Gen Alpha, it appears, is a cohort comprised of foodies that love to explore new flavors. That much was clear from the findings of Beano Brain’s recently released 100 Coolest Brands Report, which is built from insight from over 30,000 Gen Alpha voices. Food brands dominated the top 20 brands mentioned.
Below, Helenor Gilmour, director of strategy at Beano Brain, shares her insight on what’s driving Gen Alpha, along with how brands can connect with these children.
Gen Alpha’s Favorite Brands
The report indicated that the highest-ranking food brands in the U.S. are:
- Sour Patch Kids
- OREO
- Chick-fil-A
- Starbucks
- M&Ms
KitKat, Jolly Ranchers, Skittles, McDonald’s and Sprite also landed in the top 20 of the report’s rankings.
According to Gilmour, food plays a big role in Gen Alpha’s emotional life. These youthful consumers, born between 2010 and 2024, are keen on exploration.
“For Gen Alpha, food isn’t just fuel, it’s how they mark moments, make friends, and create rituals,” Gilmour told The Food Institute. “Heritage food brands that tap into those rituals by releasing fun new flavors, shareable formats and seasonal drops get an emotional shortcut into kids’ lives by making eating an experience worth talking about.
“The coolest food brands give Gen Alpha something to do together, not just something to buy.”
Connecting With Gen Alpha
Gilmour says that the brands that ranked highest on the list do a few things really well, such as creating sensory, shareable products. Limited-edition drops, seasonal favorites, new textures and novel formals make these brands exciting and relevant for Gen Alpha.
Any brand that can spark playground chatter, and partner with kid-centric, cultural touchpoints like movies, games, and influencers will have a chance with this generation.
“Examples range from Sour Patch and Skittles launching viral/novel formats, Oreo doing playful collabs and AR activations to Chick-fil-A using games and loyalty promotions – and of course Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice season,” Gilmour said.
“All tactics that turn a snack or drink into a social moment. While visibility across both physical spaces, like stores, seasonal displays, restaurant visits and social or digital channels mean they tap into Gen Alpha’s multi-platform nature.”
Gen Alpha kids are brand-literate and live across platforms. Gen Alpha expects slick design, constant novelty and personalization from brands. To reach them, brands should be visible in as many of their physical and digital spaces as possible, by leaning into sensory and collectables that kids can share with friends and family
“Collaborations are also a great way to reach the young consumer. In-person experiences and collaborations with popular influencers cut through far more effectively than just advertising,” Gilmour said.
Lesson to Remember
“While there’s nothing wrong with appealing to all generations. Campaigns that are more centered around one demographic may yield better, if more concentrated results,” Gilmour said.
Appealing to Gen Alpha, for example, is an investment in long-term brand building, she explained. When a brand becomes part of a child’s rituals, whether it be the snack they trade at school, the drink they ask for on weekends or the collectible they hunt down, it moves from a momentary purchase to a core childhood memory.
“Kids who grow up with a brand are far more likely to carry that preference into adolescence and adulthood, and to choose it for their own families later on,” Gilmour said.
Food for Thought Leadership
Is the future of flavor increasingly borderless? Valda Coryat, vice president of marketing for condiments and sauces at McCormick, reveals how curiosity powers McCormick’s flavor foresight, why segmentation by “flavor personality” matters, and how flavors are becoming more culturally driven.
