This episode of Beyond the Brand looks at three big questions food and drink brands are facing right now. What do weight loss drugs mean for what people eat? How do you change a brand people already love without losing them? And what happens when you run a brand you didn’t build?
A lot of the industry sees GLP-1 as a threat. Fewer snacks, smaller baskets, less booze. But for some brands, the shift could work in their favour, as long as they handle it carefully.
To talk it through, Adam is joined by Julia Kessler, CEO of Fiid, a B Corp plant-based food brand from Dublin making high protein, high fibre meals that are ready in 90 seconds. Julia spent 12 years in tech supply chain at BlackBerry and QuickBooks, then co-founded spicy soft drink brand Nix and Kix, which sold around 30 million units and was stocked in Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
In this honest, practical conversation, Julia explains why she sees GLP-1 as good news, how she rebranded Fiid within six months without losing loyal shoppers, and why time spent in supermarket aisles still shapes the decisions she makes.
In This Episode
- Why GLP-1 is driven by consumers, not regulation, and why that means it will stick
- How one person on the drug can change what a whole household eats
- Why Fiid chose not to put “GLP-1 friendly” on pack
- Dropping “vegan” from the pack and leading with protein, fibre and veg instead
- Changing packs and recipes at the same time, and why she kept the name
- How promos, sampling and in-store displays protected shoppers at launch, and how rate of sale doubled
- Going from founder to hired CEO, and making decisions with less emotional attachment
- Watching shoppers in the aisle, and why “pink is a flavour”
Key Takeaways
🔹 GLP-1 is a change led by consumers, so it’s here to stay🔹 You can design for a trend without putting it on the label🔹 Shoppers shop with their eyes first, so every pack needs to stand out on shelf🔹 A relaunch needs trial behind it, not just a new pack🔹 For a new or different product, getting it into people’s hands is the biggest driver🔹 Only launch NPD if it can do as well as your best seller
Resources & Links
Find Fiid in store or online https://www.eatfiid.com/Connect with Julia on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/innovationflow/
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💬 Is GLP-1 changing how your brand thinks about product, pack or positioning?
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