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Production first, marketing next, advertising no-no
How Eat Natural built up trust in its brand without advertising.
British snack bar company Eat Natural is leading the healthy living market for the past 20 years without advertising. How did it manage it?
Nicknamed the Makery, Eat Natural’s factory now produces 7 million bars a month - all made by hand - in batches of a 1,000. The brand employs close to 300 artisans who manufacture the bars, rolling out the ingredients by hand to the right shape and size.
From devising the initial concept in 1997 it took time for the team to get its gluten and preservative-free snack bars in front of the people who could help take Eat Natural to the masses. Initially, Eat Natural was confident that Barrett & Holland would pick up their product like a shot. But it was six years before Barrett & Holland did. That did not deter Eat Natural and its founder Praveen Vijh.
So if it does not believe in advertising how did Eat Natural become a leader? Eschewing high-profile ad campaigns, Eat Natural focused on allowing the product to shine through the packaging. The team deliberately opted for clear packaging in order to show shoppers the quality of the ingredients up close before they buy and to ensure they stood out from the competition at the point of sale.