The Future of Food and Beverage Forum USA

27th - 28th May 2026

Minneapolis, USA

The say-do gap: Are young consumers buying more ‘sustainable’ ?

Plenary
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Consumer behaviour is evolving fast, and younger generations are increasingly shaping the mainstream market. According to the Deloitte Consumer Tracker report, 75% of Gen Z say environmental impact influences their food choices. Nearly 70% also actively seek brands that align with their values. Beyond sustainability, McKinsey’s Future of Wellness survey for 2025 reported that 84% of U.S. consumers rated wellness as a “top’’ priority.

Sustainability, nutrition and wellness are converging, and younger consumers are accelerating that shift. The challenge is making sure that strong intent translates into actual purchasing behaviour.

This opening session will break down the latest research, and assess how companies can convert shifting consumer values into long-term demand:

  • What the newest data and insights reveal about sustainability-driven purchasing? How far does Gen Z really differ from older demographics?
  • How trends in nutrition, wellness and clean labels are strengthening sustainability sentiment in purchasing behaviour
  • Which levers accelerate the shift from intent to purchase- pricing, visibility, trust, credible claims and storytelling
  • Are generational differences translating at checkout, and what it means for future market share
Plenary

What to expect from this type of session...

Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.

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Day 0

Tuesday 26th May 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
Day 1

Wednesday 27th May 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
8:30am - 8:55am
Plenary
10:10am - 10:55am
10:55am - 11:45am
Plenary
12:15pm - 1:15pm
1:15pm - 2:00pm
2:00pm - 2:45pm
2:45pm - 3:30pm
3:30pm - 4:15pm
4:15pm - 5:00pm
Plenary
5:00pm - 6:00pm
Networking
Day 2

Thursday 28th May 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
9:00am - 9:45am
The say-do gap: Are young consumers buying more 'sustainable' ? 
Dole Food Company | McCain Foods | The Center for Food Integrity | Fairtrade America
Plenary
9:45am - 10:30am
Plenary
10:30am - 11:00am
11:00am - 11:45am
Investing in resilience: How blended capital, venture funding and partnerships can work together to scale resilience? 
Transformational Investing in Food Systems | SVG Ventures | Danone | Sand County Foundation | The Rockefeller Foundation
Plenary
11:45am - 12:30pm
Plenary
12:30pm - 1:30pm
1:30pm - 3:00pm
3:00pm - 3:15pm
Plenary