As a kid, I quickly learned it was always a good idea to accompany my mother to the store. I could nudge her to purchase my favorite snacks by subtly placing them into our shopping cart; she typically wouldn't notice until we were at checkout where she would begrudgingly purchase them.

Now when I stroll the grocery store aisles I'm more concerned about whether the fruit I'm putting into my smoothie is organic, if the steak I'm bringing to Taco Tuesday is grass-fed, and the coffee I'm drinking every morning is fair-trade certified. Like many of the Millennial generation, I want to support brands whose business practices consistently have a positive impact on the environment, their employees, and the regions from which they source their materials.
My preferences aren't unique; rather, they're a reflection of a wider societal trend.