Lauren MacGregor, Associate
The COVID-19 pandemic has touched nearly every aspect of our lives, with eating habits being no exception. Research indicates that many new consumption habits—such as seeking healthy alternatives and transparent business practices—are here to stay.
For example, instead of reaching for highly processed, sugar-loaded snacks, consumers are looking for convenient options to complement a healthy, well-balanced diet. This growing interest in health and wellness has consumers eager to adopt new eating habits, whether it be natural, organic, sustainably sourced, plant-based, or somewhere in between. Brands have become acutely aware of the shift—in 2020 alone, food and beverage products with self-care messaging saw a 12% increase in sales.
We saw this coming. With consumer focus on nutrition, brands have created new product options to satisfy the change in demand. If the company hasn’t capitalized on product development, they’ve likely invested in healthy food labels to increase brand marketability and maintain relevance in the space. For instance, General Mills has invested in brands such as Purely Elizabeth and Kite Hill. Kraft Heinz acquired Primal Kitchen and launched Springboard, their accelerator program for small natural brands. These are two examples of endeavors to shift toward the growing health-and-wellness category.
We understand that health is at the forefront of food and beverage, but as the market becomes increasingly saturated, what are the best practices to market your product? How will you stand out to consumers? We’re sharing our top tips and tricks on how to best market your food and beverage brand in today’s food and beverage climate.
- Understand your market. What differentiates your product? Who is willing to purchase your product? Spend the time researching your demographics and really understanding your target market. Create a strategy around your potential buyer and always keep consumer personas in mind.
- Storytelling. Tell a compelling brand-driven story. Nothing keeps one engaged like tapping into emotion. Check out sparkling water brand Recess who built its brand off a feeling.
- Generate brand awareness. Harness the power of the changing converged media landscape by leveraging paid, owned, and earned media. We believe this is the key to generate consistent brand awareness.
- Utilize experiential marketing. Participate in or sponsor local events. Form local partnerships. Host an online event. Create moments that encourage interaction and leave consumers wanting to share the experience with others. The launch of Golden Oreo is a notable example.
- Attend trade shows. Great for networking and face-to-face product marketing, trade shows and expos allow the potential for lead generation and often result in direct sales.
To learn more about our CPG team, contact us today.