The Rise of the Bubbles When the convenience store a convenient two-block walk from my house opens a refrigerator slot for that old stalwart LaCroix, then we’ll know that flavored sparkling waters have graduated from trend to fixture. Until then, it’s fair to say that we’re in growing trend territory. Consider, briefly, the quick rise… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
A recent essay in the food magazine Lucky Peach points to one of the reasons that food marketing can be uniquely challenging: the hurdle of our deep-seated human tendency to give the word “food” a very specific definition, which we then endow with incredible emotional meaning. That’s a little abstract, so if you’ll excuse me… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
New technology has enabled food companies to create aggressive and successful customer loyalty programs, from the grocery programs we’re all familiar with to the new Starbucks mobile app, which facilitates brand loyalty through convenience. The value of loyalty to food companies is obvious: loyal customers equal consistent sales. A recent post by eminent coffee roaster… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
With Christmas just a few days away, we’re thinking about gifts. As the new year approaches, we’re thinking about what’s in store for 2015. As marketers, we’re thinking about lists. So we figured that since we’re doing all this thinking about gifts and other good things, we’d share our lists of 2015 food marketing trends… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Here at MarketPlace, we often beat the drum in favor of greater transparency on the part of food companies. New York chef and restaurateur Frank Prisinzano is taking the principle as far as about anyone we’ve seen by posting critical reviews of his own restaurants to Instagram. Prisinzano’s reviews are relatively mild, but they do… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Much like healthy foods for humans, healthy pet foods are booming. As increasing numbers of people view their pets as members of the family, they understandably seek out foods meant to support their health rather than simply buying the cheapest or most convenient food. Popular health features range from the generic “natural” to the inclusion… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
At MarketPlace, we pride ourselves on being not only a branding and business development firm but also experts in our chosen industries, including food + beverage. Most of the time, we put that expertise to work serving companies within our industries, helping them sell food products, ingredients, or sometimes appliances. Recently, however, we met with… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
A clean label: the aspiration of the formulator, the obsession of the food executive, the love of the marketing department. Consumer advocates and shifting tastes have pushed the industry toward ingredient statements that are simpler, shorter, and more comprehensible to ordinary consumers—in short, “cleaner.” In response, ingredient companies market their offerings as promoting a clean… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
With the support of the Obama White House, the FDA has proposed changes to the nutritional panel on food labels. The update will be the first to nutrition labeling since such labels were first required more than 20 years ago. The change comes as one of many new regulations designed to give consumers more education… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
It’s always fascinating to see the trajectory of beer styles coming to prominence in America. One emerging style (not yet officially recognized in the BJCP style guide) that I’m eager to track and that I think is going to make a huge splash in the US market in 2015 is the India Pale Lager (IPL).… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Cast your eye down the pet food aisle at your local grocery store, or wander through the relevent section of a nearby pet store, and two label claims will stand out: “natural” and “super premium.” Pet foods from all brands—and at all price points—will lay claim to those designations, and since neither of those claims… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
I confess: I’m obsessed with tomatoes, particularly in the late summer and fall. Much of my summer has been dedicated to conducting a sustained defensive action against the local squirrels to preserve my plants—a war which, I am happy to report, I am currently winning. I come by this obsession honestly, as the third generation… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
It’s widely recognized that consumers are seeking more “green” options, from organic produce to low-footprint proteins. Retailers are stocking more of these products, making the sector one of the fastest-growing areas of the food business for farmers, distributors, and retailers alike. It’s a good time to be selling anything perceived to be green, and companies… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
As a category, functional foods is among the biggest trends in the food industry, as consumers seek products with added nutrition and food companies attempt to differentiate their offerings. For marketers, these products pose a challenge: talking about benefits which are often couched in confusing (or outright offputting) scientific jargon. Although many nutritional terms have… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
I have become spam. My family and friends think I was hacked because I sent them an email saying “I lost 10 pounds in just one week!” But I actually did lose ten pounds in a week . . . and here’s how you can, too! I’ve been gluten-free for almost four years. I’m sensitive… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>