gen z would rather garden than drink
and migrate to china's tiktok
Mass migration to RedNote (and back), TikTok whiplash, rise of the tech oligarch, and a severely overdue ceasefire in Gaza. All perhaps connected to Trump? That’s what he’d like us to think. My little brain is still processing the crazy news cycle today, and this past week. I’ve tried to disassociate a bit by indulging in oh so many memes. These are some of my favorites:
Anyways, in non-political news…
Alcohol’s social reputation has changed—drinking becoming less cool among Gen Z. Alcohol consumption among Gen Z is much lower than older generations, largely driven by 1) heightened focus on health, 2) shifting social patterns that prioritize digital connections, and 3) increased access to Marijuana, which is now legal in nearly half of U.S. states. Similar to how the popularity of cigarettes declined in the 1960s, consumers are actually starting to take negative health claims about alcohol seriously. As younger generations opt for more sober curious lifestyles, the non-alcoholic beverage space will continue to boom. The industry is already expected to double by 2034, reaching a value of $3.8 trillion.
Even brands outside of the beverage industry are embracing sobriety. Halo Top ice cream for one, is encouraging Dry January participants to switch from alcohol to ice cream by selling “Swap Kits” this year. Ice cream instead of a cocktail? Sign me up.
Liquid Death fights to become the face of “modern soda”. They recently released Cola, Doctor Death, Psycho Cider, and Rootbeer flavored waters. Although not technicallyyyy “soda”, Liquid Death’s new SKUs in traditional soda flavors shows that they are inching towards capturing market share from legacy soda brands like Pepsi and Cola, perhaps even Olipop and Poppi.
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RFK must be stoked about the Red Dye No. 3 ban. Last week, the FDA announced the ban of Red Dye No. 3 from all foods, beverages, and dietary supplements. What is Red Dye No. 3? It’s a synthetic color additive made from petroleum and chemically known as erythrosine, and what’s used to give products a bright cherry-red color. There’s more than 30 years of research linking Red Dye No. 3 to cancer in animals, but it’s taken regulators a loooong time to put consumer protections in place. All that said, I’ll miss these:
this and those super sweet glazed cherries I tried to keep these headlines apolitical but this article on the radicalization of wellness is a must read. In a nutshell, wellness culture is no longer just about clean eating and self-care—it’s a breeding ground for misinformation 👀
What’s up with men being so obsessed with ayahuasca? Sorry to generalize, but when I used to imagine the type of person who’d likely be doing ayahusca, I envisioned a very hippie dippie kinda person. Not NFL players like Aaron Rodgers, tech CEOs like Sam Altman, or podcast bros like Joe Rogan. Alas, it is “wealthy dudes who are obsessed with self-improvement” that are raving about ayahuasca, calling it a transformative experience (which I don’t deny is). Vox unpacked why men are attracted to plant medicine, but my quick thoughts on this trend: hyper-masculine men struggle to naturally connect with their emotions, and so turn to psychoactive drugs to guide them. And, they inherently enjoy the idea of reaching “god-like status” via psychedelic enlightenment.
this scene in Industry sums it up… Henry (toxic CEO of green tech company) and Robert (previously toxic finance bro) seek an emotional reckoning Forget RedNote, Sizzle is the new social app to be on (if you love to cook). What’s Sizzle? It’s basically a for you page of recipe videos but on top of that, you can automatically add all the ingredients needed for the recipe straight to your cart. It connects grocery delivery services like Instacart and Whole Foods to make cooking and grocery shopping easier. I’m really curious to see if this app will take off, especially given TikTok might go away, and a lot of young consumers source cooking inspiration from TikTok. My only qualm with Sizzle is that online ordering of groceries is meh—extra fees and extra packaging that our environment does not need.
Edggies Veggies is the easiest way to eat vegetables. Founded by Veronica Panzardi, Edggies Veggies is a new CPG brand that launched this month. Their first product is a (super cute) can of dehydrated kale sprinkles which you can add to basically any dish, and get a serving of vegetables in. According to the CDC, only 10% of U.S. adults eat the recommended daily amount of vegetables. While I’ll always be a supporter of consuming whole vegetables (because of fiber), products like Edggies Veggies are great for those a tad bit lazy when it comes to eating enough greens.
Monumento is a creative studio that’s crushing the type game. I’d love to claim that branding doesn’t matter, but it still does, especially when you’re a new entrant in saturated CPG verticals. What I love about Monumento’s packaging design portfolio, is that they keep it simple and let typography take the center stage. No fussy extraneous design details, they let the brand’ name stand out.
@foodbaby.clubTypography & fonts are my niche obession — and this packaging design agency is crushing it!! New CPG food/beverage brands don’t need to overdo packaging design to have be a brand that stands out. Just being intentional about the fonts and type they use, goes a loooong way #packagingdesign #branding #cpg #designagency #typography #fonts #greenscreenTiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserVote for your favorite Doritos commercial for a chance to win $1M AND go to the Super Bowl. That’s all you need to know, vote here.
I don’t typically give TV show recs, but The Food That Built America on Hulu is actually so fascinating. This show is basically a history lesson on the founding and rise of notable of food corporations—from Taco Bell to Heinz to Kroger. I especially loved the episode on how grocery stores in America came to be (S4, E13).
P.S. I’m trying to strike a nice balance of what’s new in CPG, cultural commentary, the business side of things, and politics… That said, if there’s something you’d love to see more of, holla.
This is a great read!!!v