How do you market vegan products? (Vegan Marketing Agency)
The vegan product market in the United Kingdom is growing exponentially. In 2018 the UK launched more vegan products than any other nation. Almost 1 in 6 new products released claimed to be vegan. This increased in 2019 to almost 1 in 4!
However, the total number of people who identify as vegan still hovers around 1% of the population. So who is fuelling this extraordinary market growth?
One reason could be that a growing proportion of meat-eaters are actively reducing their consumption of meat products. In 2019, 39% of carnivores stated they were looking to reduce the amount of meat they consumed. When pressed for the reason behind this decision, 25% of the consumers said that it was to improve the environment, 32% said it was to improve their health and 31% said it was to reduce their monthly food expenses.
Know your business
This first step to marketing any business is to know it. Inside and out. Questions such as ‘what am I trying to achieve?’ and ‘what is my target market?’ are critically important to ask yourself when looking to market your product. It is crucial to have a plan to stand out. The vegan product market is going to continue to expand its market share, so it is getting harder and harder for new voices to be heard. This is where VerriBerri, a specialist vegan marketing agency, can help. We have years of experience marketing both edible and non-edible vegan products.
How to brand your product
Establishing a vegan product can be both exciting and daunting. You are not only joining a growing market but a movement as well. As more and more companies join the band wagon you need to ensure that your product can not only reach existing vegans, but also the more carnivorous members of our society too. The language you choose to market your product with can make or break your business.
Whether or not consumers will ever adopt the term ‘flexitarian’ is up for debate. But what isn’t is the growing trend of consumers actively embracing a more plant based diet. The ever increasing number of products have shown that vegetables can be a truly tasty alternative to meat-based meals. Social media analytics company Brandwatch conducted a study to evaluate the perception of veganism covering multiple platforms. Over 15.4 million posts from Twitter, Instagram, forums and blogs were reviewed from the UK and the United States. This study showed that using the word ‘vegan’ on the front packaging of food products actually had a negative impact on sales. The word vegan is more than twice as likely to be perceived in a negative context than the phrase ‘plant based’. It was more commonly associated with the words ‘gross’ and ‘expensive’.
Psychologically it places the product in a ‘different from me’ category and within an instant a potential customer can be put off. The term ‘meat-free’ also had a similar effect. This particular wording creates the idea that the dish is lacking something, or that the consumer is somehow being short changed. At this point you might be asking yourself ‘If I can’t use the words vegan or meat-free, should I just call my product vegetarian?’. The short answer is ‘no’. The long answer is ‘definitely not’. When used on packaging the word vegetarian is most commonly associated with is unsatisfying. Not how you want your product to be described.
So what language should you use?
The vast majority of consumers still buy products based on the perceived quality of the product from its packaging. If the packaging looks enticing a consumer will more than likely give your product a chance. Highlighting the fact your product is vegan on the front might be off-putting. But if its located next to the health and sustainability benefits of your product, it can actually be a positive.
Another option is to concentrate on the origin of your product. Sainsbury’s conducted a study to identify names that would increase the sales of their plant based ready meals. In their test they found that by changing the name of their ‘Meat-free breakfast’ to more origin focused names such as ‘Garden breakfast’ and ‘field grown breakfast’, they increased their sales of the same product by 12% and 17% respectively.
What can VerriBerri do for you?
We at VerriBerri pride ourselves on being an ethical company. At our very core we want to make the world a better place. It is a passion that runs through every department in our organisation. The ethical drive to reduce our societies reliance on meat based products is a cause we fully support. We want to help your business succeed in making the world a better place for both humans and animals alike.
VerriBerri is a specialist vegan marketing agency who have been active in promoting the plant based sector for many years. It is a part of our company that we are truly passionate about and we would love to share this enthusiasm with you. We have extensive knowledge of the market and the passion to support your company on its journey to improve the world. We will only work with companies who truly believe in their product. After all, if you are not passionate about your product, how can we?
Contact Us
This article has demonstrated the importance of marketing when bringing a vegan product to market. Our vegan marketing agency would love to meet with you, sit down and discuss your vision for our shared passion. When you work with us we assign a designated account manager to work with you, coordinating our internal teams to support your business and provide guaranteed results.
If you are reading this article the chances are that you are looking for someone to help you market your vegan product. We would love to help you bring your dream to life. Call us on 01376 386 850 to see how we can help you today!