Marketing & Media

new food hub

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Why Brand Equity Is the Secret Weapon for Plant-Based Brands

Strong brand equity can make all the difference when the market is saturated with products. More than just a buzzword, brand equity represents the value your brand holds in the minds of consumers, influencing everything from loyalty and pricing power to market resilience. But how can plant-based brands cultivate strong brand equity, and why does it matter financially? The value of brand equity Big corporations like Coca-Cola have long recognised the financial power of brand equity, with the brand alone valued at over USD 106 billion. While plant-based brands may not yet have reached such high numbers, the same principles apply. A strong brand creates loyal customers, allows for premium pricing, and provides a buffer against market competition. Key benefits for plant-based brands Measuring brand …

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Humane World for Animals

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Humane Society Rebrands as Humane World for Animals, Launches Global Campaign Featuring Sia

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International have announced a rebranding initiative, consolidating under the name Humane World for Animals. The change, which takes effect immediately, is intended to better reflect the organization’s global presence and broad mission to combat animal cruelty. The organization, founded in 1954, has operated under multiple names, including the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International (which now works in 50 countries), and the Humane Society Legislative Fund. Under the new branding, the latter will now be known as the Humane World Action Fund. The group’s work spans public policy, corporate engagement, direct care, and advocacy against practices such as factory farming, animal testing, trophy hunting, and the fur trade. “Since our founding in …

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Beyond Meat

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Beyond Meat and NBPA Launch Plant-Based Cookbook Ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend

Beyond Meat has partnered with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to introduce Go Beyond the Buzzer: A Plant-Based Cookbook Inspired by NBPA Members. The digital cookbook, set for release on February 12, features plant-based recipes contributed by NBA players, which showcase their preferred meals before and after games. Players such as Cade Cunningham, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan have contributed recipes that incorporate Beyond Meat products, aiming to showcase plant-based eating within professional sports. Examples include Josh Hart’s “Beyond Hart Burrito” made with Beyond Steak, Damian Lillard’s vegan sloppy joe, and Jalen Brunson’s spicy rigatoni. The cookbook will be available for free online, with a limited number of hard copies distributed at select All-Star Weekend events. Beyond Meat at NBA All-Star Weekend Beyond Meat …

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new food hub ProVeg International

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How To Build a Loyal Consumer Base for Your Plant-Based Products

In the competitive world of food and drink, brand loyalty is a superpower, says ProVeg International in their latest New Food Hub article. When it comes to the fast-growing plant-based sector – arguably, securing loyalty from consumers becomes even more important. Yet, achieving it among plant-based and flexitarian consumers requires more than just good products – it demands a mix of emotional connection, consistent quality, and practical incentives. Fully plant-based consumers often exhibit strong preferences but are quick to switch if a brand doesn’t meet their evolving standards for taste, sustainability, or price. On the other hand, flexitarians – those exploring plant-based alongside traditional options – seek convenience and versatility, making them less immediately loyal but no less valuable to win over. Why loyalty matters …

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Daiya crustbuster pop up

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Daiya Hosts 90s-Themed Pop-Up to Promote Dairy-Free Pizza in NYC

Dairy-free cheese leader Daiya organized a 90s-themed pop-up event last Friday in New York City to promote its dairy-free pizza offerings. Dubbed “Crustbuster,” the event took place at SoHo’s Upside Pizza and attracted more than 500 attendees, including food influencers and local comedians. The event was designed to address what the company has termed “FOMOO” — the “fear of missing out on dairy.” According to Daiya, skepticism about taste remains a primary obstacle for consumers considering dairy-free options. To counter this, the company showcased its revamped pizza line made with the Daiya Oat Cream™ Blend, which it claims replicates the taste and texture of traditional dairy-based pizzas. John Kelly, chief marketing officer at Daiya, explained the purpose of the event, stating, “We’ve worked tirelessly to …

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Flora partners with Gordon Ramsay for Skip the Cow campaign

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Flora Partners With Gordon Ramsay to Build on Success of Award-Winning “Skip the Cow” Campaign

Plant-based butter and spread brand Flora has partnered with world-renowned celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay for a new iteration of its award-winning “Skip the Cow” campaign. In a 20-second ad, narrator Ben Ashenden asks whether Flora’s plant-based butter works well in baking. Susan the cow, who featured in a previous Flora campaign, nods her head. “Cow says yes, could seem biased. Let’s ask an expert,” says Ashenden. Then the camera pans to Ramsay, who is sitting on Susan. “Is that a serious question?” says Ramsay. “Just look at this f***ing cake.” “This campaign represents a bold step forward in showcasing the incredible versatility and taste of Flora for cooking and baking,” said Jorn Socquet, chief marketing officer at Flora Food Group. “Gordon’s passion for exceptional food …

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Webtalk Recording: 10 Years Veganuary – Lessons, Leads and Learnings

Curious how Veganuary campaigns are evolving to inspire change on an international scale? Our recent webtalk unpacked key strategies, including the role of retail in accelerating transformation, the importance of fun narratives, and how to engage both vegans and heavy meat-eaters alike. We also explored why more people are sticking to plant-based diets post-Veganuary—and what this means for the future of food. Expert panel Toni Vernelli, International Head of Policy and Communications at Veganuary Denise Schmidt, Brand Activist at The Vegetarian Butcher Nadine Filko, Moderation Watch the replay Explore the discussion in depth by viewing the entire session below. Display “10 Years Veganuary” from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Open “10 …

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Danone Silk cereal liar

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Silk Investigates Dairy Preferences With Polygraph Taste Test in NYC

Silk, one of North America’s leading plant-based beverage brands, is questioning breakfast loyalties with an unconventional campaign aimed at settling a long-standing debate: Is dairy milk truly the best choice for cereal? According to the company, during a recent national taste test, 7 out of 10 dairy drinkers said they preferred Silk Vanilla Almondmilk in their cereal. Now Silk is taking its case directly to skeptics in a high-profile New York City event.  The campaign, dubbed “Cereal Liar,” invites participants who claim to prefer dairy milk to take a lie detector test while sampling both Silk and dairy options with their cereal. The event, set for January 9—two days before National Milk Day—is designed not just to promote Silk’s product but to challenge perceptions about …

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ProVeg new food hub

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How To Reach Non-Vegan Consumers With Your Plant-Based Brand

How do we bridge the gap between traditional meat-eating consumers and the growing world of plant-based alternatives? This question took centre stage in the latest episode of ProVeg International’s New Food Hub Podcast, featuring Vladimir Mickovic, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Juicy Marbles. Known for their innovative, marbled plant-based steaks, Juicy Marbles has a clear vision: to make plant-based meat that not only competes with but surpasses animal-derived counterparts in taste, texture, price, and convenience. Vladimir shared candid insights into the perceptions and misconceptions surrounding plant-based foods. For many meat eaters, plant-based options are seen as ‘overly processed’ or ‘chemically laden’ – an image that Juicy Marbles seeks to challenge. As Vladimir puts it, “The most advanced chemical process in our production is heating …

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Planted

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SevenVentures Backs Planted Foods with Major Media-for-Equity Investment

SevenVentures, the investment arm of German media conglomerate ProSiebenSat.1, has announced a media-for-equity investment in Swiss food tech scale-up Planted Foods GmbH. The deal, valued in the mid-single-digit million range, aims to enhance Planted’s visibility in retail and gastronomy through targeted media campaigns running until 2027. SevenVentures will support Planted’s growth by providing advertising campaigns across ProSiebenSat.1’s TV channels and the streaming platform Joyn. Starting in spring 2025, Planted’s advertisements will be featured prominently on these platforms. The collaboration seeks to increase Planted’s brand awareness in Germany and other German-speaking regions, with a focus on positioning the brand as a leader in plant-based meat alternatives. Florian Hirschberger, CEO of SevenVentures, commented, “We want to use the reach of our digital and broadcasting portfolio to gain …

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Session 8 of the ‘update’ Webtalk Series: 10 Years Veganuary – Lessons, Leads and Learnings

The international business webtalk series ‘update’ discusses the most pressing issues of the ongoing protein transition. Based on the latest news, data, and facts, the future of the industry will be put forward and discussed with key market players in this series of talks. 10 Years Veganuary – Lessons, Leads and Learnings January 16th, 10:30 AM CT (CHICAGO) | 5:30 PM CET (BERLIN) | 4:30 PM GMT (LONDON) >> Register now! Campaigns are a powerful force for shaping mindsets and spreading ideas. While traditional industries often use them to counter transformational movements, progressive companies and organizations come together every year to champion one of the most impactful campaigns for food system change: Veganuary. But here’s the question: Is food system transformation primarily speaking to flexitarians? Campaigns like Veganuary …

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THIS new brand identity

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THIS Reveals New Brand Identity With Updated Packaging

UK plant-based meat brand THIS has unveiled a new brand identity developed in partnership with London-based design agency Kuba & Friends. The updated branding retains the company’s signature logo with a hand holding a fork, making it more consistent on packaging and across all touchpoints. The typeface also remains the same, though the trademark symbol has been moved and is now within the S of the brand name. A blue sky with clouds has been added to product packaging, symbolising a “new dawn in plant-based food”, and meal shots have been replaced with product close-ups. THIS’s website and social media will also be refreshed. With its distinctive look and feel, the new brand identity aims to capture THIS’s “irreverent tone of voice”, reflecting the brand’s …

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Like Meat product for ProVeg NFH

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Why Consistency is Crucial for Plant-Based Brands

Trying to make your plant-based product stand out on the shelf can be daunting, and can lead to a desire to innovate and rebrand. However, as ProVeg International writes in this week’s New Food Hub article, consistency in branding is often the unsung hero behind the success of some of the world’s most beloved brands. Consistency isn’t just about your logo or colour palette; it’s about creating a cohesive and recognisable brand experience across every touchpoint. Maintaining a unified brand identity is crucial in establishing trust with consumers, whether it’s your product packaging, social media presence, or the tone of voice in your marketing materials. This is particularly important for plant-based brands, where customers are not just looking for delicious products but also for transparency and …

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Wild Hope Mission Impossible

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WILD HOPE Documentary Spotlights Impossible Foods and the Role of Plant-Based Innovation in Climate Change Mitigation

The new episode of the WILD HOPE documentary series, Mission Impossible, debuts today on centering on Dr. Pat Brown, founder of Impossible Foods, and his mission to combat climate change and biodiversity loss through plant-based innovation and sustainable land use practices. Dr. Brown, a former biochemist at Stanford University, took a sabbatical from his academic career to address what he identified as one of the most pressing global challenges: the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. He states in the documentary, “What I wanted to do on the sabbatical was to figure out what was the most important thing I could do to make the best possible world?” Research led him to establish Impossible Foods in 2011, with the goal of creating plant-based alternatives that rival …

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supermarket plant meats in Germany

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Op Ed: Philipp Wolf, Founder of swyytr, Says Plant-Based Brands Are Losing the Mainstream Due to a Lack of Courage

Philipp Wolf is the founder and operator of swyytr.com, a digital food hub that brings together relevant topics from the food sector under one roof and reports on news and trends in the form of several newsletters every week, in addition to his full-time job in private label marketing at REWE. In this piece, Wolf poses that many plant-based brands are failing to stand out due to interchangeable, green-centric branding and lack of originality. Despite product improvements in taste and texture, companies rely heavily on green packaging and predictable names, says Wolf, suggesting that while this may appeal to early adopters, it lacks the distinctiveness needed to attract the mainstream consumer, who prioritizes price, taste, and memorable marketing. Trapped in total interchangeability: how plant-based brands …

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creating lasting connections with consumers

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How Can Plant-Based Brands Create Lasting Connections with Consumers?

In the increasingly competitive plant-based sector, it’s clear that offering a great product is no longer enough. Today’s consumers want to connect with the brands they choose on a deeper level. Brands that can evoke love and respect from consumers become more than just products – they become essential to their lives. For plant-based brands, shared values such as sustainability or health often form the basis of this emotional connection. But how do you build and sustain this bond? Authentic storytelling, consistent brand experiences, and tapping into consumers’ subconscious drivers can all help plant-based brands foster loyalty and advocacy. Brands like Allplants and Heura Foods have harnessed this strategy, embedding their values into every customer interaction. Whether it’s through the founders’ personal stories or promoting …

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Plant Based Foods Association May Cause

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Largest-Ever Collaboration of Plant-Based Powerhouse Brands Unites in Landmark Campaign to Drive Consumer Awareness

The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) has partnered with advertising agency AKQA Bloom to launch the “May Cause” campaign, a landmark initiative that unites leading plant-based giants such as NotCo, Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, and many more. This represents the largest-ever cross-category collaboration of plant-based brands, all working to promote the benefits of a plant-based diet, says the PBFA. Launched during New York City’s Climate Week, the campaign represents a pivotal moment for the industry, shifting the focus from competition to collaboration in order to drive wider consumer adoption of plant-based products. CEO Rachel Dreskin enthused about the initiative, “This campaign marks a key moment for our industry. By coming together, for the very first time, as a diverse coalition of brands across 20+ plant-based …

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Oatly campaign convinces Brits to try oat milk in tea

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New Oatly Campaign Aims to Convince Brits to Try Oat Milk in Tea

Oatly has launched a new 360 integrated campaign with the aim of convincing Brits that oat milk works in tea. While figures indicate that over half of UK coffee drinkers opt for oat milk, new research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Oatly suggests that Brits are much more reluctant to try oat milk in their tea. In fact, just 4% of tea drinkers said they use a plant-based alternative, while 31% said they would be surprised to see someone drink tea with plant-based milk. The “It Works in Tea” campaign will feature OOH advertisements including billboards in Brighton, London, and Manchester, along with digital and in-store promotions and PR. It will also be advertised on Twitch, Spotify, Oatly’s social media channels, and Connected TV …

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French brand La Vie has launched its first-ever TV campaign, coinciding with World Animal Day, aiming to spark a nationwide conversation about animal welfare and meat consumption.

Image courtesy of La Vie

La Vie Takes Viewers on Emotional Journey in Bold Premier TV Ad for its Plant-Based Ham

French brand La Vie has launched its first-ever TV campaign today, coinciding with World Animal Day, aiming to spark a nationwide conversation about animal welfare and meat consumption. Using the brand’s bold and tongue-in-cheek marketing, the ad invites viewers to consider plant-based options for better health, sustainability, and ethical reasons. The 40-second spot is an emotional journey for viewers. Both suspenseful and humorous, it creates tension as a man prepares a ham sandwich while a piglet watches. When the man eats the sandwich, deep, unblinking gazes are exchanged between them, only to reveal, at the very end, that the ham is plant-based, leading to relief and delight. Display “La Vie™️ – Duel” from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s …

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Why brand salience matters in the plant-based market

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Why Brand Salience Matters in the Plant-Based Market

Brand salience is crucial for success in today’s competitive plant-based food market. But what does this term mean and how can we build it? Understanding brand salience In essence, brand salience is about how noticeable or prominent a brand is in the minds of consumers. According to marketing expert Byron Sharp, author of How Brands Grow, brand salience is a key driver of consumer choice. While brand awareness indicates familiarity, salience takes it a step further, ensuring that your brand is the one consumers think of first when making a buying decision. Why salience matters in the plant-based market The plant-based market is expanding rapidly, with more brands and products entering the space every day. To stay competitive, plant-based brands must go beyond simple awareness …

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