This month in our ongoing FringeStream series, our monthly magazine exploring how the fringes of culture are shaping mass behaviors, we're digging into the a topic that tempts us all: FOOD. In gaining an understanding of FringeStream Food, we've unearthed some interesting findings that recognize how the simultaneous celebration of food culture and turmoil of traditional food systems have led to mainstream confusion over what to eat. Find out how empowered groups are moving beyond our over reliance on over-processed convenience food to create new opportunities and an increasing Appetite for Conviction.

1. Appetite For Conviction
thesoundhq.comFOOD

2. 2THE SOUND
FRINGESTREAM: FOOD
“The outlook for the center of the store
[where processed food is stocked] is so glum
that industry insiders have begun to refer
to that space as the morgue.”
–The New York Times

3. FRINGESTREAM: FOOD
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What happens when fragmentation, diversity and the choice to
live differently becomes the new normal?
In FringeStream Food, The Sound recognizes the simultaneous
celebration of food culture and turmoil of traditional food systems. Our
aim is to help think beyond the diminishing appetite for convenience
and over-processing to see the opportunities empowered groups are
creating for food of the future.
Appetite for Conviction

4. In sobering headlines, obesity and diabetes are being
called food-related epidemics…
Many Boomers and Gen X have handed off meal
preparation to the food industry because they are ‘too
busy’ to cook…
Globalization gives us mind-boggling choices of what to
eat…
Middle and upper income consumers are buying fresh,
local food and supporting smaller, sustainable brands…
...but when “Butter is Back!” but “Bacon Causes Cancer,”
knowing what’s ‘good food’ is more confusing than ever.
...but they now lack the skills to prepare a meal or teach
their kids how to cook.
...but we’ve dumbed down ‘kid food’ to the most banal and
narrow set of options.
…but lower income households have to choose between
buying healthy food and going hungry.
THE FOOD PARADOX
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MASS CONFUSION
in the Biggest Industry in the World
What is it?

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…FRINGE CONVICTION
New Ways of Eating
If you look closely, groups on the Fringe are
demonstrating absolute conviction about new ways of
eating. Read on and we’ll explore the wild and
wonderful, the complex and controversial food
revolution through our Five Fringe Trends. While some
of these examples may address multiple trends, they
all exhibit a commitment to doing things differently for
the benefit of self, family, community, animals, the
planet...and perhaps all of the above.
The Outcome
LIVING OFF THE GRID
POSITIVE TRIBALISM
FALLOUT FAMILIES
NEW SPIRITUALITY
LESS IS MORE
OUR FIVE
FRINGESTREAM
TRENDS

6. MEATY QUESTIONS
One of the biggest fringe movements is a shift to
plant-based alternatives. Whether part time
Vegetarian or full time Vegan, people are
questioning the impact of animal agriculture on
their bodies and the environment, and reducing the
amount of animal based food they eat.
APPETITE FOR ABUNDANCE
Given dire global water shortages, a growing group
is replacing the resource-intensive food in their diet
with foods in abundance, such as insects and
seaweed. The nori seaweed snack category is
growing by about thirty per cent each year, with
sales for 2014 as high as $500 million. Look for
dulse and kelp next.
INTO THE WILD
Some are willing to take even more extreme
measures to reduce reliance on ‘Big Food’ by
foraging or learning to hunt for their own food.
Wild mushrooms, nettles, heritage fruit, and game
are examples of wild food modern hunters and
gatherers are after.
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RUNNING LOW
People are looking to New Plentiful Food Sources
that don’t rely on the Industrial Food ‘Grid’
Off the Grid

7. ONE TWIST
SHUTS DOWN
SERIOUS NEED FOR
A RECONNECT
The double-edged sword of tech has left us more
connected to others yet somehow further apart. We
know more about our world than ever before, yet
struggle to make and keep meaningful relationships
within it. People are drawing from other cultures
that foster a more collectivist approach to food.
BRINGING STRANGERS
TOGETHER
On a local scale, community based farmers’ markets
foster relationships between growers and local
buyers, and restaurants are creating communal
tables for shared dining experiences. On a global
scale, companies like Feastly connect chefs with
food enthusiasts and diners everywhere.
USING FOOD
FOR GOOD
As choices multiply, people increasingly choose to
purchase foods that do good for others as well as
themselves.
Tech-enabled platforms allow restaurant goers to
give a meal, while they get a meal.
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ONE BIG TABLE
Far from Just a Necessity, food is serving as a Catalyst to Connect
and Empathize with Others in Authentic and Meaningful Ways
Positive Collectivism

8. KIDS AS TEACHERS
While older generations have let go of all but a
handful of cooking competencies, kids today (a.k.a.
Gen Edge) have strong values leading them back to
the kitchen - ingenuity, creativity, self-reliance.
Combined with increasing priority on food education
by not-for-profits and EU governments, kids are more
likely to be the ones showing older generations how
it’s done.
FOODIE FATHERS
Today, fathers are increasingly defining their status by
their culinary ability (beyond the barbecue) and
taking on greater responsibility in teaching their kids
to cook.
BOOMER MEDICINE
While Boomers drove the rise of convenience foods
in the ’70-80s, some are returning to scratch cooking
for their health. Medical students in the US are being
taught to cook by chefs, to help advise aging patients
to use food as medicine.
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LOOK WHO’S COOKING NOW!
Most of the mainstream still seems to believe if you have time to cook, you
must be a loser. But on the fringe, barriers to cooking are breaking down
Fallout Families

9. In our secular societies, food serves as a form of religious or cultural identity for fringe
cultures, whereby beliefs go beyond scientific proof of benefits or even visible markers of
health.
Some Vegans believe that eating a plant-based diet purifies the soul and reduces negative
feelings in themselves and violence in society.
‘Fermentos’ fervently believe in the power of live gut bacteria for physical and mental health,
and in the centuries-old traditions of eating fermented food rich in ‘good bacteria.’
HOW WE EAT MATTERS, TOO
As digital connectivity becomes increasingly pervasive every
moment of our lives, food experiences such as ‘wifi free cafes’ and
‘solo dining restaurants’ are emerging to enforce moments of
solitude and reflection.
FRINGESTREAM: FOOD
THE SOUND 9
WANT OHM WITH THAT?
Fringe Groups are Finding Personal and Spiritual Guidance through Food
Modern Spirituality
“I look forward to
encouraging Londoners to
reassess their routine, taking a
moment to disconnect from
our hyper connected society
and enjoy the ‘now’ that is
vital to our wellbeing.”
–Marina Van Goor

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YIMBY (YES IN MY BACK YARD)
Fringe Groups are Happily Narrowing Their Set of Choices to Local and Seasonal
Less is More
L IS FOR LOCAVORE
Farm to Table restaurants and local produce are
increasingly becoming the choice to reduce the negative
environmental impact of globalized food and
transportation systems.
While it means there are fewer food options, especially
in winter, this ‘challenge’ is celebrated by fringe cultures
as a way to combat the “Omnivore’s Dilemma” - what to
eat when you CAN eat almost anything.
GREEN THUMBS
GOING GANGBUSTERS
Fuelled by community garden support, urban-
specific gardening tools, and apps to manage
garden maintenance, growing your own food
garden may not be fringe for long.
FOOD WASTE
The makers of Just Eat It, a documentary about food
waste, pledged to survive for a year only on foods
that would otherwise be thrown away. Knowing 1/3
of all human food is wasted, while a billion people
go hungry, is generating a fringe revolution.

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WHAT FRINGESTREAM
FOOD MEANS FOR
BRANDS

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“Not enough is
happening on the
fringes of food.”
– Jed Grieve, Owner, Cook Culture
store & cooking school

13. 13THE SOUND
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BRANDS NEED TO BE BOLD
Few mainstream brands have been brave enough to address the fringe trends changing the nature of our relationship with food from individualist
to more systems-focused. Consider taking inspiration from these examples to be the change ‘FringeFoodies’ are calling for.
#REALSCHOOLFOOD Litehouse Dressing
To create an improved ranch dressing, the number one
flavor sold in schools, Litehouse and Chef Ann Foundation
crafted a New Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing that has no
MSG, no high fructose corn syrup, and no preservatives.
The ranch is Gluten-Free Certified, is made with Greek
yogurt, and contains no sugar.
Litehouse will Donate 1% of sales of the product to the
Chef Ann Foundation, whose mission is to provide healthier
lunch options in schools for children.
DOUGH-NATION Panera Bread
Like most cafes, Panera Bread serves fresh baked goods
to its customers daily, meaning all unsold items need to
be discarded at closing time. Rather than toss perfectly
edible bagels, breads and desserts into the trash, Panera
Bread sends these items to local nonprofits — as it has
done since its inception. Through the company’s Day-End
Dough-Nation program, Panera bakery-cafes donate
approximately $100 million worth of unsold bread and
baked goods every year.
JAMIE OLIVER LINE Sobeys
As an advocate for change and a promoter of better food
internationally, Canadian grocery retailer Sobeys has
engaged Jamie Oliver to champion enhanced food
knowledge and cooking skills for Canadians. Sobeys also
sells a line of Jamie Oliver branded products that includes
pasta, olive olive, seasonings, and meats.
Brand and Advertising Implications

14. 14THE SOUND
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ANSWER THE CALL
With experts predicting the mainstream is just going to getting ‘lazier, fatter, and
sicker,’ the opportunity space for brands to tap into these counter culture food
trends in 2016 is wide open.
We get how scary these big changes might seem...but what’s scarier is that the
time for small changes, like removing artificial coloring or flavors, may have
passed. In our FringeSteam Series, we like to say ‘The Mainstream is Dead’ to be
provocative...but in the case of food it’s closer to the truth.
Who will dare to answer the call from the fringes? Get in touch at
info@thesoundhq.com for more information or a presentation!
Brand and Advertising Implications

15. V A N C O U V E R | N E W Y O R K | L O N D O N | T O R O N T O | C H I C A G O | M U M B A I
W W W . T H E S O U N D H Q . C O M

16. SOURCE REFERENCES
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http://time.com/4087935/cancer-meat-bacon/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/opinion/bittman-butter-is-back.html
http://www.fastcompany.com/3046685/most-creative-people/the-5-billion-battle-for-the-american-dinner-plate
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3128188/TWO-THIRDS-modern-mums-haven-t-got-time-cook-dads-making-food-ever.html
http://time.com/3482452/future-of-food/
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http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/02/a-new-leaf
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/Vegan-is-going-mainstream-trend-data-suggests
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sandy-pukel/2015-predictions-from-veg_b_6501284.html
7
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/02/a-new-leaf
https://eatfeastly.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-technology-family-dinner_56439058e4b045bf3ded67c0
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http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/the-modern-dad-rocks-it-in-the-kitchen.html
http://time.com/3482452/future-of-food/
http://qz.com/545110/the-future-of-medicine-is-food/?utm_content=buffer63a2b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25644903
Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation, Michael Pollan, 2013
10
http://www.foodwastemovie.com
http://time.com/3482452/future-of-food/
http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/infographic/en/

17. IMAGE REFERENCES
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1 http://batsbazaar.blogspot.ca/2012/12/daylesford-organic-farm-cooking-school.html
4 http://cdn-image.foodandwine.com/sites/default/files/styles/550x550/public/HD-201406-r-campfire-bacon-with-maple-citrus-glaze.jpg?itok=pLMU1ggH
6
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/25/fda-just-mayo-isnt-mayonnaise-because-it-isnt-made-with-eggs/
http://blog.molliestones.com/post/63564969924/introducing-oceans-halo-seaweed-chips/
https://twitter.com/eatwildbc
7
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/999309558/foodshare-iphone-app-you-eat-a-meal-we-donate-a-me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D70r7-WIhF8
http://www.allweatherkc.com/blog/dougs-top-tips-keep-home-cozier-winter/
8
http://cookculture.com/pages/growing-chefs
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1713513137/dads-that-cook
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Foods-That-Fight-Cancer/dp/0771011369
9
http://www.angelahogg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BHN_SM.jpg
http://eenmaal.com/
http://ashevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Ashevillage-how-to-make-yogurt-with-Sandor-Katz.jpg
10
http://www.mygreenspace.co/
http://batsbazaar.blogspot.ca/2012/12/daylesford-organic-farm-cooking-school.html
https://www.sainsburysfoodrescue.co.uk/
13
https://www.pinterest.com/ChefAnnFnd/
https://www.panerabread.com/panerabread/article/details/day-end-dough-nation-community-lg.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/day-end-dough-nation-community-lg.desktop.jpeg
http://www.randomrepublika.com/2015/02/jamie-olivers-italian-herb-pesto-pasta-sauce/