Impact Group

The eating and grocery shopping patterns of Americans are changing, directing many away from the center aisles in the store. Instead, people are shopping the perimeters for fresh and healthy foods. These behavioral changes have resulted in a stagnation of growth for center-aisle brands Luckily, there are workarounds to limit stagnation and fuel growth in the center aisle. Working with a CPG sales and marketing agency that offers deep expertise on center of store best practices can increase brand awareness and lead to success. The strategies that these agencies utilize to increase center aisle success include: Trackable in-store executions The key to driving sales is producing consistent insight into how your products are performing. This can be completed by using a variety of technological resources such as in-store surveys, handheld devices, and online portals that monitor brand performance.   Delivering consistency This requires a regu...

Millennials get blamed for a great many things. They’re responsible for “killing” everything from chain restaurants to straws. They have high expectations, yet these expectations don’t align with previous norms. Coming of age during a staggering recession, their commitments and preferences are much different than the boomers before them.       Millennials are very much a generation who vote with their dollar. Research has shown they prefer companies that give to charity. And, while they are money-conscious, they are certainly willing to spend money on a brand that gives back, be it via charitable donations or a buy-one-give-one model. This generation expects brands to be actively engaged in giving back and has no problem earnestly avoiding brands that misstep. Brands don’t have to adjust to millennial preferences alone. They can work with grocery brokers to quickly adapt and change to inspire the next wave of shoppers to commit. While the proces...

It may feel like kombucha (pronounced kom-BOO-cha) is the latest health craze to hit supermarket shelves, but it’s experienced a great deal more than 15 minutes of fame. In fact, kombucha has been popular in China as a health elixir for more than 2,000 years. Its prominence on store shelves continues to grow as CPG brokers meet the high demand for highly portable kombucha. So, what is kombucha and why does demand continue to grow? To put it simply, kombucha is a fermented sweet tea (derived from green, black, or white tea leaves). For a more scientific definition, Wiley Online Library puts it best by stating, “[kombucha] is obtained from the infusion of tea leaves by the fermentation of a symbiotic association of bacteria and yeasts forming ‘tea fungus.’ A floating cellulosic pellicle layer and the sour liquid broth are the 2 portions of kombucha tea” The floating cellulosic pellicle layer they refer to is also known as a “scoby,” which stands for “symbiotic culture o...

The consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry is enormous and saturated with brands vying for consumer attention. Standing out and remaining relevant among the crowd can be a difficult achievement. Working with a natural food broker that has a deep understanding of the nuances of the food and grocery business can help you navigate the masses while getting and keeping your products on the shelves. Competition in the fresh and natural category is even more fierce, and for those represented correctly, there is a great deal of money to be made. Fresh and natural foods accounted for a massive portion of grocery sales last year. According to Supermarket News, “Overall, fresh categories tallied in-store sales of nearly $178 billion [last year].” A food broker will represent your brand and work on its behalf to help you grow in a sustainable manner. The best food brokers and CPG marketing firms can help clients with everything from marketing and retail sales strategies to...

The competition for consumer attention and loyalty has never been fiercer. In fact, according to research released in 2017 by Hartman Group Inc. for the Food Marketing Institute, just 47% of the 2,145 grocery shoppers surveyed stated that they did most of their grocery shopping at a primary supermarket—down from 61% a decade earlier. These statistics mean that supermarkets, and the brands they stock, have to innovate and adapt to remain at the forefront of a consumer’s thoughts and needs. CPG marketing and data-driven insights are effective ways to harness a competitive advantage for your brand. By investing in data, brands can gain the upper hand with retailers and consumers. Extensive analysis of your data can drive your presence before consumers and allow you to make compelling decisions that move your business forward.  Data can give your brand insight into: How you are performing compared to your competitors Your consumers and their shopping behavi...

Nutritionally dense foods that promote a healthy body and mind, superfoods are buzz-worthy ways to add variety to your diet while nourishing your body. While their popularity may wax and wane, their benefits are more than a fad. From the health nut that will try anything to the accomplished grocery broker helping grocery stores carry them, these superfoods are in high demand.    Moringa Referred to as the next quinoa, moringa is a small tree native to India, where it has been used in the practice medicine for over 5,000 years. Rich in vitamins and nutrients, this superfood possesses all nine essential amino acids, as well as vitamin C, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, and B vitamins. It also contains antioxidants which aid in battling inflammation and has been shown in human trials to reduce cholesterol levels. This powerful nutritional profile is causing it to gain popularity rather quickly. The easiest way to work moringa into your diet is via a powder that ...

With the increased popularity of food delivery boxes and grocery pickup and delivery, getting consumers into the store and keeping them satisfied with their shopping experience is a necessity. This requires enhancing your store’s blueprint to create a connection that cannot be experienced elsewhere. Shopping locally is no longer the only or the most convenient option for a consumer. Because of this, you have to creatively encourage shoppers to come into your space and stay long enough to shop. Below you’ll find ideas that will help you do just that, for more intense scrutiny surrounding your brand and customer base, it would behoove you to investigate CPG marketing to drive ultimate growth. Customers who venture into a store are looking for something, and they either want the adventure of finding it to be magical, or as simple and easy as possible. The magical variety desire authentic interaction and a focus on experiences. They crave a sense of community, subversiv...