Recent findings from the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) show that more than 80% of the total U.S. adult population is influenced by some type of “green motivation.” Moreover, the number of consumers who are considered “sustainability active” has increased since 2004 and now extends to several of the proprietary consumer segments identified by NMI.

Think back to your old grade school report cards and then think about the United States food system. That’s the essence of what a recent Ipsos/McClatchy survey asked 1,011 U.S. adult consumers to do via online interviews and participation in research panels. Researchers discovered that these consumers have very mixed feelings about food safety in the U.S.

Traditional forms of media, including newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, are not yet being replaced by high tech media such as the internet and e-mail marketing. In fact, (this) study found that overall consumption of advertiser-supported mass media increased slightly over the duration of the study. Furthermore, the study found that during key revenue-making dayparts (specific daily time slots), the consumption of traditional media actually maintained previous levels or even increased.

At Cultivate Research, we consistently tell our clients and readers that it’s critically important to listen closely to their customers (in fact, we’re in business to help them do just that). A recent study called “Food 2020: The Consumer as CEO,” by Ketchum, Inc., may help vegetarian food companies choose a path to success over the next 12 years. The study asked consumers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, and China where the industry is headed over the next decade.