The prediction, in brief:

Information on specialty producers will also reach consumers directly … specialty producers who stand to gain the most from Internet exposure cannot afford big advertising campaigns or deal in highly perishable products that can’t be sold through conventional channels of mass distribution such as supermarket chains. The Internet exposure can come about through informal news group conversations among food lovers or Web sites.

Predictor: Granoff, Peter

Prediction, in context:

In a 1995 article in the San Francisco Examiner, reporter Zillah Bahar writes about pursuing culinary interests on the Internet. She interviews food professional Peter Granoff, writing:”Information on specialty producers will also reach consumers directly, predicts Peter Granoff, co-founder of the on-line mail-order wine catalog “Virtual Vinyards.” Granoff notes that specialty producers who stand to gain the most from Internet exposure cannot afford big advertising campaigns or deal in highly perishable products that can’t be sold through conventional channels of mass distribution such as supermarket chains. The Internet exposure can come about through informal news group conversations among food lovers or Web sites such as Virtual Vinyards, which also markets gourmet food products. Consumers will also learn about lesser-known wineries in this manner, but due to a patchwork of local government regulations pertaining to alcoholic beverages, ‘it’s much farther out’ into the future, says Granoff.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: General

Name of publication: San Francisco Examiner

Title, headline, chapter name: The Future of Food in Cyberspace

Quote Type: Paraphrase

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Epicure Page Z-6

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney