Born After 2010, Reaching 25% of Global Population
Accounting for One-Third of Consumer Market... Expected to Grow as Main Force
Targeted Product Launches and Marketing Strengthened Domestically and Abroad
'Halmaennial (Grandmother + Millennial)' and 'Ttibuttib Seal' are symbolic keywords connecting the 3040 Millennial generation and the Alpha generation born after 2010 in the food industry. Millennial parents and their Alpha generation children experience familiar food and beverage cultures together, reinterpret them according to their tastes, and thereby expand the consumer market. Since the Alpha generation is expected to soon account for 25% of the global population and emerge as a major consumer group, domestic and international food companies are moving quickly to target the items and trends preferred by them.
Mom's Touch targeted millennials and Generation Alpha by collaborating with Nongshim's long-standing snack 'Kkul Kkwabaegi' to launch the 'Kkul Kkwabaegi Ssaisunsal' chicken. [Photo by Mom's Touch]
◆Parents' Familiar Tastes and Children's Curiosity Simultaneously= According to the United Nations and Euromonitor on the 26th, the global Alpha generation, currently around 1.6 billion, is expected to increase by about 1 billion by 2025, with their share of the total population rising from 20.1% by approximately 5 percentage points. Accordingly, it is anticipated that within the next 10 years, one-third of total consumption will come from the Alpha generation. The proportion of the Alpha generation in Korea is also projected to expand from 0.9% in 2010 to 10.62% in 2024.
This Alpha generation is found to be most influenced by the eating habits of their Millennial parents. A survey by IBM Institute for Business Value showed that food and beverages (77%) and dining out (63%) accounted for a high proportion of consumption-related items. The food and beverage culture familiar to the parent generation is perceived as new by the children’s generation, serving as a channel for sharing experiences. A representative example is the character stickers included in snacks, which stimulate nostalgia among Millennials and have recently been reinterpreted as Ttibuttib Seals in the bakery industry, causing product shortages. Snacks like yakgwa and tteok have also become a new trend as the Alpha generation shows interest in their grandparents’ food culture.
In the domestic food industry, collaborative products that attract both Millennials and the Alpha generation have been competitively launched. Mom's Touch released 'Honey Twisted Snack Sai Chicken' through collaboration with Nongshim’s long-selling snack 'Honey Twisted Snack,' and Tous Les Jours collaborated with Camel Coffee to introduce five beverages and four desserts under the concept 'Camel Coffee is on a Ttukangseu (Tous Les Jours + Vacation).' Additionally, Myungrang Hot Dog partnered with Orion to release a limited edition new product, 'Hot Hot Hot Break Hot Dog,' using the chocolate bar Hot Break, and Ottogi and Shinsegae Food attracted attention by launching 'Savory Sesame Oil Bread' using the 'Savory Sesame Oil' product celebrating its 40th anniversary.
The overseas situation is no different. According to a survey by global consulting firm Morning Consult of 1,000 Millennial parents in the U.S. with children under 18, the restaurant most favored by Alpha generation children was McDonald's (fast food). This reflects parents’ preference for McDonald's since childhood, with 43% of respondents stating, "We still eat fast food with our children at home weekly."
◆Alpha Generation’s Information Channel... "Food Information Also on YouTube"= The Alpha generation, familiar with smartphones from early childhood, absorbs food-related information through these devices and related platforms just like other information. YouTube and social media play a key role as channels.
According to Daehong Communications, 35% of Alpha generation respondents consume snack products through YouTube and TikTok, much higher than the 25.5% of Generation Z in their 20s. They show interest in products advertised on social media or sampled by influencers, leading directly to consumption. The American family restaurant 'Denny's' took note of this and collaborated with TikTok creators last year to launch a new menu highlighting the characteristics of popular content creators.
Domestically, Binggrae set up a virtual world called 'Binggrae Kingdom' from 2020 and introduced animated content featuring characters like 'Binggraeus' based on popular products such as Melona, gaining popularity. This content earned Binggrae the first-ever YouTube 'Silver Button' (over 100,000 subscribers) in the food industry.
An industry insider explained, "Food cultures favored by elementary school students, such as Malatang and Tanghulu, have also spread through YouTube, social media, and influencers. The Alpha generation still has a limited living radius and is in the stage of forming tastes, so platforms like YouTube and TikTok, easily accessible via smartphones, have a significant influence on their consumption."
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