Food brands understand the problem: Gen Z loyalty doesn’t work the way it used to.

New data from our PION100 Food & Drink Report shows that food and drink is Gen Z’s most loved category, yet nearly half actively seek discounts before every purchase, and 74% describe themselves as careful budgeters. Loyalty is high, but conditional.

This leads to an unavoidable question:

What are food brands actually doing about it?

In this live session, Richard Jackson hosts a practical discussion with a global food brand and a panel of U.S. students to explore how loyalty strategies are being redesigned in real time - where brands are adapting successfully, where they’re struggling, and the trade-offs they’re making between value, data, and emotional connection.