by Jeff Slater | Nov 2, 2016 | Foodpreneurs, Marketing Advice, Marketing People
Sheila sells a gluten-free breakfast product line through her website to a community of consumers worried about their diet. From granola, pancake batter to baked goods, her mailing lists has grown to 2,000 customers who buy from her directly online. But she is stuck...
by Jeff Slater | Oct 7, 2016 | Foodpreneurs, Interesting Brands, Marketing Start Ups
Why dilute expensive whiskey with ice when you can chill it with a cube of frozen soapstone? When a group of entrepreneurs suffered from having their expensive whiskey diluted with ice cubes, they knew they had to fix a problem. They took a commodity and made it into...
by Jeff Slater | Sep 28, 2016 | Foodpreneurs, Marketing Start Ups, Personal Stories
Over the last few months, I interviewed ten owners of small to mid-sized food and beverage companies to learn more about their marketing efforts. Some companies are in their first year while others are in their second decade. Having built a food business with my wife,...
by Jeff Slater | Sep 26, 2016 | Foodpreneurs, Interesting Brands, Marketing Advice, Marketing Start Ups
Among shelves filled with fancy water with the essence of lavender, vitamins or from deep below the ground in Bora Bora, is a water named Fred. Fred. Instead of gorgeous graphics or elegant bottle shape is a flat, flask-like product that is disruptive by being –...
by Jeff Slater | Sep 21, 2016 | Branding Issues, Foodpreneurs, Interesting Brands, Marketing Advice
Sheila wants to cook more homemade meals for her family but like many, is time constrained. Her hectic life is a constant merry-go-round. She has titles like full-time mom, wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, and sales manager. Her days are filled with to-do lists that...
by Jeff Slater | Sep 12, 2016 | Branding Issues, Foodpreneurs, Interesting Brands, Marketing Advice
Some companies and organizations are made up of many brands, not just one. When I was VP of Marketing at ConAgra’s Snack Food division, the company had a portfolio of at least 15 snack food products they marketed. Each brand had its own look, feel and personality....