Launch a brand
people want to shop
You’ve got a product idea and maybe even started formulating— but you’re not sure how to turn it into a brand. That’s where I come in.
Launching a CPG food or beverage brand? Start with brand strategy.
Launching a CPG food or beverage brand? Start with brand strategy.
Launching a CPG food or beverage brand? Start with brand strategy. Launching a CPG food or beverage brand? Start with brand strategy.
Build your brand right from the start
Building a CPG food & beverage brand isn’t just about your product— it’s about launching a brand people want to shop.
But before your brand name, logo, packaging, or even choosing flavors… comes brand strategy.
This is where I come in.
Brand strategy is the roadmap that turns a product idea into a brand. It defines what makes you different, why people will buy, and how you’ll build buzz for your launch and stand out on shelf.
You’ll use this roadmap to make every early decision— sharing it with your food scientist for formulation direction, shaping your content as you build in public, giving it to your designer for branding and packaging, pitching early investors, and landing your first retail partners.
And I don’t hand over the strategy and leave. I’m with you as you put it into action— advising you through every step, connecting you with the right partners, and helping you launch with buzz. You get the roadmap and an industry insider in your corner.
As a first-time food or beverage founder, you’re juggling a lot. And without a clear strategy, it’s easy to fall into common missteps like confusing messaging, inconsistent branding, or missed retail opportunities that slow your launch before it even begins.
That’s why brand strategy before launch changes everything.
Meet Kelly
Hi! I’m Kelly Bennett a New York City–based brand strategist for CPG food & beverage founders and host of Emerging Brands Podcast®.
I got my start in CPG by bootstrapping a nationally recognized plant-based restaurant. I built community before launch through social media, activations, and partnerships, then scaled it from the ground up earning press in Forbes, CNN, and the LA Times, and expanding to multiple locations. Along the way, I collaborated with emerging CPG brands we sourced from, gaining firsthand insight into what early-stage founders truly need and why consumers choose the brands that fit their lifestyle. Combined with 15+ years working with early-stage brands across hospitality, food, beverage, and lifestyle, this experience shaped the framework, industry network, and market insight I now bring to founders.
Today, I help pre-launch CPG founders turn better-for-you product ideas into brands people want to shop.
Why Brand Strategy
pre-launch
create your audience early with a list of people excited to buy at launch
1.
2.
You’ll have a roadmap and an industry insider in your corner as you launch
Launch with buzz by Building in public, activations, and community before hitting shelves
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Brand Concept: Explains what your brand is, why it exists, and what makes it stand out in the market
Founder & Brand Story: Connects your personal journey with the problem your brand solves
Media Bio: Provides a press-ready intro that highlights your key selling points
Consumer Problem & Solution: Defines the customer need and how your product is their answer
Brand Differentiators: Pinpoints the unique features that set your brand apart
Brand Messaging to Test Pre Launch: Outlines the core messages that communicate your value and builds buzz. use for content, sampling, tasting to test messaging before packaging
Brand Opportunities: Identifies trends, whitespace, and positioning that give you an edge
Brand Values: Clarifies the principles that guide your brand and connect with consumers
Brand Voice & Personality: Inspiration for visual branding & packaging design
Pack Claims: Short phrases on your packaging that quickly tell shoppers what your product is and why they should care before they ever read the ingredients
Brand Name Concepts (if needed): Naming options that capture your identity and are memorable
Tagline Concepts: Distilling your brand into a short and punchy line
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Product & Launch Skus: Defines the lead product that represents your brand and drives your launch
Customer Lifestyle Profile: Describes your early adopters, their habits, and how your product fits their life
Consumer Selling Points: Highlights the must-have features that drives sales & reorders
Buyer Use Cases: Shows real-life scenarios where your product becomes the go-to choice
Retail Positioning for Launch (with consulting from Nicole Krasnow Smith): Along side myself, I bring in a retail buyer. Nicole will work with you to differentiate your product, think about potential competition, and help you navigate how you position your brand. There's a difference between a new brand, and a category disruptor, and Nicole will help you make waves.
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Pre-launch Content Hooks: Storylines that builds buzz and audience
Instagram Bio: Explaining how to fill our your social media bios
Brand Activation Series: Creates a repeatable plan for activations that build buzz and visibility
Brand Partnerships (with Nicole Krasnow Smith): Along side myself, I’ll bring in Nicole who will provide ideas and execution strategies on how to show up in your community, on menu, and more. Not only is it important to get on shelf, but you need to sell! Partnerships is truly the combination of sales and marketing.
What's inside your brand strategy...
What's inside your brand strategy...
Your Brand Strategy will…
uncover what makes your product unique and stands out on the shelf
find out who’s your consumer and how to reach them
create buzz with content, activations, and first retailers
Who I work with
First-time CPG food & beverage founders
pre-launch brands
delicious products
founders ready to turn product ideas into a brand
Working with me, you’ll get…
Clients
cotto
Reimagining classic dips
Frankly Good Coffee
Make your mornings suck less
She’s the sauce
Sauce, with benefits
Brands to watch: She's the Sauce, Cotto, Nomie, Glowstate, Little Twists, Afternoon Toast
Brands to watch: She's the Sauce, Cotto, Nomie, Glowstate, Little Twists, Afternoon Toast
Emerging Brands Podcast®
Stories behind the brands you’ll want to shop next.
Client launch!
My client She's the Sauce had a sold-out presale! You’ll soon taste a new protein-packed, fiber-filled sauce line; starting with creamy ranch and honey mustard. These sauces are made without seed oils, gums, or fillers, making them a clean, better-for-you option!
