Putting veg first: Consumption in the spotlight

Project Code

MT18015 ST19041 VG16018

Year Published

2019

Consumer sentiment was at the heart of Alice Zaslavsky’s presentation at Hort Connections 2021, with the discussion ranging from what consumes the consumer and how the industry can help to increase vegetable consumption by understanding their needs.

Cookbook author and broadcaster, Alice Zaslavsky, didn’t let the Victorian lockdown and subsequent border restrictions stop her from appearing at Hort Connections 2021.

Alice pre-recorded her presentation for the Plenary Speaker Sessions, which were sponsored by Hort Innovation and held on Wednesday 9 June at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Throughout the presentation – entitled What consumes the consumer and how to help boost consumption and connection with the industry – Alice drew her experiences as a MasterChef contestant, broadcaster, cookbook author and project lead of ‘Phenomenom’, to educate the vegetable industry about engaging with everyday Australians.

A strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Mushroom, Onion and Vegetable Funds, Phenomenom is a digital toolkit for Australian teachers that aims to help engage children with vegetables and cultivate their curiosity around fresh food.

Alice’s connection with consumers spans 10 years. She outlined the main issues associated with veg consumption: time, skills and value; that is, the taste expected of vegetables and their cost.

She spoke about the negative narrative around vegetables, and children being forced to eat vegetables – “a hangover from an earlier time,” as she described it.

However, it has noted that vegetables have gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What’s exciting is my message hasn’t changed. We are at the precipice of a paradigm shift,” Alice said.

“What we’re seeing through the pandemic is an acceleration of all of those things that consumer insight experts have been speaking about – that the appetite for vegetables is changing.”

Alice Zaslavsky addresses delegates virtually at this year’s Hort Connnections Plenary Speaker Sessions. Photography by Andrew Beveridge.

Veg possibilities

Alice pointed out that the surge in veg popularity has been reflected in the sales of her book, which has been a “beneficiary of that change.” Released in November 2020, In Praise of Veg: A Modern Kitchen Companion, has been reprinted five times and is on-track to sell 100,000 copies worldwide by the end of this year.

Based on the data and consumer insight information that has been recorded, Alice said it is time to reach out to the audience.

“Now is the time for grower and communicators to connect with the consumer and push them towards the changes that they’re ready to make,” she declared.

Alice outlined ways to communicate with the audience, including telling the story about how vegetables are being repurposed to minimise food waste is an option; for example, Fresh Select is producing vegetable powders that can be used in drinks.

There are also opportunities around educating consumers: how can we help them to use every part of a foreign veg? Sending that sustainability message is key, and Alice again pointed to the pandemic and how it has made people recognise that they are part of an “an edible ecosystem.”

“If they don’t support their local growers, their Australian industry, we might not have a sustainable edible ecosystem in the generations to come. So, now is the time to harness that national pride in what is it is that we grow,” she said.

Consumer connection

Social media plays a big part in how businesses can connect with their customers, and Alice explained that they should have someone who is the voice of the business – an employee to monitor social media channels and tailor content to suit their target audience. For example, a business might use Facebook to connect with older consumers but then switch to Instagram and/or TikTok to engage with the younger generation. She pointed out that the content should be authentic, and businesses can create this by sharing hacks and shortcuts with their produce or recipes.

“Think about adding value beyond slapping a face to your brand. Trust is paramount to what you’re trying to build, particularly in this era of ‘fake news’,” Alice said.

Telling the grower story is also important and creates an emotional connection between producer and consumer.

“The story I desperately want you to tell is your story: YOU, the grower – how many generations have you been doing what you’re doing? What makes you passionate about your produce? What gets you up in the morning to grow our food?”,” Alice asked.

“The more you can connect with us, the more that we can build a community of engaged consumers of your produce and the more sustainable our industry can be.”