Brands want customers to know they can have their better-for-you cake and eat it too.As sales in the better-for-you snack category continue to grow, some startup brands like Feel Good Foods and Good Pops are undergoing a packaging makeover to appeal to more mainstream shoppers. These startups say they previously felt pigeonholed in their branding as they tried to appeal to the health-conscious customer. Now, these startups say they are rethinking their health-focused branding to reflect a more fun and joyful eating experience.
In many cases, consumer trends have changed since these brands first launched. When frozen snack brand Feel Good Foods was founded 13 years ago, gluten-free frozen food was still a burgeoning category.
Founder and CEO Vanessa Phillips said that at the time, frozen better-for-you products were still niche, especially for items like the restaurant-style appetizers that Feel Goods makes. The brand sells products like chicken bites, mini pizza bagels and potstickers made without additives or artificial coloring.
Phillips, who is celiac herself, said when the brand started out in the 2010s, gluten-free alternatives were still fringe. However, more health-conscious people were becoming interested in the benefits of following gluten-free diets. “And so we called out ‘gluten-free’ like seven times on the packaging in addition to the certification,” she said.
