How can food businesses influence the buying decisions of consumers who mistrust the industry and turn to peers and personal networks for food ideas and advice?

In advance of an upcoming conference, I was asked to provide a 200 word response to the following question:

​How can food businesses influence the buying decisions of consumers who mistrust the industry and turn to peers and personal networks for food ideas and advice? 

My original answer was about 50% longer than permitted so I trimmed it to fit the conference limit.  I felt like sharing my original though, below.  I welcome feedback and especially additional ideas....

Our collective consciousness is migrating towards more mindful, purposeful, connected living.  By necessity, living this mindset and lifestyle translates to engaging with companies aligned with these values and abandoning ones that don't: good companies, not just good products.  A business's path to this engagement starts with radical transparency and operating with a social mission, protected by a legal framework to support a sustainable business model.

Before a company can make these changes, its leaders and employees must accept, fully internalize, and embrace this path.  With its people aligned, a legal framework must be established to permit the business to consider not just shareholders but as well to make conscious & sensitive choices for its non-financial stakeholders (environment, community, employees, suppliers).  Converting to and adopting the B Corp legal standards bakes the values of the company into its legal DNA.

Strategies, decisions, and campaigns must be authentic and fit this social mission, not a pretend version because it's on trend. Deploy brand ambassadors at colleges, social gathering places, and events to interact personally with consumers.  Tell your story sincerely and how you would want to be communicated with.

Embrace animal welfare, organic and biodynamic farming principles, farmers as people not businesses, lobbying in support of policy that align with these values, and work with school systems and government to improve our children's school lunches, for they are our kids and will be your consumers one day.  

Be bold, take a stand, release the past,  and embrace current demands and drivers.  Believe in and act with a purpose connected to humanity as the end rather than financial gain or status.  Do not view a business-shopper relationship as one to control and dominate.  Ask "how can I serve" and respond willingly.  Accept responsibility and permit yourself to adapt to what your consumers want, not what you want. Be fully transparent and vulnerable as we would in a meaningful and successful personal relationship.

"Influence" is an ego-driven craving.  "Trust" is a natural outcome of being vulnerable, humble, and genuine.  Successful and fulfilling relationships are built on a foundation of trust.  If a business and its consumers are in a relationship, it seems to me like the same fundamentals would apply...