Redesigning an established brand identity is no easy task. But for Health-Ade Kombucha, the company decided it was best to simply follow its gut.
The California-based company announced today a comprehensive brand refresh across its entire product line, featuring new, brighter labels and updates to its messaging to emphasize its functional benefits. Though the brand has regularly tweaked its packaging over the years, the redesign is the most significant change to the product label since 2014. The new label was designed by New York creative agency SISTER STUDIO and led by its co-founder and creative director Lana Shahmoradian.
According to Health-Ade co-founder and CEO Daina Trout, a key driver for the move was to help the brand stand out and compete in an evolving health and wellness category. Although the kombucha category has seens sales growth level off in the past year, Trout said the plateauing is not due to a lack of consumer interest in kombucha but rather a broadening functional beverage set increasing competition.
“The health and wellness set has exploded,” she said. “And so whereas before we saw our competition as other kombuchas, and really it was when you went to the set eight years ago, now it’s like you can get every type of beverage with something sprinkled in it.”
Functional beverages in particular received a boost during the pandemic, as consumers sought out immunity and other health-boosting benefits from packaged food and drinks. While the functional boom has included everything from focus to sleep, an influx of innovations around gut health from brands like Poppi and Olipop have given probiotic-rich kombucha brands another direct competitor.
In addition to a more eye-grabbing look, Health-Ade’s refresh also aims to tie gut health to joy and happiness. The brand has adopted the slogan “Bubbly Probiotic Tea for a Happy Gut” for the front of the bottle, while the side includes information on how gut health impacts overall mood and wellness.
“We’re trying to subliminally make the connection to mood and happiness, so everything kind of looks like a smile,” Trout said. “It’s not hitting you over the head too much, but the goal is to really get people to see that this is going to make you feel good.”
To promote this new “Gut Gaze” focus, Health-Ade is launching a multimillion dollar national marketing campaign built around healthy digestion. The campaign will feature digital videos, social media content, display ads and influencers, and will focus on themes such as immunity, energy and skincare. The company has also updated its website to feature an interactive “Gut Health 101” page.
But as shelf space becomes tighter, innovation also becomes more important. Last August, Health-Ade launched its Plus line of kombuchas with additional functionality in Whole Foods stores nationwide. Trout said the line — which features drinks with potassium, L-theanine, guarana and other ingredients — is now expanding into additional retailers and the packaging on Plus will also receive a minor update to align with the core line. The company will aim to sell the line into its existing accounts and will focus first on expanding in its higher velocity customers.
The company is also updating its Health-Ade Booch Pop line, now known simply as Health-Ade Pop, a change intended to expand its base and bring in new shoppers. After studying consumer shopping trends throughout the pandemic, Trout said the company opted to remove “Booch” the line from kombucha while pushing harder on its positioning as a better-for-you soda.
The drinks, which contain prebiotics and are shelf-stable, have been reformulated and will begin rolling out to retailers next month. The line has also been extended to six flavors: Apple Snap, Ginger Fizz, Juicy Grape, Lemon Lime, Pomegranate Berry and Strawberry Vanilla.
“Health-Ade plans to be an enterprise — an everyday name, a household name,” Trout said. “That’s our goal. So we can’t do that by only connecting with the healthiest of the healthiest. We want to bring people in and be their gateway to healthier eating.”