XpandAsia’s Post

Morning PSA: If you're as obsessed with CPG as I am, you'll want to hear about my latest discovery at Whole Foods! I am a bit of a weirdo, as I LOVE grocery shopping. I love exploring all the brands and seeing the branding and reading the labels. I am always on the look out for new and exciting brands to try. Today I'm talking about my recent find - Pop & Bottle I am sipping on their Classic Cold Brew Oat Milk Latte + Coffee Berry. Why did this product jump out to me? The packaging is where it all begins—sleek, sophisticated, and definitely shelf-eye-catching. The colors and matte wrapping are obviously visually stunning but it also has an elevated and premium look and feel. Which makes the price point or $3 on sale and typically $4 a can seem more reasonable for a coffee RTD. The design features like the continuous black line that leads up to the lip add a striking touch, making each can look like a part of a curated collection. The name Pop & Bottle makes me feel like we should be at the club popping bottles which for a coffee brand could be a bit of a contrast in emotions. Especially for a brand that feels very high end or sophisticated. I love the copy on the can and the information that they are sharing. It all begins with the flavor. Classic Cold Brew Oat Milk Latte + Coffee Berry. So I am expecting a classic latte flavor profile with some mild sweetness from the coffee berries - which is perfectly represented when drinking this product. Additionally, they highlight attributes such as "dairy free" and "no refined sugar" These design and copy features are consistent across all SKUs which makes navigating their options very easy. Each packaging variation also cleverly indicates its unique selling point at the end, making it simple for consumers to understand what's special about each option. Pop & Bottle might just be your next favorite find if you value both aesthetics and ingredient integrity. Have you tried it yet? What are your thoughts? Any other brands that have been standing out to you recently?

Opply goes shopping… This week Manuel Fanizzi and I took a trip to Selfridges , Holland & Barrett and Whole Foods Market As we help so many brands source ingredients and reduce their COGS to be viable to land supermarket listings, we like to keep on top of who’s being stocked and which trends supermarket buyers are leaning into. HERE’S OUR TAKE Functional F&B Brands: - Supermarket buyers, particularly Selfridges and H&B are leaning heavily towards stocking functional F&B brands  - There is a dominance within this for healthy alternatives eg matcha over coffee, or products that contain actively beneficial properties (particularly focused around the gut and cognitive function)  - Selfridges has an entire area of it’s foodcourt now dedicated to functional F&B Packaging: - Packaging has become so important to buyers - With a focus on prioritising challenger brands over industry titans, it has become more and more important to stand out against your other challengers - Clear bold packaging with an obvious message on what the product delivers is key. We heard this feedback heavily while listening to key supermarket buyers Adrian Boswell Bosell (Selfridges), Stefano Cuomo (Macknade), Kelly Molloy (Whole Foods) speak at the Bread & Jam Startup Summit yesterday In-store product placement : - Getting a retailer listing is great, but the work starts there - It is super important to make sure your brand has been stocked in the right area of the store where it is visible to the majority of customers looking to purchase an item in that category  - We saw big industry players like PerfectTed and TENZING Natural Energy | B Corp™ stocked in a far less visible area and fridge than other challenger drinks brands. HERE’S WHAT WE BOUGHT Opply has always had always had a strong relationship with challenger drinks brands and functional ingredient based brands so we love to see which new players we can work with. Here’s a few we bought and love: Zooki  Aphina Apothecary Beverage Company, INC. JERMS XITE ENERGY The Captain (Vintage Kombi Van Serving Drinks) No.1 Living Luscombe Drinks Dot Dot Rise up Zinger Nexba  Beet It Sport FUL Foods Something & Nothing | B Corp™ R-chi iced tea Live Luxwells ShoZu  Santé Water Kefir Peak Foods JARR Kombucha

Great comments from Morgan Holt on the strategy that's fuelling the A-List hotspot Erewhon in ELLE Magazine today. ‘Luring an affluent clientele with trendy and expensive groceries means that brands will fight to be seen on the shelves. And they should,’ he says. Read more insights from Saffron Brand Consultants Chief Strategy Officer at the link below. #erewhon #retailstrategy #creativity #brandstrategy #ellemagazine

Non-alcoholic beverages are more popular than ever. But in such a crowded space, how do you stand out? Enter Ghia. Founded by Melanie Masarin, a former Glossier executive, Ghia launched in mid-2020 and has grown an astounding 77% over the past year. How did they achieve such impressive growth? Let’s break it down. 1. Visionary Leadership: Melanie brought her experience from Glossier to Ghia, infusing the brand with a keen sense of aesthetics and a commitment to quality. Her vision was clear: to create a chic, non-alcoholic apéritif that would appeal to a broad audience. 2. Commitment to Quality: Ghia uses only natural extracts and juices, avoiding artificial flavors and ensuring a premium product. The reformulation process was meticulous, focusing on enhancing flavor stability and clarity without compromising on taste. 3. Strategic Branding: Ghia's ultra-chic branding, designed by Willo Perron and Brian Roettinger, created an Instagram-friendly product that consumers couldn’t resist. The stylish, ribbed bottle design and evocative "Clear Eyed & High Minded" tagline helped Ghia stand out on shelves and social media alike. 4. Customer-Centric Approach: By leveraging customer feedback, Ghia continually refined its products to meet consumer needs. This approach not only improved the product but also built a loyal community of fans. 5. Inclusivity and Accessibility: Ghia's mission centered around inclusivity, making their drink accessible to everyone, including pregnant women and those in recovery. By lowering the price and increasing servings per bottle, Ghia made their premium product more affordable. 6. Smart Market Positioning: With a strong presence in both online and offline channels, Ghia tapped into the growing sober-curious movement. Their strategic partnerships and placements in high-profile venues and events boosted visibility and credibility. Ghia is not just a beverage; it’s part of a lifestyle that resonates with today’s consumers. By focusing on quality, branding, and customer experience, Ghia has successfully carved out a niche in the competitive beverage market.

Hey, Retail Fam! Ever feel like private labels (𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴)  are stealin' your shine? Walmart's Bettergoods launch got everyone sweatin'! Private label sales are skyrocketing (like, 21%!), and half of us are buying more store brands. (PLMA - Private Label Manufacturers Association, 2023). 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝. ☠️ But here's the plot twist: Small and medium brands can be way more nimble than those corporate giants. We can cater to niche markets, like those obsessed with kombucha or locally-sourced sriracha. Imagine a private label replicating a craft beer explosion - impossible, right? Plus, we can build real connections with our customers - see stories created by OLIPOP PBC, IWON Organics, Liquid Death, Adirondack Creamery, @Humphry Slocombe and so many more! 70% of customers are down to pay more for brands that share your values. Think sustainable practices, ethical sourcing, and maybe even a killer Instagram story. ♻️ So, the question is, can small and medium brands leverage their agility and storytelling to carve out a space next to private label giants? The future of retail is lookin' like a collab, not a competition. Let's see who gets more creative!

Do you have a plan for driving RoS in retail? In the current retail environment, Rate of Sale can’t be left to chance or fully in the hands of the retailers. You need to take control – and Rebel Kitchen is a great example of why. In June, Rebel Kitchen landed a major listing in Co-op for their Organic Coconut Water. The juice category is experiencing a real shake up right now - and challenger brands like Rebel Kitchen, part of Nurture Brands, are primed and ready to take advantage of it. And now, Rebel is one of the fastest-growing brands within the total Juice Category. Here’s what’s happening in the category:  📉 Juice as a category is deflating – driven by challenges in supply for orange juice bringing down the whole category. 📈 However coconut water is bucking the trend and growing as a total category.  📉 Innocent is down -77% YOY (having been delisted everywhere aside from ASDA), 📈 But Vita Coco and Rebel are growing – and Rebel is leading category growth at 46% L4W (vs Vita Coco at 1.2% L4W) I spoke to Nurture Brands’ MD Adam Draper to find out why Rebel and coconut water are having such a moment. Here’s what he identified: 🥥 Coconut Water is nature’s functional drink – full of electrolytes, potassium, low calorie, and delicious – tapping into the growing consumer preference for natural yet functional products. 🥥 Rebel offers the UK’s premium coconut water and customers are receptive – growing +46% vs the last 4 weeks, and +33% vs. the last 52 weeks. 🥥 They’re bringing a premium option to the category, helping to fight deflation in the juice category. And importantly, all of Rebel’s growth has been rate of sale driven too, with no new major listings in the last 52 weeks until last month when they landed in Co-op. Their Rate of Sale is strong, at >30 when on promotion, and at a category-accretive ASP£. Congrats to Govinda Kular, Adam Draper and Ben Arbib – I can’t wait to see what’s to come for the brand, and hope other retailers are taking note! Maximising your RoS is a key lever for growth that you need to be in control of. If you need a plan for how, drop me a DM!

The two brands are not exactly cheap by China's mass standards. They serve a very focused purpose and a very targeted category of shoppers, at least middle-class and above. Not forgetting that Sam's is a club. Sam's is Consumer Staples - Food. Anytime you wanna have marinated meat(beef esp), smoked Salmon, nice croissants, and in bulk, Sam's is actually value-for- money. Beef at RMB200, salmon likewise. Croissants in 15 a pack could be $30-40 yuan. Check out a link for other products here https://lnkd.in/gMWsBYZm Lulu, a Discretionary, can't find the the next closest local substitute for utility and style. It may well become a status symbol. Status. https://lnkd.in/gdhVB3C4

#learning and #sharing with the #icecream industry: from #china. If you are building brand equity in the ice cream industry today, here is an impactful example filled with "what-not-to-do's". https://lnkd.in/eCWjHgqw #icecream #food #foodandbeverageindustry #foodinnovation #frozenfood #dessert #desserts #treats #sweets #dairyproducts #businessstrategy #international #pricingstrategy #marketingstrategy #cpgbrands #cpgindustry #businessstrategy

Are you confident in understanding what your customers truly want? Quid's Unified Context challenged the assumptions of one of their beverage retailer brands, revealing a valuable lesson in customer preferences. The brand intended to alter their kombucha flavor based on the belief that customers favored a sweeter taste. However, Quid's analysis uncovered that existing customers valued the unique, slightly bitter flavor for its perceived health benefits. The impact was significant: the brand avoided alienating its core audience and pivoted to explore new strategies to attract customers seeking a sweeter alternative. If you're passionate about: - Approaching problem-solving with a customer-centric mindset - Anticipating future trends to maintain a competitive edge - Leveraging data-driven insights for tangible outcomes Discover more in this insightful Forbes article on how Quid's "supercharged customer context" can empower your business to thrive in this Forbes article: https://lnkd.in/eNkR3Xwf