Should the advice “better safe than sorry” be universally applied in business? I consistently mention strategies that increase safety, such as financial buffering, stress testing your business model, and building operational resiliency, but what about brand positioning? Despite this trying economic environment, some CPG brands continue to thrive. These top-performing CPG brands work tirelessly to understand their core consumers. Additionally, they identify what those consumers want, where, when, why, and how they want it. Fact is, the CPG industry is bursting with growth opportunities for unique, compelling brands.

Your CPG brand has on average a few seconds to make a good impression before the customer moves on to the next option. Effective and appealing packaging design not only makes it more likely for one product to be chosen over alternatives, but it also reflects on the values of the brand. This is what makes packaging design just as important as the product itself. It has a major influence over the buying decisions of consumers. I provide 10 CPG packaging trends that can definitely help positively impact a brand’s sales activity.

You’ve likely heard me say countless times that a “great product is only the entry fee to compete in today’s functional CPG market”, but what’s at the heart of that statement? The hard truth is that there has never been as many functional CPG brands and products as there are today, so if you think the answer to winning in today’s market is adding more product features than you’re in trouble.

With margin being squeezed in every direction, something must give to satisfy Americans that have been drunk on low prices for decades. I believe that contract manufacturers are peering through a massive window of opportunity. The internet provides them with the ability to go direct-to-consumer and remove various intermediaries (or middlemen). Toss in the power of celebrities and the consumer-to-manufacturer (C2M) model could be extremely special.