Taste and nutrition powerhouse Kerry revealed six key consumer concerns and the sales opportunity for brands offering solutions to them as part of its immersive, gallery-style installation during New York Climate Week.
The interactive exhibit translates consumer insights into tangible ideas for food and beverage brands, demonstrating how sustainability and nutrition can work together to drive innovation without compromising taste, cost or accessibility.
Elizabeth Horvath, Kerry’s VP of marketing, explained the company’s approach: “We define sustainable nutrition as the ability to create products that are better for people and better for the planet, without sacrificing taste, affordability or accessibility. We think of it along a spectrum, where brands can enhance both nutritional and sustainability attributes across a product’s lifecycle.”
The installation was based on real-world social listening research. Kerry analyzed thousands of online conversations to identify six key consumer concerns, including climate change, food waste and personalized nutrition. These insights were then used to develop consumer archetypes, showing who cares most about specific aspects of sustainable nutrition and how brands can respond.
Horvath highlighted how the exhibit connects consumer profiles to practical solutions.
“For example, consumers focused on time and cost can benefit from convenient, cost-effective products that deliver both nutrition and sustainability,” she said.
Each station pairs insights with sample foods and beverages, showing attendees these concepts in action.
For CPG brands, the insights offer a roadmap for reformulation.
Horvath noted sugar reduction as a prime example: “Reducing sugar not only benefits consumers’ health but can also lower the carbon footprint of a product. We can guide brands to choose solutions that address both nutritional and sustainability goals.”
Similarly, sodium reduction using fermentation processes can enhance nutritional profiles while reducing environmental impact, all without adding cost or compromising taste.
Kerry’s approach underscores the company’s view that sustainability should be embedded in reformulation. Even if consumers don’t prioritize sustainability on the front of pack, brands can make inherently more sustainable choices while meeting labeling or nutrition requirements. The installation demonstrated how sustainable nutrition can be actionable, relevant and commercially viable for CPG brands.
