Mobile a key ingredient in a Millennial’s kitchen

Whether it be a smartphone or tablet, 59% of 25-34 year-olds take a mobile device into the kitchen to help them discover and prepare food. According to Anna Conroy, planning director for ad agency mcgarrybown, Millennials are cooking more and see the task not as a chore but as an experience. Furthermore, more than a quarter (27%) are not alone while preparing a meal.

The study identified three journey phases that Millennials go through in their culinary endeavors – the ‘spark phase’, ‘preparation phase’, and ‘cooking phase’. Within each of these phases Millennials turn to their mobile device for information and advice.

During the ‘spark phase’, Millennials are looking for inspiration. While Millennials enjoy cooking, they least enjoy deciding what to cook (31%). Many turn to YouTube for ideas and the search term “best recipes” has seen a 48% YoY rise while food video bloggers have seen increased views. Brands looking to engage Millennials while they ponder on what to cook can help by creating fun experiences while providing recipes that will pique curiosity. The complexity of a recipe won’t put off Millennials giving it a go, found the report, with 92% saying they were satisfied with the experience despite making mistakes.

Once a recipe has been decided on Millennials need help with the process and YouTube and Google are their helpers. “How-to” food content on YouTube is becoming more popular with 419 million views last year alone, with Millennials usually looking for basic advice. Having said that, Millennials aren’t averse to experimenting with new flavors and ingredients and 40% said they would choose a brand specified in a recipe if it was an ingredient unfamiliar to them. To that end, brands can up Millennial engagement by showing them how to use their products in recipes, particularly those that provide a new and exciting way in which to use them.

“For Kraft, we believe it’s about not only asking what we can do to help consumers create a better dish–but what we can do to help consumers achieve a better experience across the board,” said Conroy.

Once Millennials begin the cooking process, their mobile device continues to play a role. They may need to search for questions such as what temperature and how long to bake something and, found the study, nearly a quarter (23%) use voice search during this potentially greasy-finger time. Two-thirds of Millennial moms watch video while cooking.