Leveraging Taste Through Food & Beverage Marketing

Taste matters. We know it. You know it. And, most importantly, shoppers know it. In fact, shoppers expect that the food & beverage products they purchase are going to taste good. And, although taste preferences can be subjective, the science behind taste can be objectively measured. Food & beverage CPG brands forget that their greatest asset is their product’s taste. Besides price, it’s what customers often care the most about. In food & beverage marketing taste is often a secondary or tertiary asset. It’s a supporting claim. However, since taste is important to the modern shopper, how can it be utilized more efficiently and strategically in food & beverage marketing.

How to Use Taste Claims

Advertising claims can be a powerful tool for food & beverage marketers. Some of the most popular food & beverage ad claims are environmental, social, and governing (ESG) claims – i.e. “Grass-fed”, “Family-owned”, or “Organic”. And because shoppers like to purchase from brands that align with their own morals and values, these types of claims often hold a lot of weight. On the other hand, taste-related claims can be a little tricky. Claims such as “great tasting” often lack the necessary context needed to act as a true selling point to shoppers – not to mention the legal risks of making unsubstantiated claims.

Third-party taste validation can be an important resource for food & beverage marketing. Not only do services such as ChefsBest provide the necessary substantiation to make taste-related claims, they also add the necessary context that adds value to these claims. Any brand can claim that their products taste great, but there isn’t a ton of value in a stand-alone statement such as that.

Standing Out On Grocery Shelves & Beyond

For many food & beverage CPG brands standing out on shelves, especially in crowded categories, is an uphill battle. When products in the same category have little (or huge) differences in taste, shoppers can often feel overwhelmed with their options. In these instances, price is a huge factor in the shopper’s purchasing decision. However, by utilizing third-party taste-related claims on package, food & beverage brands can leverage their greatest asset: taste. This allows your product to stand out on crowded shelves and reassures shoppers that they are making the right decision in purchasing your product.

Taste-related claims aren’t limited to just packaging. In fact, leveraging third-party taste validation can be a vital asset when catching the eye of potential grocery buyers and through digital marketing efforts. Centering taste as a key call-out in food & beverage marketing can help shoppers make more informed purchasing decisions and improve customer loyalty.

To stay up-to-date with trends and news in the food & beverage industry please follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn – and check out more of our blogs.