Writing For Food Industry

Most content teams treat marketing like a guessing game. I used to do the same: Post what felt right. Hope it worked. Move on. Then I saw this framework… And it changed how I think about content strategy completely. It’s called the Content Marketing Matrix: Map content based on two things: - How ready the buyer is - What kind of mindset they’re in (Emotional or Rational) That gives you 4 clear content roles: 🎭 ENTERTAIN (Emotional + Awareness) “How do we spark attention?” - Product teasers - UGC giveaways - Interactive reels - Launch hype Use when people are just discovering you. No hard sell yet. ✨ INSPIRE (Emotional + Purchase) “How do we build belief?” - Creator endorsements - Customer reviews - Community stories - Social proof Use when people are interested but need trust to take the leap. 📚 EDUCATE (Rational + Awareness) “How do we answer early questions?” - Blog articles - Trend reports - Ingredient breakdowns - Founder insights Use when people are curious, comparing, or searching. ✅ CONVINCE (Rational + Purchase) “How do we help them decide?” - Size guides - Price comparisons - Case studies - Product FAQs Use when they’re close to buying, but still hesitating. The best part? You don’t need to guess what to post anymore. You just need to know where your audience is and what they need to hear. Because content doesn’t work when it’s random. It works when it’s mapped to intent. Save this. Share with your team. And use it to build a strategy, not just a calendar. Try Glowtify for free: https://glowtify.com/ Helping D2C brands grow with smarter marketing systems Was this helpful? Repost and share it ♻️ Follow me, Marc Allard, if you're scaling a DTC brand without burning out.

🍓🥥Food = Cultural Equity = Smart Advertising. Brands are no longer just selling products. They’re selling flavors, they’re selling feelings. Why? Because food is fun, personal, culturally rich, and impossible to scroll past. Food is a cultural access point. It builds emotional connection, sparks nostalgia, and drives consumer attention faster than traditional ads ever could. Look at rhode skin, LANEIGE, and SKIMS: rhode skin turned a donut into a cultural icon with their strawberry glaze campaign. Skincare instantly became sensory, delicious, and shareable. ROI: Sold-out launches, TikTok virality, cross-category relevance. LANEIGE makes lip care craveable with gummy bear and watermelon pop flavors, transforming daily skincare into a sweet, sensory ritual. ROI: Category leadership, high recall, and a product people love to photograph. SKIMS served pancakes and waffles in their pop-ups, making shapewear feel playful, human, and irresistibly fun. ROI: Viral social content, experiential buzz, brand intimacy. Food is not just an aesthetic, it’s cultural equity.  It carries stories, identity, and pride. It delivers higher engagement, faster recall, and genuine consumer love. Brands that treat food as cultural capital, not just a gimmick, are the ones winning the race for relevance. What’s a flavor or dish you’d love to see your favorite brand bring to life? #FoodMarketing #CulturalEquity #BrandStrategy #Rhode #Laneige #Skims #AdvertisingTrends #Storytelling #ConsumerBehavior #MarketingStrategy

How the Humble American Diner Became the Stage for Brand Storytelling.... When we think of a diner, we think nostalgia. Neon lights, checkered floors, milkshakes, and the smell of fries drifting through the air. But today, brands aren’t just serving nostalgia, they’re serving story, theatre, and tangible brand experiences that make people stop, engage, and remember. Take Tesla’s Cybertruck “Tesla Diner & Drive-In.” It’s not just about the Superchargers. It’s about a retro-futuristic diner and drive-in theatre that transforms a functional stop into a multi-sensory moment. The diner becomes the stage where Tesla’s narrative, 'innovation meets Americana' comes alive. It’s tactile, it’s playful, and it’s a perfect example of a brand turning necessity into experience. Luxury and lifestyle brands are doing the same. CHANEL, SKIMS, and Jellycat have used pop-up diners to reinforce their brand DNA while giving consumers a physical, sensory connection. Think soft tactile displays, curated menus, neon signs echoing campaign aesthetics, and social moments built into every corner. The diner becomes a theatrical playground: consumers don’t just buy a product, they inhabit it. They sip, they snap, they share. So why does this work so well? It taps into the experience economy and Gen-Z’s appetite for moments that feel real, tangible, and shareable. A diner is both familiar and fantastical, it’s something people already know how to navigate, yet it can be transformed into a brand’s universe. Retro cues spark nostalgia, playful design encourages interaction, and the combination of taste, touch, and sight delivers multi-sensory engagement that static campaigns can’t match. They also offer collaboration potential; menus, merch, even limited-edition treats become vehicles for storytelling and co-creation. Social content writes itself: photo-booths, milkshake moments, and a drool inducing aesthetic, all make for irresistible feed fodder. And because diners are inherently communal, they naturally create micro-communities around the brand experience. For me, the power of the pop-up diner is that it’s more than just activation, it’s a physical manifesto of a brand’s values and aesthetics, inviting consumers to live the story, not just consume it. It’s theatre, tactility, and sensory engagement all rolled into one. Brands today aren’t just launching products, they’re designing worlds. So, are you still marketing products, or are you serving experiences with a side of storytelling? ________________ *Hi, I am Tim Nash. I help global brands build connected campaigns that resonate across every touchpoint. 🚀 #BrandExperience #ExperientialMarketing #RetailInnovation #GenZTrends #StorytellingInRetail #CulturalStrategy #BrandActivations #ExperienceEconomy Pictures courtesy of Glossier, Inc. / Skims / Chanel / Tesla / Benefit Cosmetics

Stop Posting Just Room Photos on Socials! Here’s What Guests Actually Want to See. Be honest with yourself, how many times has your hotel’s socials posted a perfectly polished room photo with a caption like: "A cozy escape awaits. Book now. ✨" And how many times did that post actually drive engagement… or, better yet, a booking? The truth? Guests don’t book because of a bed and four walls. They book for the experience. Yet, so many hotels (and restaurants) flood their feeds with soulless, salesy photos that look just like every other property. If your social media feels more like an online catalog than a destination, you’re missing the point. And here’s the real game-changer: With AI improving at an insane pace, software will soon generate better images of our hotel rooms than we ever could anyway! Perfect lighting, flawless composition, AI will do it all. Just like the image in those post. So, what will actually make a difference? The stories and experiences we share. What Should You Post Instead? 📍 The Destination : Guests aren’t just staying at your hotel; they’re visiting your city. We’re focusing on highlighting local gems, hidden spots, and experiences they won’t find on TripAdvisor. 👩🍳 Behind-the-Scenes Stories : Meet the chef behind your restaurant. Show how your cocktails are crafted. Introduce the team that makes the magic happen. People connect with people, not just places. 🎥 Guest-Generated Content : A guest’s TikTok or Instagram Story will always feel more authentic than a corporate post. That’s why we’re actively encouraging and sharing real experiences from real people. 🐶 Unique Experiences – Is your hotel pet-friendly? Show a guest’s dog getting VIP treatment. Do you have a rooftop with an insane sunset view? Capture it in the moment. We’re prioritising content that makes guests feel something. 😂 Relatable Moments – The WiFi struggle at check-in. The joy of room service at midnight. The feeling of slipping into a fresh hotel robe. We’re leaning into humour, nostalgia, and moments guests actually remember. The Bottom Line? Our guests don’t just want a room. They want a story to tell and a memory to take home. That’s exactly why our hotel group has shifted the focus of our social media strategy. Less staged perfection, more real experiences with the teams on the ground diving right in to get on board! AI will generate the polished images, but it won’t replace human connection. What’s the best-performing post you’ve seen from a hotel or restaurant? Drop a link, I’d love to check it out! 👇🏼

Eco lodges. Community-led tours. Flight-free packages. These are experiences that you may want to promote and sell, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁. Not really. Hear me out 👇 Back in the '60s, Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt said, "𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲." The same applies to responsible tourism. Travellers don’t want to book an eco lodge—they want what staying at an eco lodge 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. 🌿 A nature-based experience? Yes, but that’s not the full story. 🏕️ An escape from city life? Closer, but we need to go deeper. 💭 A way to align their values with their actions? Now we’re getting somewhere. ❤️ 𝗔 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁? Bingo. The decision to book isn’t just about 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 they’ll stay—it’s about 𝘄𝗵𝘆 they’re staying there. They’re not booking a lodge; they’re booking: ✅ 𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻—the chance to unplug and reconnect with nature. ✅ 𝗔 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁—knowing their stay contributes to conservation and local communities. ✅ 𝗔 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻—a travel experience that leaves them feeling different, even changed. Many responsible tourism brands market 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 (solar panels, certifications, carbon offsets) rather than 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. Don’t get me wrong, those features are still important, but travellers don’t choose a destination based on sustainability checklists alone—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽. So, instead of just saying "We’re an eco-lodge," tell them: 👉 "𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀." Instead of "Our tours support local communities," say: 👉 "𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀-𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱." Sustainability is the how—but 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝘆. Sustainable travel brands that connect on this level will attract the right travellers, build loyalty, and inspire word-of-mouth marketing. For more tips, join my mailing list and download 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 here: https://lnkd.in/eWJSXmu2 And, if you need help 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲, book in a friendly chat with me here: https://lnkd.in/efn22GnY #SustainableTourism #TourismMarketing

Food colonialism is all about how colonizers have not only taken land and resources from indigenous peoples but have also swooped in and claimed their culinary traditions as their own. This practice often involves taking traditional dishes and herbs, rebranding them, and erasing the original cultural stories behind them. Throughout history, colonizers have used food colonialism to assert their dominance. For example, during British rule in India, local spices and dishes were often modified or rebranded to suit British tastes, leading to a loss of authenticity and cultural heritage. Similarly, in the Americas, European settlers took indigenous crops like maize and potatoes, claiming them as their own discoveries while sidelining the agricultural knowledge of Native peoples. In Palestine, we see a similar pattern. Israelis have rebranded traditional Palestinian foods like Hummus, za'atar, labneh, and falafel as Israeli dishes. This appropriation not only strips these foods of their true cultural significance but also reinforces a narrative that diminishes Palestinian identity. A notable example is the book „How to Cook in Palestine“, published in 1930 by the Women's International Zionist Organization. This book presented Palestinian recipes within a framework that aligned them with Zionist ideals, complicating the relationship between food and national identity. The appropriation of cuisine is a powerful tool in the larger strategy of cultural erasure. By claiming traditional dishes as their own, colonizers diminish the cultural narratives of indigenous peoples, rewriting history to favor their version. This is especially clear in how Israeli cuisine is often showcased internationally, overshadowing the rich culinary heritage of Palestinian culture.

A $48bn margin shift is hitting global food and drink. $12bn in snacking revenue is at risk. This weekend I’ve been thinking about what GLP-1s might really mean for the food industry. UK snack sales are already falling, sweet down 6.1% and salty down 1.2%. In the US households with a GLP-1 user cut grocery spend by 5–6% in six months. I’ve mapped my view onto a curve with six stages: ➡️ Narrative Reset: Brands start to talk about satiety, portion control and protein as a way to stay relevant. Marketing always moves first ➡️ Product Contraction: Indulgence SKUs shrink with smaller packs, calorie cuts and defensive reformulation. Decline is managed not reversed ➡️Portfolio Shift: Capital moves into satiety and nutrient dense ranges. Protein, functional and wholefood products start to dominate ➡️ Channel Reset: Retailers and foodservice change formats, ranges and promotions. Marketing support accelerates the shift by pushing protein and wholefood choices harder ➡️ Demand Reset: Calorie consumption per person falls and does not recover. P&Ls change, indulgence slows and nutrition accelerates. The scale of disruption will unfold in the coming months and years ➡️ Consolidation: Early movers in wholefoods and nutrition consolidate share. Late entrants exit or get absorbed. How far this goes will only become clear as the reset plays out In my view, Stages 1–4 are already happening and backed by evidence. Stages 5–6 are speculative but show the direction of travel. We are firmly in Stage 2 edging into Stage 3. The curve below shows the path. If you want the full breakdown with examples I’ve put it together link in the comments

FDA forces structural shift in food coloring – natural dyes meet industrial reality The FDA has approved three new natural color additives - derived from galdieria algae, butterfly pea flower, and calcium phosphate - pushing the food industry toward a synthetic dye exit by the end of 2026. This aligns with the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, aiming to eliminate petroleum-based additives from ultraprocessed foods. But behind the political signal lies a complex operational reality. Reformulating products at scale is far from trivial. It requires secure agricultural sourcing, adjusted supply chains, and overhauled manufacturing infrastructure. According to the International Association of Color Manufacturers, meeting the FDA’s timeline would be "highly disruptive" for the industry. Still, leaders like PepsiCo, Tyson Foods, and McCormick & Company are responding, with reformulation activity on the rise. The U.S. food coloring market exceeds $2B, and demand for natural alternatives is growing fast - but current global supply cannot yet meet industrial volume needs. The race is on: reformulation speed must now match regulatory pressure. #fda #naturalcolors #foodindustry #foodregulation #cleanlabel #healthyliving #fmcg #retailtech #foodtech #ingredientinnovation #productdevelopment #supplychain #manufacturing #ecommerce #omnichannel #marketing #sales #consumertrends #investors #startups #mccormick #pepsico #tyson #us #northamerica #agriculture #coloradditives #foodscience #foodpolicy #sustainablefood #ultraprocessedfoods

🍒 Here's how we helped a healthy food brand transform their social media in 3 months by using 4 steps: When our new client approached us at The Z Link, they were struggling with: 🌀 Low engagement on their Instagram despite consistent content 🌀 Consistently getting less than 1000 views on TikTok 🌀 Minimal conversions from their social posts 🌀 Frustration with paid ads that weren’t delivering an ROI Their team was disappointed, seeing their efforts fall flat, and doubting whether social media was the right channel for their brand to be on at all. When we started working together, we focused on redefining their strategy from the start. Here are the 4 steps we took to turn things around: 🎨 Content revamp: We developed a new creative approach that showcased the brand’s appeal to audiences interested in health and wellness, while focusing a lot on founder-led storytelling that showcased the humanity behind the brand. 🤝 Community engagement: We implemented tactics to foster a genuine connection with their audience, proactively engaging with them and including them in the brand's story by purposely creating content that started conversations. 📱 Influencer partnerships: We identified micro-influencers who aligned with their brand, and started strategic short and long-term collaborations that boosted their reach and credibility. 📈 Analytics-driven adjustments: We believe in consistently analyzing what's working, experimenting and adapting, to optimize every post and campaign for maximum impact. Now, they're seeing a 60% monthly increase in engagement on Instagram, their community is growing consistently, and TikTok is getting them new customers through word of mouth thanks to creators and organic content. I'm doing this little deep dive today because I want to highlight that this could be your brand too. 👀 I’m looking for 3 more brands who want to refresh and improve their social media presence and start turning engagement into sales. DM me "social strategy" and I'll send over some details!! 💙👩🏻💻

Food Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility! Let’s build a safer, healthier future—one meal at a time! Why is food safety so important? Every dish that leaves the kitchen carries more than just flavor—it carries trust, hygiene, and responsibility. Whether you’re working in a commercial kitchen, food manufacturing plant, or managing a home-based food business, maintaining food safety isn’t just about compliance—it’s about protecting lives. That’s why I created this Ultimate Food Safety Checklist! It’s your go-to guide to keeping food safe, clean, and compliant at every step—from storage to serving. Here’s what’s inside: 1. Personal Hygiene 🧼 Wash hands properly 👕 Wear clean clothing & aprons ✂️ Keep nails short & clean ❌ Avoid working when sick 🙅♀️ Don’t touch your face while prepping food 2. Cleaning & Sanitizing 🧽 Sanitize surfaces, utensils, and tools 🔪 Use separate boards for meats & veggies 🍎 Wash all fruits & veggies thoroughly ♨️ Hot soapy water is your best friend 3. Safe Food Storage ❄️ Fridge ≤ 4°C | Freezer ≤ -18°C 🥩 Store raw meat in leak-proof containers 🗂️ Label & date leftovers 🔥 Keep food away from heat sources 4. Temperature Control 🌡️ Use a food thermometer 🍗 Poultry: 74°C | 🥩 Ground Meat: 71°C | 🐟 Seafood: 63°C ⏲️ Never leave food out >2 hours 🔥 Hot food ≥ 60°C | ❄️ Cold food ≤ 4°C 5. Cross-Contamination Prevention ⚠️ Keep raw & cooked foods separate 🧤 Use gloves & discard after raw food use 🧼 Wash hands after handling raw meat 6. Defrosting 🧊 Thaw in fridge, cold water (changed every 30 min), or microwave 🚫 Never thaw on the counter 7. Food Preparation 👨🍳 Stir for even cooking 🥘 Avoid overcrowding pans 🍱 Use shallow containers for cooling 8. Food Handling 🚫 Don’t eat/drink in prep areas 🥄 Use utensils or gloves ♻️ Discard expired/spoiled food 9. Pest Control 🐜 Keep food areas crumb-free 🛑 Store food in sealed containers 🔍 Regular pest inspections 10. Allergen Awareness ⚠️ Label allergens clearly 📚 Train staff on allergen control 11. Waste Management 🗑️ Clean bins regularly 🚮 Keep trash away from food areas 12. Employee Training 📖 Train staff regularly on food safety ✅ Ensure compliance with local laws ⸻ Because one small mistake in food handling can lead to BIG consequences… but one trained, responsible person can prevent them all! Let’s make food safety more than a checklist—let’s make it a culture! Stay safe, serve safe, and lead with responsibility! ⸻ #FoodSafetyFirst #HACCPLevel4 #CleanKitchen #FoodHandling #MicrobiologyInAction #SafeFoodMatters #PublicHealth #KitchenProtocols #ComplianceReady #FoodSafetyCulture #SafeStorage #SanitationMatters #GloveUp #NoCrossContamination #AllergenControl #TemperatureControl #ISO22000 #BRCGS #FSSAI #FSSC22000 #TrainToMaintain #FSMS #ServeWithCare #FoodSafetyWarrior #PreventDontRegret #FoodIndustryStandards #LinkedInLearning #HealthyHabitsHealthyLives #FoodHygieneAwareness