Frances Dillard Decodes Plant-Based Diet for Brand Success
WATSONVILLE, CA - The plant-based diet is a trend that continues to gain traction among current-day consumers—and for good reason. As Driscoll’s Vice President of Brand and Product Marketing Frances Dillard puts it, it might just be the zeitgeist of the 21st century. The marketing maven took her thoughts to the computer in her latest Forbes article, where she decodes how the modern plant-based diet can be used to drive brand success.
“For marketers of whole foods like vegetables and fruits, it’s time to rethink current marketing efforts to reclaim the term and showcase the inimitable aspects fruits and veggies offer in the original plant-based diet,” penned Dillard. “The modern-day plant-based diet also has complexities and confusing connotations. In 2016, the emergence of the Plant Based Foods Association signaled a renewed focus on plant-based alternatives to meat, dairy, and egg products. This emerging industry quickly adopted the term ‘plant-based diet’...”
Dillard continued differentiating plant-based produce from processed plant-based products. While many shoppers are naturally drawn to these healthier alternatives, Dillard pointed out areas where “the whole fruit and vegetable industry should capitalize upon.”
“Today, the vast majority of Americans do not consume enough vegetables and fruits. Despite the well-known health benefits of fruits and vegetables, the barriers to increasing their consumption are often cited as high costs, food insecurity, and the inconvenience of integrating produce into daily diets,” continued Dillard. “The fresh produce industry has ample space to grow, but must prioritize the consumer’s primary purchase driver of any food—great flavor.”
Great flavor but also familiarity is something today’s shoppers strive to meet in aisles. And as our own Chandler James pointed out, the foodservice industry is also rising up to meet consumer expectations to put more fresh plants onto the plate.
To read more of Dillard’s take on how we can better utilize plant-based to our industry’s advantage, click here.
Keep an eye on ANUK for more updates in our plant-based world.
