I always encourage food and drink producers to work with other food and drink producers for several reasons:
1) It can really help raise brand awareness of your product to a wider audience – you’ve got two tribes of followers instead of just your own to speak with.
2) You can share ideas and share learnings and if it’s not competing with your brand you can help each other out in different areas. You might be doing something better than them in one area – they may be good at something that they can help you with.
3) It can grow your social media following – for example running competitions or giveaways where you must like and follow both accounts can really help boost your number of followers
4) It can increase sales – via comps, giveaways but also you could look at teaming up with other brands that have similar target consumers to your brand and sell as a bundle on their online shop too. Or how about offering your product up as an ingredient in another brand? Think Toast Ale made with raspberries from Rubies in the Rubble; Lottie Shaws Fruit Cake with Little Valley Brewery Stout…. You are then introducing your product to a whole new audience.
5) Don’t forget too about the very important benefit of delighting your customers! If you’re working with brands that your customers are going to like, you’re introducing them to something great and of interest – so you’re being helpful to them, giving them just another reason to trust you as a brand.
Shows are a great way to get to know other brands so make sure you give yourself time to network at them and make connections as well as selling/showcasing your brand.
When choosing which brands to partner with, you just need to make sure you choose a brand that shares the sames values as your brand and the same target consumers.
If you want to find out more about this topic and see some great examples head over to our free webinar – Brand Collaborations – great ideas for food and drink businesses.