Here are 9 reasons that food branding should take a bit longer than you’d planned.
Market research
Knowing your customer when planning to bring a new food product to market is paramount. You need to know who they are, what matters to them, what they’re currently purchasing and how they go about making buying decisions. As an extension of this, you’ll also need to know what’s happening in the field that you’ll be going into.
All of this information can be gathered through market research, but it takes time. Don’t be tempted to rush this step, as mistakes made here could cost you dearly in the long run.
Developing a brand strategy
Your brand strategy should be an outline for developing your brand alongside your existing business plan. It’s all about exploring your purpose, vision, mission, and values – and that can take time. Part of developing your brand strategy is taking your dreams for your new product and clawing them back down to Earth, seeing how you can make it all work within the parameters of your company.
Fine-tuning your packaging design
Your packaging needs to look great and keep your product safe, but that’s not all. The UK has strict regulations for product labelling and all food packaging must include:
- the name of the food
- a ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date
- any necessary warnings
- net quantity information
- a list of ingredients (if there is more than one)
- the country or place of origin, if required
- the lot number or use-by date
- any special storage conditions
- instructions for use or cooking, if necessary
Failure to get the packaging compliant could lead to legal action.
Building a strong social media presence
Social media is a cost-effective way to build the profile of your new food brand, but it can take time to build a strong following. Take time to create worthwhile content and don’t be tempted to ‘buy followers’ – the algorithm will soon figure out what you’re doing.
Responding to customer feedback
Your customers will play a huge part in your food branding journey. It’s crucial to embrace their feedback as it could reveal some insights that you and your team have missed. This can mean making some unexpected changes and can delay the process.
Building your brand awareness
If you’re a new company launching a new product, you’re facing twice as much of a challenge. You haven’t already established a rapport with your customers that will make them open to trying your latest invention.
Delays with external partners
No matter how hard you and your team are working, you cannot account for delays with your suppliers and partners. If your branding agency lets you down or an ingredient supplier goes bust, these events will impact your food branding journey.
Funding your project
The purse strings are often very tight at the beginning of a food branding project. You might have to pause your efforts to raise extra capital to fund your launch.
Any other unexpected challenges
The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and this list of potential delays is by no means exhaustive. Food branding is definitely a journey, and there’s plenty of things that can slow you down along the way.
