATIVE MENTIONS OF BACON AGAINST KALE ACROSS UNITED STATES
% of total
mentions
• BACON • KALE
MORE BACONMORE KALE
7
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Fig.3 data from Brandwatch

8. surrounding products vary as each
the most chatter around its health
balanced conversation for the health
Snapple is the most successful in
For manufacturers, grocers and
restaurants, a strong understanding
of their social positioning in key
interest categories amongst the
competitive landscape is paramount
to strategic decision-making.
As the health trend amasses a wider audience, both
established food & beverage companies and niche
brands have stepped in to supply for the new demand.
/ Big brands1
TOTALMENTIONSINCATEGORIES
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
• HEALTH • NATURAL • SUGAR • CALORIES
Snapple
CONSUMER INTERESTS FOR POPULAR BEVERAGES
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Fig.4 data from Brandwatch

9. unique
segments
effectively generated conversation as
free options, respectively.
The emergence of such niche products
stands testament
satisfy their individual preferences.
Brands should be conscious of the
small markets younger brands are
creating. Gluten-free, once a niche
market, is now worth $4 billion after
experiencing a 28% annual compound
growth rate between 2008 and 2012 2
.
diversity of consumer demand.
/ Niche markets1
2 Grant Thornton International
TOTALMENTIONSINCATEGORIES
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
• HEALTH • • PROTEIN •
CONSUMER INTERESTS FOR SNACK BARS
Clif Bar Kind Bar
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Fig.5 data from Brandwatch

10. Recommendations for Social Listening.
products may perform across
regions, genders or interest groups.
• Set in place a monitoring system
consumers are using around a
affect social perception.
perceived in comparison to the
consumer interests.
and preparing for fluctuations in consumer interests.
Current Challenges:
•
•
•
•
• Understand the competitive landscape across interest categories.
While social media has broken down communication
borders, ideas and opinions have not always spread
evenly across demographics and interest groups.
Key Takeaways
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11. of creating
3
.
Through social analytics
Social media enables brands to engage in two-way
communication with their consumers, an opportunity
to build relationships that traditional media has never
offered. Still, many brands struggle to capture a holistic
understanding of the consumer voice.
Before a trend can rearrange the grocery
driven by the informed consumer.
The Person Behind the Purchase/ Overview2
3 Grant Thornton International11
Report/Food&Beverage/2014
Food and Beverage
Fig.6 The Social Sphere

12. A deeper analysis of online
conversations indicating healthy eating
intentions sheds light on the nature
of the movement and the emotions
The 12% of discussion focused on
underlying motive is
a smaller group associated healthy
their internal struggle to actually do so.
By associating products with underlying
motives, brands can capitalize on
well-ingrained consumer interests.
Understanding the motives behind a trend or purchase
decision is essential for brands trying to develop new
markets or create competitive products in existing ones.
Behind the Purchase/ Health trends2
General Health
60%
Temptations
16%
Body Image
12%
Exercise
11%
Taste
01%
INTERESTS CATEGORIES FOR CONSUMERS WITH HEALTHY EATING INTENTIONS
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Fig.7 data from Brandwatch

13. the general share of voice favors
Samuel Adams and Lagunitas
and Guinness are the mainstream
favorites
It’s important that brands recognize
how the consumer, tone and
underlying motives of conversations
may differ across online platforms
brand’s position as a mainstream or
niche product.
The interests and underlying motives of consumers
often differ across regions, demographics and even
websites as people band together.
Behind the Purchase/ Consumer voice2
• HEINEKEN • GUINNESS • SAMUEL ADAMS • BLUE MOON • LAGUNITAS
OVERALL SHARE OF VOICE FOR BEER BRANDS SHARE OF VOICE ON BEERADVOCATE
5% 6%
8% 9%
9%
15%
30%
33%
42% 43%
914,000
mentions
678
mentions
13
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Fig.8 data from Brandwatch

14. over the course of a year
leading cordials are not
Analyzing these annual peaks,
brands can create campaigns
surrounding relevant events, measure
a campaign’s success or reach, and
consumer interest.
For many brands and products, consumer interest may
be affected by campaigns, world events, seasons or
time of day in expected or unexpected ways.
Behind the Purchase/ Get the timing right2
VOLUME TIMELINE FOR CORDIALS
Jun
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
N
ov
Dec
Jan
M
ar
Apr
M
ay
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,500
2,000
1,000
0
• ALL CORDIALS • UNBRANDED • RIBENA • • ROBINSONS
TOTALMENTIONS
14
Report/Food&Beverage/2014
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Fig.9 data from Brandwatch

15. A snapshot of daily online consumer
an intention to eat healthy are most
from leading health food grocers are
The discrepancy in account activity
not fully engaging
audience.
By identifying the opportune time,
motive and platform to engage with
consumers, brands can foster new
leads and expand or strengthen their
social community.
When measuring the timeline of consumer activity, as in
all social media analyses, the micro-picture may be just
as insightful as the broader one.
Behind the Purchase/ The forest and the trees2
AVERAGE DAILY TWEETS FOR HEALTH GROCERS AND CONSUMERS
00.00
06.00
09.00
12.00
15.00
18.00
21.00
24.00
45
40
25
20
15
10
5
0
• HEALTH GROCERS •
NUMBEROFTWEETS
15
Report/Food&Beverage/2014
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Fig.10 data from Brandwatch

16. Frappuccino
Happy Hour is a great example of a
consumer motives.
generating around
By positioning frappuccinos as
Starbucks does an excellent job of
branding its product and capturing a
considerable portion of the
seasonal market.
By identifying the motives that drive purchases and how
those motives change over time, brands create targeted
campaigns that bolster their product’s reputation.
Behind the Purchase/ Starbucks seasonal campaign2
CASE STUDY
%OFAGEGROUPUSINGPLATFORM
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
• STARBUCKS FRAPPUCCINO • •
• DD COOLATA •
VOLUME MENTION & TIMELINE FOR SUMMER BEVERAGES
Jan
M
ar
Apr
M
ay
Jun
16
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Fig.11 data from Brandwatch

17. Behind the Purchase/ Robinsons Squash’d
In a similar vein, brands have also attracted conversations by associating their
products with socially relevant events, riding off another topic’s buzz.
advertisement, they
pitted former British tennis star Tim Henman against the
Wimbledon
champion
audience to action, the advertisement calls for votes for
#HenmanHill or #MurrayMound.
video advertisements to a social media movement,
an online community.
By identifying a strong underlying passion for tennis,
creatively aligning their brand with Wimbledon and timing
their campaign alongside an annual spike in chatter,
Robinsons Squash’d more than doubled their mentions
for that week.
2
CASE STUDY
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18. Recommendations for Social Listening.
interest or purchase decision.
• Compare conversations across
social channels.
landscape over time.
success through analytics.
Yet many brands still struggle to effectively listen, understand and connect to
their consumers.
essential to a successful campaign.
Current Challenges:
•
•
•
•
•
Social media gives businesses the ability to build
strong relationships with their consumers and online
communities that traditional media never has.
Key Takeaways
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19. consumer. Social media has given
health advocates a platform to
spread their opinions that has never
are often forced to respond to
social movements
massive effects on the success of
Businesses that stay abreast of the
social landscape are better suited to
prepare for and react swiftly to these
rising threats.
With the rising health trend, many food & beverage
companies have faced an onslaught of criticism for
their products’ ingredients, production methods and
nutritional values.
Lifecycle of a Crisis3
IDEATORS &
PRESSURE GROUPS
& ONLINE COMMUNITIES
BUSINESSES &
THE TRANSMISSION OF SOCIAL CHANGE
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20. Fig.12 compares the volume of
conversation around four popular
Stevia and Sucralose. Of note is the
strong upshot for Stevia discussion
Life into the UK.
the growing consumer interest
organic ingredients.
Furthermore, Coca-Cola’s reaction
stands testament to the general
public’s ability to communicate with
brands and evoke strong responses
from them in an increasingly two-way
relationship.
Recent strategy shifts from some major players in
the food & beverage industry demonstrate how social
movements are reshaping the way businesses operate.
Lifecycle of a Crisis/ The sweetener outlook3 Oct
N
ov
Dec
Jan
M
ar
Apr
M
ay
Jun
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
1,000
0
• ASPARTAME • • SUCRALOSE • SACCHARIN
TOTALMENTIONS
VOLUME TIMELINE FOR SWEETENERS
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Fig.12 data from Brandwatch

21. A closer analysis comparing
Aspartame and Stevia reveals the
health is of the
greatest concern.
A closer snapshot of these discussions
reveals that the sentiment
negative as compared to that of Stevia.
taste reflects a similar pattern.
The data suggests that the informed
strongly in favor of Stevia – yet that
may not reflect the average consumer.
This shows us how brands can
gauge the gravity of a threat by
understanding the volume, tone and
underlying concerns behind it.
Brands are increasingly adept at listening to consumers,
recognizing that volume, tone and sentiment are all key.
Lifecycle of a Crisis/ The sweetener outlook3
Aspartam
e
Stevia
Saccharin
Sucralose
BREAKDOWNOFTOPICMENTIONS
0
CONSUMER CONVERSATIONS ACROSS SWEETENER BRANDS
• HEALTH • LEGAL • TASTE • •
Comparative
sentiment scores
for conversations
surrounding Stevia
and Aspartame
21
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Fig.13 data from Brandwatch

22. Often the threat of appeasing a social
online conversations of GMOs reveals
Overall, conversations mentioning
labeling laws
health, taste and environmental issues.
aggressive government appeal. While
all producers of GMO products should
concerns, it appears that dairy is of
With over 25,000 mentions of labeling
data sheds light on the growing social
pressure for government action.
Businesses are not always in a position to easily adapt
to public pressures.
Lifecycle of a Crisis/ A deep dive on GMOs3
TOTALMENTIONS
600
500
400
200
100
0
Dairy
Fruit
M
eat
GMO CONCERNS BY FOOD TYPESOVERALL GMO CONVERSATION
Percentage
split of GMO topics
mentions
• LABELING • HEALTH • TASTE •
22
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Fig.14 data from Brandwatch

23. include calories on menus has had
4
.
greater reduction in average
calories consumed.
mentioning the calorie content of
different food groups for four large
has the greatest proportion of chatter
around its healthier salads.
Yet Wendy’s is not alone in their
endeavors to react to the changing
chain restaurants are now
introducing healthier options.
The growing focus on healthier eating has put pressure
on governments to strengthen rules and regulations
promoting food transparency and accountability.
Lifecycle of a Crisis/ Menu labeling3
4 The Economist
• BURGERS • CHICKEN • FRIES • SALADS
CONVERSATIONS DISCUSSING PRODUCTS’ “CALORIES” AT FAST FOOD CHAINS
McDonalds
KFC
Burger King
0
10
20
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
23
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Fig.15 Grant Thornton International

24. Lifecycle of a Crisis/ Chobani
While the age of easy communication has empowered consumers, brands with a
strong online social presence can mitigate potential crises by responding quickly
with a clear message.
5
.
social media prowess
direct comment from CEO
While their transparency opened them up to an immense
much the company values its consumers—a statement that
started in 2005.
Chobani’s case study is an excellent example of a food
issues early, and responds with honesty and transparency.
lauded as a leader in social media
conversations and providing excellent customer service and
3
CASE STUDY
5 Evans et al24
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25. Recommendations for Social Listening.
conversations surrounding certain
conversation that may indicate a
are effectively changing their social
presence in response to crises.
ensure social media engagement is
consistent and transparent. Learn
These changes come to fruition when the general public pressures governments
or businesses into action.
Current Challenges:
•
•
•
•
As the interests of the empowered and informed
face a series of threats and opportunities.
Key Takeaways
25
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26. Implementing the Right Technology
•
to separate and analyze data
•
various demographics metrics including gender, region,
• interpret all relevant conversations
•
natural conversations and discover untapped or
underrepresented interests.
• social threats,
succeeded or failed.
•
more vigilant and
responsive to consumer opinion through email alerting
tools and automatic sentiment analysis.
•
Hootsuite’s,
Spredfast and Clarabridge.
Brandwatch is designed to let brands harness the growing power of online
conversation data to enhance their business functions.
26
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27. Contact Us
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liable for any errors or omissions.
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28. References/ Works cited
The Economist.
A., Sáenz, D., & Wiley, E
Ferdman, Roberto.
Washington Post. June, 2014.
Grant Thornton International.
Social Media in the Food and
Griggs, Ian.
International Food Information Council Foundation. Food & health
Narayan, Lakshmanan.
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