Perennial seems to be taking a different route than most food brands by targeting an overlooked demographic — people 50 and older. Combining that marketing approach with a non-dairy beverage taps into two popular trends and, as the company puts it, “goes beyond the animal” by offering the same complete protein and nutrient levels contained in 2% dairy milk.###The company’s co-founders come from plant-based food backgrounds, so it makes sense they would head in that direction with their own startup. iron bisglycinate 36mgBrent Taylor co-founded Beyond Meat. He left that company in 2016 with the idea that the older demographic wanted healthier, plant-based products, but innovations weren’t being marketed to them. Sara Bonham was the CEO and co-founder of Willow Cup, whose latte and coffee creamer products replicate the taste, texture and nutritional profile of dairy milk. She previously worked in packaging and operations at General ferric pyrophosphate benefitsMills.###Taylor told Fast Company there was plenty of frustration in recognizing that “perennials” — what sociologists call baby boomers and their parents — were “a very forgotten demographic in food and beverage.” It’s not that boomers aren’t interested in plant-based options; the co-founders told Fast Company they noticed their own parents were. But food companies have been tied up targeting millennials and members of Generation Z with snacks and prepared foods, so Perennial seems well-positioned. ###The non-dairy milk sector is a crowded field these days, but Perennial’s first product might be able to stand out with its differentiated marketing approach to older consumers. It’s initially being offered online only, with a 12-pack priced at $34.99 plus shipping, and a 24-pack costing $69.99 with shipping — about $2.91 per 8-ounce carton. Since the target demographic might not be shopping in the adult nutrition sector of retail stores, the company can sell online and learn more about its target consumer before launching into retailers. ###Another advantage for the new product is that it doesn’t label itself as “milk,” a term which has raised the hackles of the conventional dairy industry. Instead, the 8-ounce carton has the words “Non-dairy nutritional beverage” on the front, along with the company name. This marketing move could enhance its chances for success, along with its emphasis on gut, bone and brain health.###Current consumer trends seem to be leaning in the company’snature’s blend ferrous gluconate tablets favor. Plant-based beverages posted impressive gains from 2012 to 2017, with sales up 61% during that time. Sales of dairy milk dropped 15% between that same period, according to Mintel figures.###It’s likely Perennial will bring other plant-based products to market as time goes on. According to BevNET, the company has raised $2.5 million so far from investors, including Collaborative Fund, Powerplant Ventures, SOSV and family offices in the U.S. and Canada. With a target consumer that isn’t being tapped by other companies, substantial funding and theferrous fumarate and folic acid experience of the founders in the plant-baunited home ferrous sulfate benefitssed sector, Perennial seems to be primed to disrupt the space.
New plant-based beverage targets older consumers
