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Understanding Today’s Food and Beverage Shoppers

In an era where food and beverage brands are strategizing their media plans for 2026, new insights reveal that there is no such thing as an 'average' food and beverage shopper. Schaefer, a dedicated agency focusing on this industry, has conducted in-depth research that highlights the diverse buyer personas and how brands are misallocating their marketing resources across various platforms.

The Inefficiencies in Marketing Spending

According to Schaefer’s latest reports, brands are currently overspending on traditional TV advertising, a channel that is steadily losing its audience. Conversely, they are underspending on streaming services, where many of today’s consumers are actively engaging. Additionally, there’s a fundamental misunderstanding in measuring the effectiveness of social media campaigns, as many brands assess performance based on direct click-to-purchase metrics rather than the actual purchasing behavior that often requires physical store visits later. This strategic misalignment can cost brands significantly in terms of lost revenue opportunities.

The Three Types of Food and Beverage Buyers

Schaefer's research identifies three distinct types of food and beverage shoppers, each requiring tailored marketing approaches:
1. Social-First Food and Beverage Shoppers: This group finds products through social media feeds, trends, and user-generated content (UGC). Their purchasing decisions are driven by impulse, and they respond best to relatable content. Brands often miscalculate their value by focusing on Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) instead of measuring the increase in store visits, leading to a systemic underfunding of this critical channel.

2. Traditional TV-First Food and Beverage Shoppers: For decades, this segment has formed its buying habits through consistent and familiar broadcasting. These consumers value brand recognition and authority and are typically older, often aligning with declining viewership trends in broadcasting. Despite this, many brands continue to allocate resources heavily toward this outdated advertising tactic even as it resonates less with a younger demographic.

3. Streaming-First Food and Beverage Shoppers: This emerging segment is increasingly bypassing traditional TV while slowly gravitating towards social media. They prefer connected TV and streaming advertisements. However, traditional media plans often overlook this growing demographic, which represents a lucrative opportunity for brands willing to adjust their strategies accordingly.

The Urgency for Change

As food and beverage brands finalize their media plans, the dependency on an outdated