by Jeff Slater | Oct 18, 2026 | Branding Issues, Foodpreneurs
How a small team in California turned a juice bar side project into a fast-growing cracker brand by making everything themselves and selling direct. In the last year, I have used one brand as an example with my clients when we talk about innovation. Most food founders...
by Jeff Slater | Aug 23, 2026 | Branding Issues, Marketing Books
A founder sent me his packaging deck last month and asked one question. What should we add? Six claims on the front panel. Four flavors launch at once. Three certifications stacked in the corner like merit badges. A tagline, a QR code, and a call-out box for a...
by Jeff Slater | Jul 12, 2026 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
One in eight American adults is now taking a GLP-1 drug. That number has more than doubled in eighteen months. That is not a trend. That is a structural shift. And if you make, market, or sell snack food, the data from Cornell, Numerator, and Circana tell a story you...
by Jeff Slater | May 25, 2026 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
When The Ordinary launched under the DECIEM Company umbrella, it felt like a small, sharply focused rebellion against the beauty category. DECIEM was a multi-brand beauty incubator. Instead of focusing on one line, it launched multiple brands at once, all rooted in...
by Jeff Slater | May 3, 2026 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
I’ve been in a lot of packaging reviews lately—brands at every stage, from scrappy startups to mid-sized companies trying to grow their retail footprint. The categories are different. The products are different. The founders are different. The problem is always...
by Jeff Slater | Dec 21, 2025 | Branding Issues, Interesting Brands
Ever hear of Quince? I hadn’t heard of this business until I heard about efforts to disrupt the luxury goods industry. And that, beyond apparel, they were sticking a big toe into the food-and-beverage world. This Quiet Giant Is Reshaping Consumer Expectations...
