Issue №01 · Food Brand Playbook
Build the trusted community behind the brand
Find Them,
Earn Themalways
Most food brands have the product locked before they ever talk to us. What's usually missing isn't creative, it's a clear read on who the audience actually is, where and when to reach them.
Tip: hover a card to reveal the concept.
Find them
Know who you're talking to before you say anything.
Who's Deciding
Driven by eater
01 The person adding it to the cart isn't always the person eating it. Parents buying snacks, a health-conscious shopper stocking the household, a gift buyer picking a specialty item, each is a different audience with a different reason to say yes.
When They Decide
Well before entering the store
02 The real decision moment is often earlier than the shelf. The case for your product has to be made before checkout, not at it.
How Often They Decide
Habit or occasion
03 A pantry staple runs on habit: low attention, frequent repurchase, reminder-driven. A specialty or occasion item runs on a single considered decision that has to land the first time.
Where They Already Are
Know the channels
04 The right platform is whichever one your buyer is already on, not whichever has the best benchmarks this quarter.
of Gen Z shoppers have discovered a new product on social media, long before they ever reach the shelf.
Part 01 · Salesforce Connected Shoppers Report, 2025
Earn them
Turn attention into trust, and trust into a sale.
What Actually Moves Them
Trust Lever
05 In food right now, transparency and trust isn't a nice-to-have message, they are the two proven levers brands have.
Awareness Before the Ask
They can't buy what they don't know
06 An unfamiliar brand can't skip straight to "buy now." Build recognition first, then let the conversion follow.
Engage and Respond
Silence loses sales
07 Comments and DMs aren't just conversation anymore, they're customer service, and ignoring them costs sales.
The Metric That's True
Vanity metrics don't close sales
08 Retailer pickup and repeat rate tell you it worked. Impressions don't. Decide which one matters before launch.
of shoppers have shifted their spending toward brands they know and trust — value and trust now beat novelty.
Part 02 · Bazaarvoice Shopper Preference Report, 2025
"Find the right audience first. Everything else, platform, content, timing, response, gets easier once you know who you're talking to."
Kevin Maude, CEO
Thank you for reading.