CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – While much has been made of the buying power of Millennials across all industries, including convenience retail, companies would be remiss to overlook the impact of other, less-favored, groups. A new study from consumer research firm, the Hartman Group, points to a customer demographic that has traditionally been overlooked: new parents.

According to Hartman Group, as reported by QSR Magazine, new moms and dads have the potential to be an extremely loyal client base, particularly compared to Generations Y and Z – and particularly when it comes to foodservice.

“They’re kind of an intensified version of everybody else in that they’re looking for better, higher quality food that’s affordable and tastes good,” Helen Lundell, an ethnographic analyst for Hartman Group, said as reported by QSR. “They’re going to be more engaged and thoughtful about those things than a lot of other demographics because there’s so much change in their lives. They’re being forced to reevaluate.”

Not only are new parents more purposeful in making healthy food choices, they are also looking at food from a more logistical angle than many other consumers, as they address the constantly changing dynamics of new parenthood.  However, according to Lundell, retailers often seem reluctant to market or even accommodate new parents. (Think about mega-celebrity Ashton Kutcher’s recent campaign for infant changing tables in more men’s restrooms.)

According to Hartman Group, foodservice establishments of all sizes can make small changes that could have a big pay-off in customer loyalty: “In a fast food setting, clearly there are some logistical challenges,” Lundell told the news source. Besides speedy throughput, quick serves can make wait times less stressful with entertainment items. “Think about what’s going to make life easier for people.”