Talking Points: Report from CAGNY: Less is More

Many of the leading food and beverage companies in the U.S. presented at the annual CAGNY (Consumer Analyst Group of New York) conference in Boca Raton, FL in February. According to the organizers, the conference was the largest on record with over 700 attendees (mainly shareholders and buy-side analysts of institutional investors such as pension, mutual and insurance funds). Despite the high turnout—in part a reflection of the growing interest in all things food right now—the proceedings were a little uneventful.

There was certainly no ‘aha’ moment like last year when companies collectively woke up and publicly recognized that their iconic brands are increasingly out of favor with consumers whose preferences and priorities have evolved. But despite the lack of high drama, here are our four biggest takeaways, mainly on the theme of simplification.