Healthy Habits Wreak Havoc On Big Food

Give yourself a pat on the back my friend because you have made a difference.

According to recent financial reports, the boys of big food are seeing their money bags deflate and it is partly because Americans are making better choices when it comes to their meals.

Kraft foods – one of the largest food manufacturers in the world and the guys behind Jello and Oscar Meyers – has come out with news that their profits fell by a whopping 62% last year.

Disappointing news for them, but excellent news for us!

Kellogg, another shining example of a company placing profits before health, is also struggling to meet financial goals.

According to the chief executive officer at Kellogg’s John Bryant, 2015 must be a “rebuilding” year, otherwise they may be cutting more than just their guidance for long term growth revenue.

The company behind some of the worst and most toxic canned meals like Chef Boyardee is also struggling and recently cut their projected profits for the upcoming year in half.

Although I love to believe all this turmoil is because Americans are eating healthy, but some of these declines are on account of rising meat and dairy costs.

Sure we may be skipping the morning bowl of cornflakes, but more and more are replacing it with fast food alternatives and equally as toxic packaged foods.

There is no arguing that American eating habits have changed, but the question still remains whether they have improved or simply shifted from one evil to the next.

Fad diets promoting protein only meals and carb free snacks may not be the optimal health plan, but major food producers nonetheless are having a tough time manufacturing foods that fall in line with these popular trends.

Gluten free products are marketed to more than just those with an allergy and companies are struggling to keep up.

Unlike their parents, millennials care about what their food is and where it comes from. With an endless sea of information at the touch of a button, claiming ignorance is no longer a viable excuse.

Health hashtags are trending big time on social media platforms and somehow (despite big food companies efforts) good food is cool.

Brand loyalty has been placed on the back burner and now what matters is not who makes it but how it is made. Consumers can’t be swayed so easily by cheap prices and strong advertising.

The growing demand for fresh food has packaged producers struggling to compete and it is about time.

The rise of organic food sales speaks for itself. Sales of organic milk jumped 9.5% in the first 11 months of 2014 alone. Regular variety milk demand has actually decreased, which seems to suggest a trend towards choosing no milk over non organic brands.

What’s more, retail prices for organic milk increased less than that of regular milk. Those arguing against buying organic because it is too expensive may soon have to change their tone.

When all is said and done, we are paving the way for changes in food production. Sharing is caring and by leading through example you have the power to affect change in your community.