Bob Evans Farms, Inc

Jason Roche joined Bob Evans Farms in 2021 as Director of Marketing with responsibility for leading the breakfast business including capacity expansion, innovation development and commercialization. He is known for his strengths in business development, innovation and building high-performance teams. Previous roles include leadership positions with GOJO and Nestlé USA. Jason holds an MBA from Case Western University, Weatherhead School of Management, and a BS in Education from Ohio University.

There are very few life-changing events that permanently impact consumer behavior across the globe. Living through a pandemic is one of them. The unprecedented consumption shock hit across the globe as we masked up and locked down awaiting the return to “normal life.” During the first wave, consumer spending plummeted, but now, two years later, we are in the throes of an ever-evolving daily lifeand behaviors continue to change. Consumers who were working from home and were able to maintain their jobs and save money are ready to spend, while others who lost jobs and other sources of income are still figuring out how to budget, especially given the recent inflationary period. How are marketers to keep up with these unprecedented changes, providing what consumers need while keeping their businesses afloat?

Meeting consumer demands requires smart and innovative marketing approaches to coincide with customer interest, a point emphasized even more so post-pandemic. Data findings and survey results are imperative, as these allow for companies and brands to better understand evolving trends and market to shifting targeted audiences.

“Understanding The Fluctuating Preferences Of The Evolved Consumer Is Key To Not Just Building A Customer Base, But Also Keeping It For Years To Come.”

One of the industries that heavily feels these massive shifts is the food industry, in particular packaged food. Since the outset of the pandemic, consumers have spent more time preparing meals at home. Studies examining trends within consumer behaviors, predominately regarding breakfast, found a vast majority prioritized eating a quality meal, with almost half stating they make healthier breakfast selections now than they did before the pandemic. Between busy morning schedules and time-consuming commutes, many Americans, especially parents, are unable to cook elaborate breakfasts during the workweek. The majority have pinpointed the physical act of cooking, deciding what to make, and cleaning up as the most difficult aspects of breakfast prep during the workweek.

To make breakfast prep easier, 76 percent of Americans surveyed indicated that they purchased refrigerated heat-and-eat breakfast items at least once a month, and even so, are more inclined today to enjoy refrigerated heat-and-eat breakfast items than they were before the pandemic. The top reasons why most people are interested in refrigerated heat-and-eat breakfast items are because of their convenience, taste, and price.

These new breakfast trends have driven companies to better market to the post-pandemic consumer as the world recovers. Today, shoppers are looking for quick-to-table solutions and product diversification, without sacrificing flavor or freshness. These pillars need to be the foundation for marketing innovation; how to reach consumers yearning for satiable options without losing the integrity of taste.

To build on that marketing foundation, marketers need to also take a deeper look into the trends that pop up during turbulent times, utilizing comprehensive studies and other data such as these to determine which trends will pass with the times and which will stick around for good. Understanding the fluctuating preferences of the evolved consumer is key to not just building a customer base, but also keeping it for years to come. Consumers will stick with the companies that support them and adapt to their needs as they determine what works best for them in their new normal. This information allows for brands to grow and expand with new opportunities to launch new products, rethink existing ones, and establish brand loyalty in households for many years to come.