This article is part five of the Vegconomist X ProVeg International New Food Hub article series, which aims to make actionable insights into the plant-based space more readily accessible.
ProVeg International’s new whitepaper ‘Marketing Best Practices’ compiles the top marketing strategies for plant-based brands and creates a summary checklist for busy marketing executives. These insights are based on ProVeg International’s market research across tens of thousands of households in Europe and the US, along with extensive interviews with more than 50 leading plant-based food brands.
One checklist collated by ProVeg International highlights the key information brands need to emphasise on the front of their product.
Indulgence
Emphasise indulgence (flavour and taste) above all else. This is the primary consumer motivation.
Use indulgent descriptors and provenance to best entice mainstream consumers – and avoid phrases such as ‘meat-free’ and ‘vegan’, as well as health-restrictive terms.
Artwork
Good artwork is vital. In general, it’s recommended to use images that convey familiarity to flexitarians, since they’re responsible for over 90% of plant-based food purchases.
A serving suggestion that shows your plant-based alternative can be prepared and enjoyed just like the conventional product will help to signal convenience.
Eco labelling
Environmental impact is increasingly important to consumers. An ecolabel or similar environmental-impact labelling can help your brand to stand out.
Use a single score that’s easy to understand – for example, ‘Eco Score A’ or ‘carbon neutral’. We recommend using a specialist environmental-impact accreditor for this in order to earn consumer trust.
Highlight health
Signal health benefits using stickers or callouts. After taste, health is the top motivator for people seeking plant-based products.
Key features to highlight include protein content, B12, calcium, iron, vitamin D, zinc, and fibre. Highlighting low sugar, low salt, or low saturated fat content is also useful, with health-positive language performing well.
Interested in exploring the other principal ways to market your brand’s product including influencer best practices and in-store promotions? Click here to read the full article.
For deep dives into these and other topics, check out ProVeg International’s full catalogue of articles on the ProVeg New Food Hub.
