Tasty Tidbits: For Those Who Think Young | Ontario Culinary
loader image
close up of three bunches of asparagus tied with twine

Asparagus Season in Ontario


Learn More
overhead shot of sticky bun, breakfast ray, breakfast sandwich and two coffees at Sweet North Bakery

The Best Spots to Eat + Drink in Thunder Bay


Learn More
Gunn's Hill aging room photo with Shep walking down a row of cheese

THE OXFORD COUNTY CHEESE TRAIL IS STEPPING THINGS UP FOR BIG CHEESE DAYS


Learn More
Lauren at Red Hen Artisinale teaching Apple Pie Baking Class

8 Feast On® Experiences to Discover this Summer


Learn More

Food for Thought: For Those Who Think Young

?There is a new breed of aspirational eaters � young-ish frequent flyers who subscribe to Kinfolk magazine, keep must-hit lists on their iPhones and follow star chefs. This is�eating as experience, passion and self-expression.?The Globe and Mail, Aug. 2013

Not since Y2K has the word Millennium been tossed around so much. Every marketing agency and their mother can’t get enough of talking about Millennials… but why?

Well for starters, this segment of the population (loosely defined as anyone born between 1977 and 2000) is projected to account for HALF of all travel spending by 2020, according to a recent trend report by Skift.  They also love to eat – devoting more of their disposable income to food and drink than any previous generation and voraciously boasting about their most beloved bites on all manner of social media platforms. (Ed note. You’re on Instagram… right?)

Communal dining...so hot right now!
The sharing economy has hit the table.

It’s hard to argue with these numbers:

  • 41% of Canadian respondents aged 25-34 years old indicated that food and beverage offerings were the biggest deciding travel factor (TIAC + Deloitte Navigate)
  • Millennial travellers update their social media accounts at least once per day with 97% indicating they post on social network while travelling (Chase Credit Card Services)
  • The annual purchasing power of Millennials is $170B (ComScore)
Photo credit: wildandgrace.wordpress.com
Photo credit: wildandgrace.wordpress.com

Perhaps most crucially, Millennials are influencing the travel and dining habits of older generations. According to Jeff Fromm, author of Marketing to Millennials, ?to predict what will be hot tomorrow, you merely need to look at what�s hot with Millennials today?. That includes communal tables, sharing plates, diverse flavours and artisanal, small batch spirits. Oh, and it better be delicious!

Want to tap into this lucrative market that’s influencing edible experiences around the world?

Request a copy of our brand spankin’ new webinar: Attracting the Millennial Food Tourist, packed with even more tasty tidbits, insights and best practices from destinations that are doing it right.