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Chicken must bridge the trust gap with Gen Z consumers

As poultry marketers grapple with Gen Z’s ‘say-eat’ contradictions, they would be wise to focus on authenticity and transparency when engaging with the demographic.

Michele Murray, executive vice president of food agriculture and ingredient practice, Ketchum
Michele Murray, executive vice president of food agriculture and ingredient practice, Ketchum
Jackie Roembke

The chicken industry faces challenges and opportunities when it comes to winning over Generation Z consumers due to the demographic’s distrust of the food industry, according to Michele Murray, Ketchum’s executive vice president - food agriculture and ingredient practice. 

Murray based her 2024 Chicken Marketing Summit presentation, "Meet your future consumer: Communications implications for your business,” on a Ketchum Analytics survey of Gen Z consumers. 

"Seventy-three percent of Gen Z don't believe that food companies are for them. They actually believe that they're greedy and care only about profits," she said.

This skepticism extends beyond food companies to big business, higher education, brands, etc.

This contributes to what Murray termed a "say-eat gap" between Gen Z's stated values and their actual purchasing behaviors.

"They say that they care about these things — their heart is leading them to feel that way — and yet they're eating in a different way,” she said. “It's creating a lot of cognitive and emotional dissonance with their relationship with food.”

For example, while 75% of Gen Z say it's important to support animal welfare, it has only driven one in 20 to change their behavior.

"Just like other generations, Gen Z are making those choices around what they choose based on a flavor, food safety, quality, price and nutrition," Murray concluded.

However, unlike previous generations, Gen Z experiences significant stress around food choices, with pressure coming from various sources, such as their parents and the influencers they follow on social media.

"Sixty-one percent of Gen Z say that they're struggling with something related to mental health," Murray said, extending to their relationship with food, i.e. 60% of Gen Z report feeling judged about food decisions.

Gen Z poultry marketing strategies

Food industry skepticism aside, chicken holds a unique position with Gen Z consumers.

"Fifteen percent of Gen Zers  said, 'I can't live without chicken,'  versus some of the other generations, which was much lower," Murray said. However, there's also a significant group that's less enthusiastic: "Seventeen percent said, 'I could take it or leave it,'" and "11% said, 'I will eat it if I'm forced to if there's no other options.'"

Murray suggested brand marketers focus on the "moveable middle" by tapping into “zeitgeist moments” to engage Gen Z consumers. Viral food trends and the demographic’s openness to try diverse cuisines give chicken meat an advantage as a “clean slate” ingredient.

She offered several key strategies for effectively reaching and engaging Gen Z consumers:

1. Meet them where they are: “Here's the reality. They're on TikTok, and they're not finding you. And so that's a big gap that we can help fill."

2. Recognize their influence with caution: "We need to let that happen. As brands, we tend to want to interrupt or have one-way communications."

3. Show the impact of individual behavior: Highlight the company’s contribution to society, the community and the environment.

4. Engage in meaningful conversations: "About 37% of Gen Z said they're having a conversation with someone on TikTok about animal welfare — and more than likely, we're not there. How do we figure out how to best engage with them?"

5. Address skill and confidence gaps: "They lack skills and confidence, but they're excited, they're interested. ... How do we create those experiences? ... They do crave that."

Opportunities for chicken

Murray sees significant potential for the chicken industry to connect with Gen Z consumers by emphasizing the importance of creating joyful, accessible experiences.

"As much as we stopped that negative pressure, we also saw an opportunity to grow satisfaction, an opportunity to show up as a player that can help create that experience that consumers are looking for. Joy that's accessible,” she said.

Overall, Murray expressed optimism for the industry.

"I think that there's so much opportunity for a strong future with chicken — coupled with their interest and their openness,” she said.

By understanding Gen Z's unique perspectives, addressing their concerns, and meeting them on their preferred platforms, the chicken industry can build trust and loyalty. The key lies in authenticity, transparency and creating engaging experiences that resonate with Gen Z's values and aspirations, Murray said.

Attend the 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit

The 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit will be held at the DeSoto Savannah in Savannah, Georgia, on July 28-30, 2025.

 Serving a unique cross-section of the chicken supply chain, the Chicken Marketing Summit explores issues and trends in food marketing and consumer chicken consumption patterns and purchasing behavior. 

 Registration will open in early 2025.

 For more information, visit: www.wattglobalmedia.com/chickenmarketingsummit/ 

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