Food and beverage brands do more than fill grocery aisles. They support millions of jobs, fuel state economies, and help define American consumer culture. Across the country, thousands of small and mid-sized CPG companies are driving real economic value—and they’re growing fast.
The question now isn’t whether these brands matter. It’s how they break through. That’s where strategy, content, and creative marketing take over.
A National Look at the Economic Impact
There are over 36,000 food and beverage processing plants in the U.S., according to the USDA. These businesses span everything from fresh snack brands to ready-to-drink beverages. Together, they contribute hundreds of billions in GDP and employ over 1.7 million workers.
Here’s a quick look at how some key states contribute:
- California: The food and beverage sector ranks third among California’s manufacturing industries, generating $25B in direct value and supporting over 760,000 jobs when including indirect impact. The state is a global epicenter for innovation in beverages, plant-based foods, and fresh snack categories. Brands like Califia Farms, Health-Ade, and Sunbasket emerged from California’s entrepreneurial food scene. With strong consumer demand, access to venture capital, and proximity to top retailers and distributors, California continues to be one of the most fertile grounds for launching and scaling CPG brands.
- New York: Supporting over 987,000 jobs and contributing $139B to state GDP, New York is a powerhouse in both legacy and emerging CPG brands. It’s home to giants like PepsiCo and Kraft Heinz’s operations, but also incubates modern brands like Ithaca Hummus and Magic Spoon. With a strong presence in media, retail, and finance, New York offers unique access to resources that help food and beverage brands scale fast—especially in digital channels and omnichannel retail.
- Pennsylvania: Home to over 1 million food and beverage jobs and contributing $111.8B to the state economy, Pennsylvania has a deep manufacturing base in snack foods, dairy, and packaged goods. Brands like Utz, Hershey’s, and Turkey Hill were born here. The state is also seeing a rise in natural and specialty food startups tapping into consumer demand for clean labels and local sourcing. Its central location makes it a logistical hub for both Northeast and Mid-Atlantic distribution.
- Minnesota: The state is home to a strong network of food cooperatives, plant-based startups, and heritage brands. General Mills, based in Minneapolis, is a global player, while smaller brands like Seven Sundays (grain-free cereals) and Humble Nut Butter reflect the region’s appetite for natural, better-for-you foods. Minnesota’s mix of innovation, sustainability, and supply chain access makes it a key player in the Midwest CPG economy.
- Texas, Illinois, and Georgia: These states are key pillars of the U.S. food and beverage supply chain. Texas leads in food manufacturing and agricultural processing, with major cities like Dallas and Houston serving as growing hubs for snack and beverage startups. Illinois, anchored by Chicago, is home to established brands like Mondelez and Conagra, and is a top location for co-packers and innovation kitchens. Georgia, with its strong logistics network and access to Southeast markets, supports a booming specialty foods scene—including sauces, frozen foods, and beverages.
From rural co-packers to city-based startups, the food and beverage space is thriving—but also more crowded than ever.
Why Product Alone Doesn’t Cut It Anymore
A shelf-stable snack with great ingredients isn’t enough. What wins today is what gets remembered. Food and beverage brands now compete as much on story and attention as they do on flavor or function.
There are simply too many good products out there. In a sea of quality, differentiation comes from identity. Your audience isn’t just buying what you make—they’re buying how you make them feel, what you stand for, and the way you show up in their daily scroll.
The best product in the world won’t sell if it’s invisible. Visibility comes from consistency. And consistency comes from strategy—across channels, formats, and touchpoints.
Retailers look for brands with traction. Consumers choose brands that speak to them. Marketing—especially digital, visual, and social—now drives discovery.
How Today’s Top CPG Brands Are Growing
Growth today comes from visibility, consistency, and relevance across every touchpoint. The strongest food and beverage brands aren’t chasing trends—they’re building a full strategy around where their customers already are.
Here are the most common and effective strategies winning brands are using:
- Social media management and paid social campaigns on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Meta
- Influencer marketing to drive discovery and trusted endorsements
- Omnichannel marketing, connecting digital campaigns to retail sales and activations
- Retail media strategy, including Amazon, Walmart Connect, and Instacart advertising
- Streaming and CTV marketing, reaching targeted audiences through Hulu, Roku, and YouTube TV
- Out-of-home (OOH) advertising, from transit and billboards to experiential pop-ups
- Brand awareness campaigns to drive top-of-funnel reach and organic search growth
- Email and SMS marketing to deepen retention and drive repeat purchase
- E-commerce optimization across Shopify, Amazon storefronts, and retailer-specific product pages
- Trade and shopper marketing to win at-shelf attention and drive conversions in-store
Today’s top brands treat marketing like a growth engine—not an afterthought. They’re investing in what scales, converts, and builds loyalty. that build loyalty and collect feedback
Regional Reach Still Matters
Location still shapes how brands grow. California-based brands often lead with content and influencer strategy. In New York, creative storytelling and full-funnel campaigns win. In the Midwest and Southeast, local retail presence and grassroots brand building are key.
Even in a digital-first world, food and beverage brands can’t ignore local culture. Marketing strategy needs to reflect how real people shop, eat, and share.
What to Do If You’re Ready to Grow
If your brand is gaining traction—or you’re ready to make your first serious marketing push—now’s the time to get strategic. The brands pulling ahead aren’t just running ads. They’re building layered systems that support awareness, engagement, and conversion.
What that looks like:
- Building out consistent social media marketing, with a clear content calendar and visual style across platforms
- Hiring or partnering with experts who understand food and beverage trends and know how to position you against competitors
- Creating full-funnel campaigns that move people from discovery to purchase—especially across paid social, influencer channels, and Amazon or Instacart
- Investing in brand awareness, especially if you’re launching into retail and need buyers and consumers to notice you fast
- Running product storytelling across your packaging, website, email, and streaming ads to show not just what you sell, but why it matters
You don’t need a million-dollar budget. But you do need a plan—and the right partner to bring it to life.
If you’re ready to scale, your marketing has to work as hard as your product does.
Final Word
Food and beverage brands are vital to our economy—and they’re just getting started. As competition grows, so does the value of strategic marketing.
Great brands are more than great products. They’re great communicators. The difference between shelf space and sell-out often comes down to visibility, creative consistency, and strategy.
At Cool Nerds Marketing, we work with food and beverage companies at every stage—from challenger brands to established names—to help them grow through smarter content, stronger social, and bold brand positioning. Whether you need help launching a new product, refreshing your packaging, or building a digital campaign that actually performs, we’re built for this.
We know how to drive awareness, engagement, and conversion—because we do it every day.
If you’re a food or beverage brand ready to level up your marketing, let’s talk. We’d love to help you become the brand that gets remembered—and chosen.
