Stretching from Snack Brands Into Something More

Challenge

Exploring how iconic snack brands could credibly stretch into new aisles while staying true to what people love most about them.

As our client looked to expand beyond snacking, they faced a familiar challenge: people were open to seeing their favorite brands show up in new places but only if those moves felt real, exciting, and grounded in brand truths. So we set out to identify the sweet spot between novelty and credibility, and figuring out which ideas people would actually reach for again and again.

Approach

This phase built directly off the momentum of our innovation workshop, leveraging the motivational mindset work as a strategic foundation.

We brought a diverse mix of eaters into virtual rooms and real conversations, each anchored in a different mindset from earlier phases of work. Together, we tested a broad range of early innovation ideas that reimagined how the brand could show up in meals, kits, kiosks, and more.

Some ideas sparked genuine excitement. Others hit resistance. But across the board, we uncovered a set of consistent principles: people are drawn to familiar flavors, but only when they deliver a fresh twist. They welcome brand stretch when it solves a real need or adds joy to a routine but not when it feels forced. Fun works. Function wins. Credibility is everything.

Impact

This work sharpened the team’s instinct for what “brand-right innovation” really means and what it doesn’t. It provided a clear filter for prioritizing concepts and refining how the brand shows up in new spaces. Several top-performing ideas are now moving into development, backed by a richer understanding of what makes people say yes, what keeps them coming back, and what makes them quietly put it back on the shelf.