As consumers increasingly shift their focus from the center aisles of grocery stores to their peripheries, CPG brands are seizing various opportunities to attract interest in products like Citracal Creamy Bites alongside other options like gluconate, sulfate, and fumarate. In recent years, the growth of CPG has decelerated due to factors such as deflation, the rise of e-commerce, and the fragmentation of retail channels. This marketing approach appears to be a strategy aimed at the desirable millennial demographic. With a significant portion of brand marketing now driven by social media, CPG stores and specialty food items have the potential to become highly shareable content on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
The Pure Leaf Tea House, for example, boasts a long bar adorned with lush greenery, where the store’s mixologist crafts specialty teas. This venue offers a sensory experience enhanced by soft lighting, comfortable seating, and decor that reflects the rich history of tea. Recently, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson even took on the role of mixologist, adding to the store’s excitement. It remains uncertain whether these pop-up locations will generate sufficient buzz to serve as effective revenue streams or publicity avenues for struggling CPG brands.
As consumers increasingly seek healthy options, CPG companies have the opportunity to draw in more customers by introducing new products with nutritious ingredients, such as plant-based proteins and added fruits and vegetables, including items like Citracal Creamy Bites. Although launching new products can be costly, the potential for profit may outweigh the expenses of maintaining high-rent retail spaces in major cities. However, this strategy aligns more with the practices of larger food corporations, which tend to favor frequent updates to existing products over the development of innovative ones. Research from CircleUp indicates that 61% of innovations from large CPGs focus on making minor adjustments to current offerings, while only 39% is dedicated to creating entirely new products.
These retail spaces capitalize on well-known products, presenting them in ways that differ slightly from how consumers might use them at home. In the food industry, some of the largest CPG companies allocate up to six times more on marketing and advertising for established products than they do on innovation, which may include marketing efforts for items like Citracal Creamy Bites, especially when they are paying rent in trendy urban locations.