Question

Choose one element in the external social/cultural environment that impacts the food and beverage industry either favorably or unfavorably. Please describe this element in detail and if you believe this will be a long-term or short-term impact and if this poses an opportunity or a threat to the food and beverage industry segment.

Answer 1

One element of the external social / cultural environment is preferece for food, specifically, the increasing tendency of the customers to shift towards vegetarianism. Many health conscious consumers who see the non vegetarian food as a source of harmful saturated fats and want to stay away from the lifestyle issues  such as obesity, high blood pressure, sugar or cardiovascular diseases, are switching to whole grains. organically produced fruit and vegetables and legumes and other healthy food that keeps the body "lean and clean". The other reason for choice of this kind of food is related to religion, where the non vegetarian food is considered unholy, and is shunned by staunch followers of Hinduism and few other religions.

This speicifc trend opens up a huge opportunity for the niche segment of food producers to cater to this small but consistently growing section of consumers. Given the current impact of lifestyle diseases and a greater exchange of cultural and religious ideologies owing to presence of sizable migratory population, this trend is a long term, and is going to stay and grow. The trend will benefit not only the restaurants operating in niche sector, but also mainstream ones ( who eould be prompted to include the new items in their menu) , and also the supply chain members of the entire vegetarian food industry.