One of the world’s largest food companies is moving to completely revamp its namesake product packaging. This rebrand will focus on the Canadian roots of its products and position the brand in line with the increasing “buy Canadian” movement. Philadelphia cream cheese, Kraft peanut butter, and Heinz ketchup are all made with pride in Canada. They are already set to debut new labels that draw attention to their domestic origins. The company is counting on the fact that consumers’ desire to buy local is a permanent change in purchasing patterns. This new initiative was born out of that deep belief.
The company plans to change its labels to clearly indicate the sourcing locations of those products within Canada. Beyond the retail element, this strategic move will bolster its affiliation with Canadian consumers. Consumers can expect new labeling on poultry products moving forward. Rather than “raised on Canadian farms,” the rebranded labels will indicate “raised on Western Canadian farms.” This adds much more specific geographic information. Furthermore, colourful stickers stating “proudly Canadian” will be affixed to each of these farm products—driving home just where they originated.
The company’s consumer outreach goes beyond organic ingredients. At first, the company started slapping big “made in Canada” blocks on the front of packages. This would have impacted a wide range of their products, such as Que Pasa corn chips, which already carried such labels. The company is blowing up these logos on certain products. This creates a clearer experience for consumers, making it easier to identify Canadian-made goods at a glance.
“I think it’s heightened right now, but based on consumer sentiment and what we’re seeing, I think this is something that’s going to continue to be important” – Irving
Irving’s thoughts are a reflection of a wider industry realization that the demand for Canadian products is at an all-time high. The corporation’s move to begin implementing these labeling changes is staggered to go into effect over the next several months. Because of current inventories, it will be months before these new packages start appearing on store shelves.
“It’s by far the most dramatic and swiftest shift I’ve seen in consumer behaviour” – Peter Chapman
Chapman’s lamenting serves to emphasize the swift pace of change in what consumers demand and what they value. Second, he wants companies to do a better job of marketing themselves. This ensures that their product representation matches the growing consumer demand for knowing where exactly their food comes from.
Although these efforts to emphasize Canadian origins may help, the company is working with limitations. They can’t put the “made in Canada” or “product of Canada” on the packaging because it’s all packaged up. That’s because of regulatory limitations and their unique inventory management systems. The company holds three months’ worth of packaging inventory in stock. This could result in a phased approach to adoption of the new provisions.
“Companies have to be their own advocate to make sure it’s correct” – Chapman
The emphasis on Canadian origin is not just a marketing ploy. More than that, it fulfills a powerful consumer demand for transparency about the provenance of what we eat and drink. As global events drive more demand for sustainable practices, companies have started thinking outside the box to meet these consumer demands.
