Brand Management

Investing in the Future of Food

Investing in the Future of Food: How to leverage farmers markets, foodservice to build a brand

03-Oct-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Entrepreneurs launching products that are unfamiliar to consumers or vastly different than previously available versions offered by competitors may struggle to gain initial trial – but partnering with chefs and distributing through foodservice can be...

eBev 2017

Perrier appeals to experience-seeking consumers with interactive branding: Kinetic Worldwide

28-Nov-2017 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The majority of millennials (72%) seek experiences over material objects: motivating beverage brands like Perrier to test out-of-home, multi-sensory marketing to effectively target a mobile generation of consumers, says CEO of Kinetic Worldwide North...

PUR Company breaks away from gum into snacking arena with popcorn launch

02-Oct-2017 By Kacey Culliney

The PUR Company – bests known for gum and mints – has exploded into popcorn in a ‘surprise’ venture towards better-for-you snacking, its CEO says.

Banza co-founder on staying focused, raising capital, saying no, and ‘shiny object syndrome’

28-Aug-2017 By Elaine Watson

When you start out, it’s tempting to say yes to everything, observes Banza co-founder Brian Rudolph (who admits ‘shiny object syndrome’ can also kick in once your brand gains traction and you start wondering where it could extend). But one of the reasons...

Brands risk becoming ‘invisible’ in the grocerant boom, warns supermarket guru

18-Jul-2017 By Kacey CULLINEY

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands have a tough road ahead with the boom in grocerants, but they can survive with some clever collaboration and product re-thinks, says 'supermarket guru' Phil Lempert.

Kind explores minority stake sale: What does it mean for a company its size?

14-Jul-2017 By Adi Menayang

Snack bar company Kind has hired investment banks to advise on the sale of a minority stake, Reuters reported last week, citing people familiar with the matter but who wished to remain anonymous.

Whole30 certification helps brands boost exposure, sales and shelf space

22-Jun-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Certifying a product as approved by the popular Whole30 diet is a “pretty intensive” process, according to the diet’s co-creator, but for the few and proud that make the cut, the licensing deal can provide exposure to a fiercely loyal consumer base, boost...

Ben Weiss leaves Bai Brands; Lain Hancock to take over: 'This is the culmination of an amazing journey'

22-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

Bai Brands founder Ben Weiss has left the company he created in his basement in Princeton, New Jersey in 2009, five months after selling it to Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) in a $1.7bn deal. He will be replaced as CEO by Lain Hancock, with immediate effect.

Millennials are ‘the most health-conscious generation ever,’ says report by The Halo Group

27-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

From certification seals to romance text to website blog posts, many packaged food and beverage brands put a lot of thought (and resources) into creating convincing nutrition-related arguments to persuade buyers. But among Millennials, only 26% of them...

Protein bar brand PowerBar jumps on plant-protein bandwagon

23-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

Iconic energy bar brand PowerBar launched a new line of plant-derived protein bars, debuting at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA, earlier this month.

Bai Brands & KeVita snapped up as Dr Pepper & PepsiCo expand low-cal, functional beverage platforms

22-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

As widely rumored, two major players in the functional beverages space are to change hands, with PepsiCo to acquire KeVita for an undisclosed sum and Dr Pepper Snapple Group to acquire Bai Brands – in which it already has a small stake – for $1.7bn. And...

The big guns fight back: Five legacy brands that have turned things around

01-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

Many ‘legacy’ food brands are being outpaced by their smaller, hipper, counterparts. But should brand managers admit defeat and embark on a strategy of managed decline, or can they turn things around? Here are five brands that have defied expectations...

Sonoma Brands hires PepsiCo exec to drive ZÜPA NOMA, build drinkable soup category

Initial response to drinkable soup ZÜPA NOMA is ‘off the charts,’ says Sonoma Brands

05-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

Drinkable soup ZÜPA NOMA has been flying off shelves in the west coast, according to owner Sonoma Brands, which has just recruited ex-PepsiCo exec Jennifer Berliner as director of marketing for the new brand.

Post Foods tests Snapchat marketing with Honey Bunches of Oats campaign

02-Sep-2016 By Adi Menayang

With Snapchat ads, a personalized ad generator, and the tagline “THIS. IS. EVERYTHING.,” Post Foods LLC believes it has the tools to target younger Millennials with surgical precision.

BeyondBrands: 'The future of the natural products industry is about conscious products. Natural is almost so yesterday it’s embarrassing...'

17-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

While the word ‘natural’ still appears on the label of 11% of new food and beverage introductions in the US according to Mintel data, brands that are part of the so-called natural foods industry need to embrace a new form of conscious capitalism if they...

There’s opportunity in the dried staples category, says Dunya Harvest founder

07-Jul-2016 By Adi Menayang

Ontario-based Shah Trading Company has served the South Asian diaspora community in North America for 40 plus years. With its new sub-brand, it hopes to serve a wider audience with packaged organic grains and pulses.

US launch for Nestlé Turkish premium chocolate bar brand Damak

25-Feb-2016 By Vince Bamford

Nestlé is bringing Turkish premium chocolate brand Damak to the US market.

Decline in MOM Brand sales impacts Post Q1 ready-to-eat cereal performance

05-Feb-2016 By Vince Bamford

Overall sales of Post ready-to-eat cereals were impacted by a decline in the performance of the MOM brands acquired last year, the company has reported in its results for Q1 2016.

McCormick predicts strong growth in 2016 thanks partly to new products

01-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

For flavor giant McCormick & Co. Inc., 2016 promises strong growth driven by innovative product launches, consumer inspired reformulations, a brand building campaign and potential acquisitions, according to company executives.

Snack company Wonderfully Raw trades equity for growth tools from accelerator Fresca Foods

02-Nov-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ready to leap from start-up to category leader, better-for-you snack company Wonderfully Raw Gourmet Delights exchanged a slice of its equity for accelerator Fresca Food’s help expanding production, distribution and marketing.

What will ditching artificial ingredients really do for big CPG brands?

06-Oct-2015 By Elaine Watson

While ditching ‘artificial’ ingredients may not transform the fortunes of flagging legacy brands, consumer survey data from Instantly suggests it may give consumers a warmer and fuzzier feeling about them, and convey the impression (deservedly or otherwise)...

Maker of GoodBelly shares 6 tips for successfully growing a brand

01-May-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

The vast majority of food and beverage launches fail to survive beyond the initial “experimental phase” in part because they expand their distribution too quickly, warns Alan Murray, the CEO of Next Foods.

What are the top 10 challenger brands in US food retail?

17-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

It’s no secret that smaller, emerging brands are winning the battle for consumers’ hearts, minds and wallets from larger, established players in the US food and beverage industry, but which ‘challenger’ brands really stand out in the crowd? And what are...

BEN WEISS PREDICTS 'BIG YEAR FOR BAI' IN 2015

Bai Brands CEO: ‘Sales will hit $50m in 2014, but there were ‘unsexy’ years’

14-Nov-2014 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Bai Brands CEO Ben Weiss says the Dr Pepper allied brand will hit $50m in sales this year and puts this down to a focus on ‘distribution at the expense of brand equity’ during the early ‘basement’ years.

EBEV 2014, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 1-3

‘Instagram trumps Facebook for brand engagement’ – Lipton North America exec suggests

31-Oct-2014 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Jaime Crespo, senior brand manager, Lipton North America, says research suggests consumers are 59 times more likely to engage with brands on Instagram than Facebook, while millennials measure wealth more by experiences.

INDUSTRY VOX POP: Do natural claims still resonate with consumers? Mamma Chia, Runa, Saffron Road, Cargill et al weigh in

18-Sep-2014 By Elaine Watson

Are consumers weary of 'all-natural' claims? And if so, what other cues do they look for on pack to see if a brand fits in with their values? We quizzed the bosses of some innovative food brands, ingredients suppliers and branding experts to...

The BevNET Food & Beverage University heads to LA on Sept 11

Calling all food & beverage entrepreneurs!

20-Aug-2014 By Elaine Watson

Want to avoid rookie mistakes when you take your new food or beverage brand to market? Or perhaps you’ve been in business a couple of years and are looking to take your brand in a new direction, secure new financing or utilize new sales and marketing...

Guest Article

The dollar value of corporate brands

15-Sep-2006

Branding specialists CoreBrand have shown that the corporate brand
of food and beverage companies is a key asset to boost sales. Chief
executive officer James Gregory tells FoodNavigator-USA.com why.