There’s no doubt that over the last decade there has been a shift toward a healthier lifestyle. Consumer eating habits are increasingly shifting toward wholesome, natural and locally-sourced foods.
Once a niche market, health food is now a mainstream food category.
Today you can find whole aisles of natural and organic health products in most supermarkets. ‘All natural’ ingredients are no longer unique, forcing health food brands to find other ways to differentiate themselves.
With an influx of new health foods on the market, it’s more important to have a clear and consistent brand strategy that resonates with consumers’ desire for naturally healthy food.
Here's four considerations to help brands shine in the competitive health food market:
1. Use packaging to highlight brand values and features
Brands can consider this desire for naturally healthy food through the use of thoughtful packaging that reflects the brand’s core values and key features.
Many health food companies are generally opting for images that reflect this desire, such as nature, families and fresh produce. Children’s health food company Whole Kids, for example, uses this strategy. The consistent brand identity relies heavily on simple designs, a bright but natural colour scheme, stylised representations of fruit and vegetables, and a consistent ‘certified organic’ messaging to reflect its core promise to customers.
2. Be transparent
Transparency is key for health food brands looking to reinforce and communicate authentic healthy foods. Consumers want to know more about the products they’re buying and it makes good business sense to oblige them.
The very nature of the health food category makes it easy for brands to be transparent about what they’re selling. Make sure packaging suggests an openness about the origins of the food and invites people to find out more about the brand.
Carman’s Fine Foods does this well by using packaging that allows the consumer to view ingredients on each muesli bar while also offering a short list of ingredients on the front of the box. The unique business story is on the back of the box and answers any questions consumers might have about the ingredients.
By answering common consumer questions through their packaging, they offer valuable information their customers won’t need to go searching for, establishing trust and a sense of honesty about their business practices.
3. Understand the values of your target market
Trusted health food companies have a deep understanding of what their customers want. They appeal to consumers who share their values, rather than trying to be everything to everyone. They are selective about whom they target and how they target them.
My Yummy Lunchbox uses this approach. Created by Australian mothers, they make healthy lunch box snacks, aimed at getting more kids to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. They base their brand identity on this shared goal with their target market. Because they share the same values with these mothers, they can communicate authentically and share their true goals.
4. Create an emotional connection
Health food brands that foster a brand identity that reflects the truth of their core goals, and have the products to back it up, can develop a lasting emotional attachment with customers. This is the key ingredient in long-term customer loyalty and establishing a sense of authenticity among followers.
Fostering emotional attachment helps build trust and gives customers a sense that ‘we’re in this together’. This can be a powerful tool.
However, to leverage that trust, it’s important to be consistent in both the messaging and the underlying product offering. US food company, Bob’s Red Mill, has crafted an enduring brand identity combining a proven passion for whole foods with the history of Bob Moore, the company’s founder and namesake.Each of Bob’s Red Mill products features an illustration of Bob, along with a clear description of the product. The packaging design is simple. Through a consistent, easily-recognisable visual identity, Bob’s Red Mill has successfully built an emotional attachment with long-term customers, which is underpinned by the trust that is generated by product consistency.
By creating a clear and consistent brand strategy that allows for transparency, emotional connection and shared values with your target audience, health food brands can establish themselves as an authentic brand and gain loyal customers in the process.
Dan Ratner is the managing director of uberbrand.