[Re-sent] Weekly Update - 1/17/22

Happy Monday! For the new year I'm testing out some new formats for our weekly

Foodbevy

e-mails. My goal is to provide super value-add content in your inbox each Monday as a great way to start the week. Let me know what you think after reading this e-mail, I seriously read and respond to every reply.

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Now let's dive into today's topic,

What impact does your brand make on the world?

Successful branding enables your company to distinguish and precisely what you offer to consumers and how you do it. 

Here are 3 tips to help your brand stand out.

First, you should have a strong point of view on why your company exists in the world, what you hope to achieve, and how you’re going to do it. BTR Nation is on a mission to help people be Bold, Tenacious, and Resilient. They support people on this journey through great-tasting and healthy snacks.

Second, your company should build community in alignment with other communities in the world. Burlap & Barrel is a single-origin spice company that built a community of at-home cooks who love to discover and try new recipes. They tapped into a deeper community of cooking, which goes beyond spices.

Third, your brand should be recognizable and identifiable. Your colors, logos, font, tone of voice should all align with your brand. Read any content from Mid-Day Squares, take out their logo, and you’ll still know who said it. They have one of the strongest voices in the game.

B.T.R. Bar >>>>>>> B.T.R Nation

Your product is not your brand.

The most common “branding mistake” food and beverage companies make is creating their entire brand around their first product. Launching a company is so daunting that it’s hard to focus on anything beyond.

You see companies all the time creating names like “The Keto Granola Company” or even my company, “TeaSquares”. The problem is that your brand becomes so tied to the first product that it’s difficult to pivot or expand beyond.

Your brand represents your beliefs and values, how you show up in the world, and the impact that you hope to achieve. It should be tied to your initial products, but have a life of its own.

But discovering your brand purpose can be challenging, and you may not always know at the start.

Ashley Nickelson of B.T.R. recently rebranded from “B.T.R Bar” to “B.T.R. Nation” to anchor the company in its core community while positioning for growth.

Ashley launched the company in honor of her parents who passed away from cancer. Over the course of the past year she has tapped into a growing community of people focused on living their best lives, and created a “Nation” of followers. I really love the rebrand because it speaks to a much larger purpose which now gives her a larger purpose to inspire people with.Of course, Ashley is front and center with the brand, posting TikTok and Reels transparently sharing her journey, successes, and failures. Take some time to reflect on your brand. Is it showing up in the world how you want it to? What can you change?

FREE FOODSERVICE CONSULTING SESSION

Are you interested in getting into or growing your Foodservice channel?

Our friends at Rooted Food Sales are giving away one free consultation and education about Foodservice related to your brand. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to pitch them for a client slot. They are one of the top experts in this space, so this can be very valuable for your company.

Apply here for free.

HOW TO SCALE A PRODUCT VIDEO SERIES

I wanted to share with you a video series that Mitchel from

Haven Creative

created with Patrick Linstrom, the owner of the co-packing company, Waco Bottling.

It teaches people how to take their food or beverage idea, see if it's shelf stable, create a batching sheet, work with a lab to formate it for scale, and how to work with co-packer to produce it for mass.  

LET'S CONTINUE THIS ON SLACK.

Do you wish you could have more conversations like this? Foodbevy has a new Slack channel for Food and Beverage founders to share their experiences, ask questions, and get the help you need to thrive. Want in? Just reply to this e-mail and I'll send you an invite to join.

Jordan Buckner