Insights from a Food/Bev Study: Generation Alpha

I recently did some work involving Generation Alpha respondents as part of a qualitative study. As market researchers, unless our work specifically focuses on kids, it's pretty rare to moderate a group of 6-9-year-olds, but that's exactly what I got to do for a recent food/beverage study.

One of my biggest observations was how clearly Generation Alpha are the product of Millennial parenting. In the food/beverage space, Millennials grew up believing sugar was public enemy #1, and that belief has trickled down to 6-year-olds who are already wary of sugar and know about sugar's negative effects on their bodies. This is different from generations past when sugar was something kids begged for and parents had to limit. Generation Alpha seems different in that they actually really don't want sugar because of the beliefs their parents have instilled in them. They are even able to articulate specific reasons why they don't want sugar, like it makes them feel too thirsty or it makes them tired (crashing) at the end of the day.

"Healthy" foods and beverages seem less of a struggle in general with Generation Alpha, who are growing up hearing about the importance of things like hydration, Vitamin C, and other nutritional benefits. Getting a 6-year-old to drink water after sports isn't as much of a lift as it might have been a generation ago, when kids preferred sugary drinks. To be clear, it's not that kids have lost interest in sugar or typically "unhealthy" food/beverage choices, but their repertoire of choices has expanded, and they are more willing than ever to make healthy ones.

Obviously, this generational shift has big consequences for food and beverage brands and is something to watch and explore as this generation grows up.