Q and A with John Zogby Speaker at FMI’s Midwinter Executive Conference

By: Carol Abel, Vice President of Education, Food Marketing Institute 

John Zogby, founder of the "Zogby Poll" and the Zogby companies, is an internationally respected pollster, opinion leader and best-selling author. His 2008 book, the Way We’ll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream foretold many aspects of today’s consumer. John will be joining us at FMI’s 2015 Midwinter Executive Conference to discuss societal impacts of the new consumer and I took some time before the event to get to know him a bit better. 

What is your favorite thing about the grocery store?

My dad had a supermarket so the business was in my blood. My first job was for a supermarket chain and I worked in the produce market. I loved every minute of it, except when it was watermelon delivery day. They came in 300 or so at a time and we had to stack them in a pyramid. The next morning one on the bottom would rot. Most unpleasant. What I loved was the merchandizing, the colors. I still gravitate to produce first and judge the department on its aesthetics.

How did it feel calling the 1996 presidential election with pinpoint accuracy and in the following two elections?

Wow. I had the election as a closer race than any of my well-known colleagues throughout the year. I took a lot of criticism for that. On election day, as the exit poll results came in and confirmed that I was right (and they were all wrong) it was most sweet. Above all, I knew that my entire life was changing, I was moving to a whole new level of recognition. Very exciting.

How would you suggest our food retailers respond to the various manifestations of the empowered new consumer?

I believe they do. I have seen the revolution. I love ideas like an in-store concierge to help with special nutrition and pricing needs. More stores will have to go into the call-in/internet placed orders, then delivery. The local/slow food movement will only grow, especially with Millennials as a self-styled group of "foodies". All businesses must have a ready access to Millennial opinion and tastes.

Can you define the “new consumer” in one sentence?

The new consumer is more empowered, informed, selective, health-oriented, price-conscious - willing to trade-up and trade-down when it makes sense. More Americans are working for less or fearful of losing ground than ever before.