Our Two Tidbits series on LinkedIn follows two food and beverage trends to watch in 2025.
First, we cover the prevalence of co-branded products in stores, and why it’s gaining steam. You may have noticed that every aisle of the grocery store today has a co-branded product – and the ice cream aisle is no exception! The Food Institute found that consumers are more willing to try a product for the first time if it features a brand they know and love. This makes co-branding a powerful tool in launching new products and piquing consumer interest.
Next, we share how nostalgia is driving consumer purchasing decisions. While nostalgia is nothing new to the marketplace, people – specifically younger generations – are seeking out nostalgic flavors, even in experiences they haven’t yet had. Mintel explains this as “throwback nostalgia,” a feeling that no longer belongs to those who’ve had a certain experience but is also shared among consumers who are seeking those experiences for the first time. We think of it as our 2000s kids playing throwback music from the 80s. Thanks to this trend, we anticipate nostalgic flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and fruit to be on the rise this year.
Want to see the full Two Tidbits in video? Visit our LinkedIn page!
One of the first co-branded products for retail (that we know of) was a luxury dashboard for the Renault Dauphine car. Renault partnered with jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels to design this high-end, co-branded product back in 1956. We must say, it was a pretty sweet ride.
In the 1980s, co-branding experienced a boom with the emergence of co-branded credit cards, linking banks with partners like airlines and retailers. Fast forward to today⏤about 1 in 4 Americans own at least one co-branded or store-specific credit card, according to PYMNTS.
Today, co-branded products are not unusual. In fact, we’ve come a long way in co-branding. Thinking of the food & beverage industry, these items are found in just about every aisle of the grocery store. So, why is co-branding so great?
Why does co-branding work?
First of all, it leads to some pretty fun flavor creation and innovation. Just when you start to think that every flavor has been done before, think again! There’s always a new possibility of inspired flavor profiles thanks to co-branding.
Even more interesting is co-branding helps instill a feeling of confidence amongst consumers. The Food Institute found that consumers may be more willing to try new products if it features a brand they already trust. When launching new product lines, co-branding can be a powerful tool in uniting unique customer bases to help a product excel.
The Denali Brands business has greatly benefited from co-branding – It’s what our business is built on! When the Moose Tracks flavor was launched in 1988, it was a flavor local to Northern Michigan. Since then, it’s been licensed to brand partners throughout North America.
Lessons on co-branding
Co-branding isn’t a cake walk, though. We’ve certainly had our fair share of challenges and lessons. With the continued demand for co-branded products in the marketplace, we’re ending this article with our two key lessons from a nearly 40-year history of co-branding.
Number one: be your brand’s biggest champion. The road to co-branding isn’t always easy; like running any product, it can come with its own set of challenges and risks. We’ve certainly been told “no” many times throughout the years. However, our leadership team never let rejection win. They relentlessly backed our product and weren’t afraid to show off their love for Moose Tracks. This helped us find like-minded partners who understood that our shared passions combined may create something bigger. Take it from us: Your passion can be contagious, so embrace it! Doesn’t this picture sum it up? Our founder, Wally, takes is love for Moose Tracks seriously!
Number two: Step outside the box. It might be a cliché, but it’s true. There are opportunities to innovate beyond the category that you’re currently in, so don’t shy away from seeking them out. In the last year, we set out on a mission to grow beyond the ice cream category, which has which has led us to unique Moose Tracks products in snack aisles, as well as the fitness space. Who knew Moose Tracks could make a great protein powder? We’ve found that by stepping outside our comfort zone, we found perspectives which led to growth in unexpected ways. It’s a “yes man” mantra that helped us embrace the unknown!
Part of what makes Moose Tracks so fun is that we’re able to work with so many unique dairy processers and brands across the United States and Canada. Some of our relationships date back to 1988, with dairy companies that have been making amazing ice cream for over 100 years. And some of our brand partners are new in their space and looking to expand their footprint as they navigate the new world of brand management and manufacturing.
The ice cream industry is an incredible group of people in that we all want each other to succeed. It is not lost on us that attending industry events is essentially being put in a room with your “competition”, yet it is never viewed this way. It’s almost like a family reunion! With this, we have some great trade associations who have worked hard to create resources that have been vetted by our veteran partners as a great road map for success.
The first resource we recommend is safeicecream.org. It provides a ton of great food safety and manufacturing materials and even breaks it down by state! Several ice cream trade associations collaborated on this website, and it is updated regularly.
Secondly, we’d suggest the Ice Cream Technology Conference as an annual event to get to know other businesses in your industry and learn about the latest advancements in ice cream. It’s usually held in April, and attendees range from large manufacturers, suppliers, to emerging brands. A variety of R&D, regulatory, and executive team members attend. It’s also usually in a beautiful and warm location, so that doesn’t hurt!
Lastly, the Penn State Ice Cream Short Course covers virtually every topic when it comes to safe, quality ice cream processing. It’s also a great opportunity to meet peers in the ice cream space. It’s a weeklong commitment, and you’ll come away with a ton of valuable information that you’ll use for years to come. Many of our colleagues in our industry have attended, whether early in their careers, or as a way to reinforce the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the years. Kenny on the DB team is an ’94 Penn State Short Course grad, Caroline is ’19 grad, and Cam a ’21 grad!
We’d love to hear from you! Do you have any recommendations for resources to add to this? Do you have any questions for us? Please reach out!
