Welcome to The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the CPG space.
Nestlé commits to increasing sales of nutritious food offerings by 2030
Leaning into its slogan “Good food, Good life,” Nestlé just announced plans to grow the sales of what it calls its “more nutritious products” by 20-25 billion CHF — roughly the equivalent of $21.7 to $27.1 billion USD — by 2030, representing nearly 50% growth over 2022’s sales. The Switzerland-based company will take a multifaceted approach to achieving this target, which applies to products with a Health Star Rating of 3.5 stars or more as well as its specialized nutrition offerings. Nestlé will invest in revamping existing products and creating new ones, with a focus on using more plant-based ingredients; expanding micronutrient fortification efforts and affordable offerings; and boosting responsible marketing of “indulgent products,” per a company statement.
The announcement from the world’s largest food company comes as food brands continue to face mounting pressure from consumers and watchdog groups to produce more nutritious foods, Food Dive’s Christopher Doering notes. “Nestlé and other food companies have no choice but to improve the nutritional content of what they sell,” he notes, “or risk losing sales as consumers turn to companies that have invested the time and money.”
Nestlé says it will kick off these changes next spring in the U.K., with the expectation that they will be fully rolled out globally within the next three years.
Kroger launches Kroger Mercado brand with authentic “Hispanic-inspired” products
Kroger announced on Monday the launch of a “Hispanic-inspired” brand called Kroger Mercado — which translates to “Kroger Market” — expanding upon its Our Brands private-label offerings. The new brand “embraces Hispanic culinary heritage,” Juan De Paoli, Vice President of Our Brands for Kroger, said in a statement, with more than 50 “authentically inspired products,” ranging from fresh meats and cheeses to snacks and beverages.
The launch is representative of a larger investment by Kroger in the growing Hispanic market. As Russell Redman of Winsight Grocery Business reports, a study from earlier this year, conducted by Acosta and TelevisaUnivision, revealed that Hispanic customers contribute $2.8 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). “The introduction of Kroger Mercado comes just a couple of weeks after Kroger unveiled what it called a ‘Hispanic concept store’ in Houston,” Redman notes. “The location features Spanish/English signage and houses more than 900 authentic Hispanic grocery and produce items.”
Coors Light launches campaign to better connect with music fans
Coors Light is shifting its marketing strategy — in alignment with the transition from its “Made to Chill” campaign to its new “Choose to Chill” platform — to better connect with music fans, Ad Age’s Jon Springer reports. In 2024, the brand, which is owned by Molson Coors, plans to engage in a growing number of partnerships around music, which Molson Coors Chief Commercial Officer Michelle St. Jacques told investors is “the universal language of chill.”
The shift in strategy comes as Coors Light continues to experience growth at the expense of its rival Bud Light. “Coors Light, which previously confirmed it is returning to the Super Bowl, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney backlash,” Springer notes, “with recent growth capping a four-year turnaround that St. Jacques credited to establishing the ‘Made to Chill’ platform in 2019.”
Hard Mtn Dew to host Wedding Crashers Wedding for one couple and their unknown guests
PepsiCo’s Hard Mtn Dew announced this week that it is giving away one all-expenses-paid wedding in Knoxville, Tenn. — the birthplace of Mtn Dew — to one couple and their guests. Dubbed The Wedding Crashers Wedding, the event can only be attended by strangers.
Building off of a 2022 stunt in which a fan “married” a can of Hard Mtn Dew, the brand promises to throw the winning couple the “most legendary wedding of the year,” complete with Hard Mtn Dew-inspired wedding attire in neon green and black, plus an open bar serving the 5% ABV beverage.
The stunt comes as the cost of weddings continues to increase — this year averaging nearly $30,000, as Hard Mtn Dew noted in its announcement. In addition to entering to win, individuals can apply to be one of the “crashers” at the wedding, where a maid of honor and best man will be chosen at random.
Further reading
- “L’Oréal sells organic cosmetics brand Sanoflore” (Fashion Network)• “Maybelline New York Launches Virtual Campaign in Roblox” (Beauty Packaging)
• “All Righta! Ore-Ida Just Launched the Zaniest Ads for its French Fries” (Muse)
• “Backpacks, costumes, sandals: Why Bush’s Beans is investing in merch” (Marketing Brew)
• “Dr. Praeger introduces crunchy vegetable burgers” (Food Business News)
• “Nestlé, Danone and other major food companies commit to framework for regenerative agriculture” (Food Dive)
