How to Build a Strong Identity for Your Food Business

Existing in the food industry can be rewarding, but it’s also challenging. Customer expectations are higher than ever, and you’ll also have to contend with a lot of competitors, too. This can make it difficult even for food businesses that have excellent products to get ahead. 

Establishing a strong brand identity is paramount for ensuring that your customers interact with your business in a positive way, which in turn will make it easier to earn repeat business and receive positive reviews, both of which can be essential for long-term success. We’ll take a look at a few handy tips for how to do this below. 

Emphasize Your USP

You’ll have something that sets your brand apart from the rest. Part of the process of building a strong identity is to make sure that your customers can see what it is. Your USP will, in all likelihood, be a number of things — maybe you use locally sourced ingredients, you’re a family-owned business, or you’re a relaxed space where everyone, including pets, is welcome. All of these things should be given the spotlight so that potential customers know exactly what you’re about before they even interact with your business. 

Hire Enthusiastic Staff

When we say ‘hire enthusiastic staff,’ we don’t just mean hiring a team of employees who like working with the public. That should be a no-brainer for all service-based food businesses. No, we mean hiring staff who are genuinely enthusiastic about the type of business that you run. For example, if you’re a vegan restaurant, then it’ll make sense to hire employees who also follow that lifestyle. You’ll find that this enthusiasm allows them to interact with your customers in a sincere way, which can have a subtle but noticeable impact on the customer’s experience. 

Exploring Branding Opportunities

It’s your food creations that’ll do the majority of the talking for your business. But it’s also worth paying attention to everything around your food creations. For example, what does your space say about your business? Is it in line with who you are as a brand? Even your packaging can be used to further your brand — delivering your products in custom deli paper, using branded cups, or having take-out paper bags with your branding on the front all help to strengthen your brand identity. They’re touches that have a positive impact on the customer’s impression of your business.

Get Serious About Social Media

Your business needs to be on Instagram. Food businesses actually have a pretty great advantage over other types of businesses, and that’s that people like looking at images of food on their social media accounts. You can use your Instagram and Facebook accounts to showcase not only your food products but the behind-the-scenes operations that define who you are as a brand. It’s not an exaggeration to say that, done correctly, your social media accounts can be a game-changer for your business. If you don’t have the time or expertise to do it yourself, then hand it over to a digital agency that specialises in the food industry.