In an era where the food industry is fiercely competitive, small brands are often faced with the challenge of standing out in a sea of options. They may not have the large marketing budgets of corporate giants, but with the right food PR strategy, they can punch above their weight. Effective PR campaigns can turn a niche product into a beloved brand and create a lasting connection with customers. This op-ed will explore how small food brands can leverage creativity, storytelling, and smart media outreach to generate buzz and grow their brand presence, with concrete examples of success.
Building a Brand Identity with Purpose: The Case of Eat the Change
One excellent example of small food brands utilizing PR effectively is Eat the Change, a plant-based snack company co-founded by actor and environmental activist James Wilks and famed chef Spike Mendelsohn. Eat the Change’s mission isn’t just to sell snacks—it’s to promote positive change for the environment by offering plant-based, environmentally sustainable products. The company’s flagship snack, “Upcycled Crisps,” is made from surplus vegetables that would otherwise go to waste, helping to tackle food waste while providing consumers with a healthy alternative to traditional chips.
Eat the Change used a food PR strategy focused on sustainability and a strong environmental narrative to build its brand identity. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertisements, they focused on content that educated their audience about food waste and the importance of sustainable sourcing. For example, their collaboration with organizations like Upcycled Food Association helped position them as thought leaders in the sustainability space.
By leveraging James Wilks’ and Spike Mendelsohn’s high profiles, Eat the Change attracted media attention and high-level partnerships, which gave them exposure far beyond the confines of niche health food markets. Their PR campaign, which combined celebrity endorsements with a purpose-driven story, gave their products credibility and resonated with consumers who prioritize sustainability.
Smart Media Outreach: The Magic Behind The Good Crisp Company’s Success
Another example of small food PR done right is The Good Crisp Company, a brand that started small but grew rapidly through a mix of strong PR outreach and high-quality products. Specializing in gluten-free, non-GMO, and allergen-free chips, The Good Crisp Company positioned itself as an alternative to traditional snack foods that typically contain artificial ingredients.
Their PR campaign was heavily focused on media outreach, particularly targeting food bloggers, dieticians, and health-conscious influencers who could speak to the brand’s core values. The company’s PR team worked diligently to get The Good Crisp Company’s products into the hands of influencers who would authentically talk about the product’s taste and health benefits. The result? The Good Crisp Company was featured in popular lifestyle publications like Bon Appétit, Refinery29, and Real Simple, which not only increased brand awareness but also bolstered their credibility as a healthy alternative to conventional chips.
By targeting media outlets that align with the values of their target audience, The Good Crisp Company effectively built a network of brand advocates that helped them scale. Their success in PR has shown that small food brands can create a strong presence by tapping into the right media and focusing on quality, health-conscious messaging.
Influencer Marketing and Social Media Engagement: A Strategic Move for The New Primal
The New Primal, a brand that produces paleo and keto-friendly sauces, snacks, and meat products, is a textbook example of how smaller food brands can use influencer marketing to amplify their PR efforts. Founded by Jason and Kelly Burke, the brand focuses on providing clean, nutritious, and hormone-free products. The New Primal’s PR strategy revolves around tapping into the growing trend of health-conscious eating, with a particular focus on the paleo and keto diets.
The New Primal has partnered with a wide range of influencers in the health and wellness space, from fitness trainers to food bloggers and chefs, who authentically promote the brand through recipes, cooking demonstrations, and product reviews on social media. Influencers play a critical role in the company’s growth by offering exposure to highly engaged, targeted audiences who are likely to convert into loyal customers.
One particularly notable PR success for The New Primal was its collaboration with health and fitness influencers during the launch of its new product line, “The New Primal Keto”. By tapping into the keto community and working with influencers who already had a passionate following, the brand was able to organically build excitement around the product before it even hit the shelves. The media coverage that resulted from these influencer partnerships helped establish the brand as a go-to source for keto-friendly snacks, ultimately increasing both sales and brand visibility.
For small food brands, telling a compelling brand story is often what makes them stand out. One brand that has used storytelling to great effect is “GoodPop,” a frozen popsicle company known for its healthier ingredients and eco-conscious packaging. GoodPop started as a small startup in Austin, Texas, but has expanded significantly by leveraging its unique brand story.
GoodPop’s PR efforts have been built around telling the personal story of the company’s founders, who were driven by the idea of providing a healthier alternative to traditional popsicles while also being environmentally conscious. The brand’s PR strategy focuses on telling the story of how GoodPop was created—from using organic ingredients to their efforts to reduce waste in the production process. This narrative of making a positive impact through food has resonated strongly with consumers, who are increasingly mindful of their food choices and their environmental footprint.
GoodPop has also utilized storytelling in its partnerships with charitable organizations, linking its products to important causes such as childhood education and environmental sustainability. Their PR campaigns have focused on their commitment to creating social good, not just selling popsicles. This alignment of purpose with product has helped GoodPop earn media coverage in outlets like Forbes and Food Network, and has helped them build a loyal customer base of socially conscious individuals.
Conclusion: Why Food PR Done Right Matters for Small Brands
Small food brands face unique challenges when it comes to marketing and PR, but as the examples of Eat the Change, The Good Crisp Company, The New Primal, and GoodPop illustrate, these challenges are far from insurmountable. By tapping into smart media outreach, influencer marketing, and compelling storytelling, small food brands can create buzz, generate credibility, and scale their business—without a multimillion-dollar marketing budget.
The key takeaway for food brands is this: effective PR is not just about pushing a product, but about creating an emotional connection with consumers through authentic stories, purpose-driven messaging, and strategic media partnerships. For small food brands, PR is a vital tool in building long-term relationships with consumers, increasing brand visibility, and ultimately driving growth.
