Cured-meat company Olli Salumeria’s rebranded logo and packaging is raising awareness of preservatives as the brand taps into two mega trends — protein and easy-to-eat foods.
To understand how compelling preservative-free claims are for salami, Olli Salumeria CEO Tim Goldsmid commissioned surveys to understand the market.
“I wanted to understand how compelling preservative-free is because it seems that is why people do not buy salami,” said Goldsmid. “When we got the data back, it was like, ‘Wow, it is actually the No. 1 barrier to eating salami that is not addressed today.’”
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Consumers are raising concerns about food preservatives, following research showing their potential to impact gut health. University of Chicago research showed that a popular food preservative nisin could damage good bacteria in the gut.
Additionally, consumers increasingly view products with fewer ingredients as being healthier. A quarter of 3,000 consumers surveyed said that foods with limited or no preservatives or artificial flavors are healthy, according to the International Food Information Council’s 2024 Food & Health survey.
Rebranding to call attention to preservative-free claim
Olli is simplifying the claims on its packaging and adding a “proudly preservative-free” banner in the center of the packaging, explained Goldsmid. Additionally, the company combined its name and brand logo into a single image, he added.
Olli’s salamis use a “simplified salt cure in combination with naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds” to preserve the meats, instead of relying on nitrates or nitrites during the curing process, the company previously stated.
The new branding is rolling out nationwide among Olli’s core retailers, including Albertsons, Safeway, Publix and Kroger stores. The new branding is featured at the company’s Natural Products Expo West booth #N2348.
Meeting the demand for convenience and protein
As it rolls out the new packaging, Olli is capitalizing on two “megatrends coming together,” the demand for protein and snacking experiences like charcuterie, Goldsmid said.
Most consumers (85%) said they want to increase their protein intake, and 24% said they do not consume enough of the macro nutrient currently, according to a Chobani study of 1,000 US consumers.
People should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or between 10-35% of calories, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“We will keep riding the protein wave. And then charcuterie, I do not believe it is a fad at this point. It is more of how people are eating with appetizers or holidays, and it is part of the everyday experience,” he elaborated.
