The word “foodie” is regrettable at best and annoying at worst, but there’s no denying it’s a powerful way to describe the growing ranks of the edibles-obsessed.  Food safety issues, a desire for unique discovery, the ubiquity of artisanal goods and food TV have converged to build an empire of consumers who care about what they literally consume.

Today, foodies are everywhere, and they’re not who you think they are (read: they’re not necessarily affluent, exotic-leaning or Boomers).  Iconoculture began tracking the democratization of foodieism in March 2010 with a trend we call The Fragmentation of Foodies.  MLC members can check out the broader trend on the Iconoculture microsite at Fragmentation of Foodies. Read More »