Consumer awareness of millets and its health benefits are high, says survey
A survey conducted by Wholsum Foods that owns millet-based food brands, such as Slurrp Farm and Mille, said consumer awareness about millet is relatively high, with 87.3 percent of those surveyed having heard of it.
The survey, which was conducted on 550 consumers across the country to understand their awareness and willingness to include millet in their daily lives, saw the highest participation by millennials (58.9%), while 54.5% of the total respondents were female.
Of those familiar with millet, a significant portion (74.6 percent) became aware of it during their childhood, indicating an influence of early exposure to millet as a staple food, while more recent awareness was mainly driven by government news and announcements. About 83.5 percent of the respondents had tried millet, indicating a relatively high adoption rate, while 38.8 percent used millet as a supplement to rice, showing its potential as a substitute for traditional rice.
Taste plays a major role in millet adoption, the survey said, with 31.3 percent of respondents expressing willingness to include millet cereal in their diet if it tasted better, while pricing remains an important factor with 22.9 percent of respondents looking into affordability. costs. As awareness about millet continues to grow, factors such as taste and affordability have emerged as important considerations hindering adoption of millet.
healthy diet
The survey revealed that 40.9 percent of respondents are already following or are in the process of switching to a healthier diet, while 34.2 percent are still considering adopting a healthier lifestyle, indicating an opportunity to promote healthy eating habits. The top reasons for switching to a healthy diet were the desire for a better lifestyle (38.5 percent) and an improved weight loss journey (35.3 percent).
Furthermore, the survey indicated that 59 percent of Millennials and 41 percent of Generation Z folks are motivated to follow or switch to a healthy diet to maintain a better lifestyle. In addition, 69.01 percent of millennial respondents are motivated by their goal of losing weight, while only 30.98 percent of generation Z respondents prioritized weight management as a reason for adopting a healthy diet.
The survey further revealed that 73.1 percent of the participants strive to incorporate more fiber into their diet. This is in line with the growing awareness of the health benefits associated with a high-fiber diet. Moreover, 58 percent of the respondents expressed their desire for nutrient-rich foods, while 52.2 percent emphasized the importance of increasing protein intake.
The survey indicates a clear shift towards plant-based protein sources, with 54.5 percent of respondents choosing plant-based options. In addition, 44.4 percent of the participants mentioned including more lentils, which is a nutritious plant-based protein source. In contrast, only 26.7 percent of the respondents preferred animal/meat protein sources.