How to Grow Ecommerce Revenue in The Food Industry

As the total UK food and drink market reached £278.5 billion in 2025, with continued growth forecast into 2026, it’s clear the sector presents huge opportunities for both emerging and established brands. However, with major supermarket brands and global food companies dominating shelf space and advertising budgets, breaking through can feel near impossible for smaller businesses and start-ups.

The good news? Strategic digital marketing can help level the playing field.

Having worked with start-up food brands that are now stocked in premium retailers such as Ocado, we’ve put together our 10 step guide to the most effective food industry marketing strategies for 2026.

1. Quality Imagery & Video
2. Build Credibility Early
3. Health Values vs. Unapologetic Indulgence
4. Social Media & Influencer Partnerships
5. Social Proof & Reviews
6. Optimised, High-performance Websites
7. Loyalty & Retention Schemes
8. Local SEO & Google Business Profile
9. Is PPC Advertising Effective for Food Brands?
10. Offline Marketing

 

 

Jump to article

 

1. Quality Imagery & Video

In an increasingly digital-first buying journey, the way your product looks online can determine whether customers click, scroll past, or add to basket.

Professional food photography and short-form video content has the ability to:

• Showcase product texture, freshness and quality
• Demonstrate preparation or serving suggestions
• Create emotional appeal around the eating experience

Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have made video-driven food discovery a major driver of consumer purchasing decisions. Investing in strong visual assets ensures your product looks as good online as it does on the plate.

2. Build Credibility Early

Trust is one of the biggest barriers for emerging food brands. Consumers want reassurance that a product is high quality, safe, and worth trying, particularly when they haven’t heard of the brand before.

One way to build credibility quickly is through recognised awards such as the Great Taste Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of the food world”.

Other trust signals include:

• Industry certifications
• Transparent ingredient sourcing
• Retail partnerships and stockists

One key rule: avoid “healthwashing” or “greenwashing.” Today’s consumers are highly informed and can quickly spot exaggerated health or environmental claims. Authenticity and transparency will always outperform overpromising.

3. Health Values vs Unapologetic Indulgence

Food marketing in 2026 is not purely about health. Consumers increasingly fall into two distinct mindsets:

• Balanced wellness
• Transparent ingredients
• Nutritional value
• Functional benefits

Or

• Joyful indulgence
• Treat-based products
• Comfort foods
• Rich, sensory experiences

Successful food brands clearly position themselves in one space or strike a deliberate balance between both. Trying to be everything to everyone rarely works.

4. Social Media & Influencer Partnerships

Social media has become one of the most powerful discovery channels for food products. Partnerships with relevant influencers, chefs, and food creators can rapidly introduce your brand to highly engaged audiences. Instagram and TikTok persist as the most effective platforms for food related content in driving conversion. For example, a single viral video on TikTok, such as the "Dubai Chocolate" trend, saw over 144,000 posts and actually impacted the global pistachio market. TikTok also reported that 69% of Gen Z discover new food products or brands through social media influencers.

Effective collaborations often include:

• Recipe integrations
• Product taste tests
• Unboxing and packaging showcases
• Micro-influencers in particular often deliver strong engagement for food brands due to their highly niche audiences.

5. Social Proof & Reviews

Before purchasing food products online, many customers look for reassurance from other buyers.

Positive reviews, testimonials, and customer content can significantly increase trust.

Encouraging reviews on your website as well as on platforms such as Trustpilot or Google Reviews can improve both credibility and search visibility.

6. Optimised, High-Performance Websites

Your website remains the central hub of your digital marketing ecosystem. Even if customers discover you through social media or retail, they often visit your website to validate credibility before purchasing.

High-performing food brand websites typically prioritise:

• Fast loading speeds
• Mobile-first design
• Clear product pages
• Simple e-commerce journeys
• SEO optimised product content

Organic search visibility can be particularly powerful for food brands targeting terms like:

“best brownies online UK”

“vegan snacks delivery”

“luxury hampers UK”

Ranking well for these queries can generate consistent revenue without ongoing ad spend.

7. Loyalty & Retention Schemes

Acquiring new customers is far more expensive than retaining existing ones. Food brands that succeed long term typically develop strong repeat purchase behaviour.

Retention strategies may include:

• Loyalty rewards programmes
• Subscription options
• Limited seasonal releases
• Exclusive discounts for returning customers

These tactics not only increase lifetime value but also strengthen brand relationships.

8. Local SEO & Google Business Profile

For food brands with physical locations, cafés, bakeries or production sites, local search visibility is essential. Optimising your Google Business Profile can help your brand appear in searches such as:

“brownies near me”

“artisan bakery Leicester”

“local food gifts”

Maintaining accurate opening hours, strong imagery, and customer reviews significantly improves local visibility.

9. Is PPC Advertising Effective for Food Brands?

Paid advertising can be effective, but it requires careful targeting and strategy or you can waste a lot of money.

Search advertising can work well for high-intent purchase searches, while social advertising can help generate brand awareness and drive traffic to product pages.

However, many food brands see stronger long-term ROI when SEO, content, and social visibility are established first, using paid advertising as a supplementary channel rather than the primary strategy.

10. Offline Marketing

Event Marketing & Food Festivals

Food festivals and experiential events allow customers to taste products directly, which dramatically increases purchase likelihood. Many brands also partner with events aligned with their values, whether that’s sustainability, wellness, or premium dining. These events also create valuable content opportunities for social media.

B2B Food Trade Shows

While not strictly a digital strategy, exhibiting at high-profile industry events can dramatically increase brand visibility. Events such as the UK Food & Drink Shows in London provide opportunities to connect with buyers, distributors, and retailers.

For emerging brands looking to secure retail listings, these events can be invaluable.

Supermarket Placement Strategy

Retail placement can shape brand perception. Some brands aim for mass exposure through the “Big Four” supermarkets, while others choose more premium channels. Retailers such as Ocado often attract customers actively seeking high-quality or speciality products, making them particularly attractive for premium food brands.

Choosing the right retail partner can influence how customers perceive your product.

Case Study: The Homemade Brownie Company

A strong example of a niche food brand building a successful digital presence is the Homemade Brownie Company.

By combining premium product positioning, strong visual branding, credibility, a clear online ordering journey and strategic retail partnerships, they have grown into a recognised brand stocked across multiple locations while maintaining a strong direct-to-consumer presence online with their ‘Build Your Brownie Box’ feature.

Their success highlights how a focused brand, strong product visuals, and clear positioning can help smaller food brands compete with larger players.

Food for thought…

The food industry in 2026 remains highly competitive, but the opportunities for innovative brands are still there. Those that combine strong branding, high-quality visuals and strategic digital marketing will be best positioned to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

If you’re looking to improve your food brand’s digital visibility, generate more online sales, or position your product for retail growth, a clear digital performance strategy is essential.

Get in touch to arrange a meeting with our marketing consultants and discover how your brand can grow in 2026 and beyond.

« All blogs