The bakery and snack brands aiming for the stars by banking on big Hollywood names
Aligning with a big Hollywood names pays dividends, as experienced by a relatively-unknown Spanish snack producer when its canned Patatas Fritas appeared in 'Parasite', which became the first non-English language film to win an Oscar in the Best Picture category last year.
Bonilla a La Vita dominated headlines after it saw its sales surge by 150% following the silver screen debut of its potato chips.
Now, Bimbo Bakeries USA has enlisted John Stamos as ambassador for one of its popular bread brands.
American actor John Stamos will highlight BBU’s ‘seed-to-slice’ commitment in making its Arnold, Brownberry and Oroweat breads using sustainable methods and only natural ingredients.
“I’m honoured to deepen my relationship with Arnold, Brownberry and Oroweat bread since I am more aware than ever of how important it is to maintain a well-balanced diet filled with nourishing foods,” said Stamos, who will also star in the brand’s marketing campaign.
Meanwhile, King's Hawaiian, a Los Angeles-based family-owned and operated bakery, has signed up Guy Fieri.
Fieri – a chef, restaurateur and author – has inked a year-long partnership to play a key role in King Hawaiian’s multimillion dollar omnichannel marketing campaign, which showcases it as an 'essential part of every sandwich'.
“It’s gonna be great to show folks across the country everything that King’s Hawaiian brings to the table from their iconic rolls to their equally righteous sliced bread, mini-subs, sliders and buns. Whether we’re talking about my famous Motley Que sandwich or your own personal favourite, I can’t wait to show ya how, when it comes to food, everything is better between King’s Hawaiian bread,” said Fieri, who will be featured in TV commercials and online advertising, a digital content series, retail activations, public relations and social media campaigns throughout 2021.
Going public
Stryve Foods – an emerging heathy snack platform – has attracted the likes of actor and producer Channing Tatum and Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert as investors.
The company recently signed an agreement with Andina Acquisition Corp. III, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, which will see Stryve listed on NASDAQ under the ticker SNAX.
Stryve is on a mission to disrupt the meat snack category with its air-dried meat products that include biltong – a traditional air-dried snack from South Africa – and carne seca, which originated in Latin America. The process of air-drying meat vs. cooking (as is done with beef jerky) yields a product that has 40-50% more protein per serving than beef jerky.
“Eating healthier is a long-term consumer trend in America that is here to stay – yet most of the snacks in America are highly processed foods with little true nutritional value. Our Stryve products are a revolution in snacking that Americans are looking for … snacks that are high protein, no to low sugar, with nothing artificial and they taste amazing,” said Jaxie Alt, co-CEO and chief marketing officer of Stryve.
“People are searching for healthier, better tasting options for the way they snack, and Stryve raises the bar on both fronts,” added Tatum.
“I’m thrilled to be an investor and to support their mission to help America snack better, and on a personal note I love their products, which I enjoy when I’m training, camping, or just hanging at home.”
Equality and inclusion
Earlier this month, Oreo announced it was teaming up with Lady Gaga to spread messages of equality and kindness. The Mondelez brand has become an official sponsor of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and will be rolling out limited edition Lady Gaga-themed Oreo cookies inspired by Chromatica, the American singer’s sixth studio album released in May by Streamline and Interscope Records.
Also this month, Black female founded snack brand Partake Snacks announced it was capping an ‘exceptional year’ with a $4.8 million series A funding round, led by multi Grammy Award winner Rihanna.
To date, more than 50% of the top 8 allergen-free snack brand’s $7.5 million in funding has come from big names in the music industry, including Jay-Z’s VC fund, Marcy Venture Partners, and another Grammy Award-winner, H.E.R.
Another US bread brand, Flowers Foods-owned Wonder Breads, has signed up Emily Calandrelli, host of ‘Emily’s Wonder Lab’ on Netflix, to champion equity in education by inspiring the wonder of science among school students. The $100,000 Wonder of Science initiative coincides with the brand’s 100th anniversary.
