Eddie Stableford, the UK's Foremost Food Brand Expert
Our shopping behaviour has changed massively as a consequence of COVID and it is showing no sign of returning to the previous norm. We used to spend 30% of all our food expenditure out of home in restaurants, cafes and fast-food outlets, but during lockdown, the majority of this spend switched to the supermarkets as …
Continue reading "Why launching your brand into a major retailer makes sense"
Following on from my recent publication of my 2023 Food Trends presentation, I’ve had a number of requests for my Top 12 tips so here they are: Plant-based and vegetarianAs more people adopt vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, there is a growing demand for plant-based and meat-free options but there will be a move away from …
With every product sector highly competitive, identifying market opportunities and developing a product and brand for success presents significant challenges. Whilst we’re all familiar with the expression ‘a gap in the market’, it's so important to know whether there is ‘a market in the gap’. Taking a helicopter view of a particular range of products may …
The post- COVID continuation of home working by large swathes of workers (even if only for a couple of days per week), has thrown city centres into crisis whilst many local towns villages and suburbs have experienced a rebirth as spend has switched from cities to local high streets. Many office commuters have realised the absurdity …
Continue reading "Changing city centres and the rebirth of local communities"
Like everything in life, new experiences can be challenging and may require a need to learn new skills and to develop knowledge. Seeking help and support from those with the expertise you need can be massively helpful and I advocate thinking about launching a new food or drink idea in the same way as you’d approach …
Continue reading "Launching a new food or drink brand? My top tips."
For decades, and pretty much from the outset of mass-marketing, brands and marketing agencies have steered clear of targeting grey consumers, unless they were promoting products specifically to this demographic. Typically, they were seen as too cynical, set in their ways and unmoved by marketing so they were largely ignored. In more recent times this cohort …
With the rise of individuals choosing to pass on plastic in response to environmental concerns, the range of 'sustainable' and compostable, packaging solutions has increased significantly. But what is the truth about compostable packaging and is it good for the environment? And what are the differences between biodegradable and compostable packaging and does it matter? These two …
Not so long ago, if you were eating out at a restaurant and wanted a vegetarian meal, most eateries offered at least one option. If that veggie option involved cheese, then all the better. If it involved a bean burger, well at least you knew roughly what you were eating. Today, vegetarians are starting to …
It is clear that innovation from major brands is at an all-time low. Indeed it seems that food innovation from the big brand stables is dead with them choosing instead to buy high flying, entrepreneurial brands. Financially, we live in challenging times of course but as a consequence, consumers are increasingly seeking out best value …
There has been a lot of talk recently about the lack of innovation in the foods and drinks sector and how this is leading to increased competition and volume growth over value growth. Certainly, visits to two large trade exhibitions over recent months didn’t present an array of products that could be classed as truly …