In partnership with Trax – Dynamic Merchandising (Formerly known as Survey.com)

The past year saw exceptional food and beverage brands breaking barriers and creating products that cut through the noise. That trend will continue in 2022 with winning brands focusing on aligning with a larger purpose, including creating products that combat climate change and products that remake traditional favorites in a more health-centric way.

Climate Sustainability

From the Ocean – Kelp

Adapting with Adaptogens

CPG Founders as Media Personalities

The New American Table

1. Climate Sustainability

For more than a decade the term “sustainability” has been a hot marketing buzzword, but often without much substance. This past year we saw companies dedicate themselves and their brands to authentic sustainability, making real commitments to combat climate change.

Some of our favorites include:

MOONSHOT – For Moonshot, founded by Julia Collins, sustainability means a commitment to only using climate-friendly ingredients, having a carbon neutral operation, and working with regenerative farmers. And we love it even more because, along with being good for the planet, their crackers taste great!

GRAIN4GRAIN – Co-founded by Yoni Medhin, Grain4Grain utilizes their own proprietary process to dry and mill brewers spent grain – the number one byproduct from breweries – and recycle it into a low carb, high protein, high fiber, keto flour – reducing food waste AND enabling them to provide an incredibly healthy and sustainable ingredient at affordable prices for consumers and product makers!

OTHERWORLD – Are you a breakfast fan? Jennifer Ballen and Joseph Magliano created a pancake and waffle mix made with plant-based ingredients, upcycled fruits and vegetables, and grains diverted from the waste stream. In line with brand integrity, they also commit to 100% recyclable packaging and utilize carbon-neutral shipping.

2. From the Ocean – Kelp

Kelp has made a meteoric rise this year and is showing up in everything from chips to burgers. Why kelp? According to AKUA, kelp farming is a zero-input crop that requires no fresh water, no fertilizer, no feed, and no arid land to grow. Kelp also filters carbon and nitrogen from the water. A macroalgae, kelp is overflowing with vitamins, including A, B6, E, K, as well as Zinc, Calcium, Folate, Potassium, and Iron.

Some of our favorites include:

AKUA – AKUA creates foods that can feed the planet sustainably while reversing climate change and restoring health to our world’s oceans.  Co-founded by Courtney Boyd Myers, AKUA’s kelp-a-licious product line includes kelp burgers, jerky, and pasta.

12 TIDES – Founder Pat Schnettler wants to produce foods that are as good for the ocean as they are for us. 12 Tides are yummy, puffed kelp chips sourced using sustainable aquaculture practices in Frenchman Bay, Maine. 

ATLANTIC SEA FARMS – The founders created the first commercially viable seaweed farm in the United States in 2009 with the goal of diversifying how our coastal waters are used by providing a domestic, fresh, healthy alternative to imported seaweed products. They have diversified into a full product line including some of our year-round favorites: fermented seaweed salads and nutrient-packed kelp cubes for mixing into smoothies!

3. Adapting with Adaptogens

This year has seen a rise in products that utilize adaptogenic ingredients like ashwagandha, reishi, and cordyceps. If you’re unfamiliar, adaptogens are certain herbs and mushrooms thought to have mood benefits ranging from energizing to relaxing properties. Many of these ingredients have been used for millennia in Ayurvedic practices in India and traditional Chinese medicine, so they’re not new, just new to American consumers.

Some of our favorites include:

B.T.R. Nation – Ashley Nickelsen founded this line of adaptogenic protein bars after navigating her parents’ health challenges. Along with health benefits, the flavors are delicious, including one of our favorites: Cinnamon Cookie Dough Energy made with Maca powder and Cordyceps.

YOU AGAIN – Cookie baking mixes based on the Ayurvedic principle that foods with purpose can be blended to balance your energies and your life. Priya Mulvihill founded the company to make it easy and fun to incorporate adaptogens like Maca, Rishi, and Holy Basil into cookies that everyone will love.

HEYWELL – Britt and Ashley created a line of sparkling waters infused with adaptogens including Schisandra, Ashwagandha, and Amla Berry. They’re designed for the demands of modern life. The company is on a mission to help people by making wellness more simple and accessible for everyone, every day.

4. CPG Founders as Media Personalities

Building a traditional CPG brand can be challenging enough, but we’re seeing rapidly growing CPG brands taking the lessons of Silicon Valley darlings to heart and committing resources to building up the founders’ public profiles to be as big as the brand strategy. Why? More products than ever are flooding the market, and consumers have a plethora of options to choose from. It’s no longer enough to have a unique product, consumers are drawn towards individual personalities and want to buy from founders they can relate to, that are authentic, and that inspire them. Gone are the days of brand mascots, founders are the new heroes.  

Some of our favorites include:

BRO DOUGH – Erika Rankin is known across Linkedin and Tik Tok for her behind the scenes journey of founding her line of edible cookie dough. She’s not afraid to share her emotions, crying after a tough day or jumping around during a great one. She’s formed an incredible community of customers and industry supporters who are all rooting for her success. 

MID-DAY SQUARES – Lezlie Karls created a healthier chocolate company with her husband, Nick Saltarelli, and her brother, Jake Karls. Their ambitious goal?  Becoming the next Hershey’s! And they are well on their way to accomplishing it. The team takes media building seriously, with a dedicated videography team, podcast studio, and creative squad. The founders are uber-transparent and share their successes and failures with a level of intensity and fun that you can’t help but root for.

DREAM POPS – David Greenfield jumped into the plant-based frozen novelties space with his geometric shaped pops. He realized that to stand out in the space, he had to build a strong connection to the people and places he supports. He was an early brand on Tik Tok and went all in, partnering with creators for engaging content that has garnered millions of views and likes. David also writes “Ice Cream Sundays”, a weekly newsletter for CPG founders.

5. The New American Table

The culinary restaurant landscape in America is filled with amazing cultural foods from around the world. While grocery stores have had an “ethnic” aisle for some time, CPG brands are creating more nuanced and regionally specific ingredients that represent the diverse cultural heritages of our citizens. New American Table is a new industry collective started by Shayna Harris and other industry visionaries to advocate for increased representation on shelf and in the value chain. As you’ll see from our examples below, family is at the heart of these companies.

Some of our favorites include:

OMSOM – Sisters Kim and Vanessa Pham created Omsom to be the modern Asian-American brand that celebrates authentic cultural flavors. They’ve amplified their brand through partnerships with Disney and with cultural icon Pepper Teigan, and through advocacy for de-stigmatization of MSG in foods, including getting Whole30 to change their policy. Kim greets you with a video when you land on Omsom’s website, bringing home the personal touch behind the brand.

AYO FOODS – In West Africa, Ayo means joy. The company was founded by husband and wife team Fred and Perteet Spencer to bring West African flavors into homes across America. Currently they offer three frozen meals and two cooking sauces. Want to transport yourself to a West Africa flavor excursion in your own kitchen?  Check out their Cassava Leaf Soup!

SIETE FAMILY FOODS – Siete Family Foods was born when co-founder & CEO Veronica Garza and her brother Miguel started experimenting with grain-free versions of their traditional Mexican-American foods as she was battling an autoimmune condition.  After overcoming a series of major health challenges and recognizing the role that the shift in diet played, they created Siete’s line of products as a mission-based company passionate about making grain-free heritage inspired foods that are delicious while promoting healthier lifestyles for Latino families.

Whatever your CPG product introduction or expansion goals are for 2022, incorporating one or more of these trends into your plan will propel you forward for goal achievement!  We look forward to celebrating your successes throughout the year!

This article was written in partnership with Trax Dynamic Merchandising (Formerly known as Survey.com). Trax enables brands and retailers to better navigate the new frontier of retail where the best of physical and digital come together to delight at the shelf.

Dynamic Merchandising Shelf-level, end-cap, 2ry location data are key to creating retail gameplans. We deliver targeted in-store execution, activations, and retail analytics. https://info.traxretail.com/merchandising