Temple drops turmeric from name, branding to avoid being ‘pigeonholed,’ expand appeal

12-Sep-2018 - Last updated on 12-Sep-2018 at 10:58 GMT

As trendy as turmeric may be for now, the functional beverage brand known for years as Temple Turmeric is dropping the ingredient from its branding to avoid being “pigeonholed,” and to position the company more broadly around additional herbs for when consumer tastes inevitably change.

“Since Dunn’s River Brands acquired a majority stake in the brand in April, we have been working very, very hard on propping this brand up and positioning it for what we think is a very, very exciting new chapter for Temple, by focusing more on one of the core elements of the Temple brand, which is vitality,” Ian Knowles, co-founder and managing partner of DRB and the president of Temple, told FoodNavigator-USA.

“Prior to us acquiring the brand, Temple was entirely focused on turmeric-based products, and now we are extending beyond just turmeric … and introducing some very, very efficacious adaptogens as the main stars in a number of new products, that we will be introducing to the marketplace soon,” he said.

Among these new “star” ingredients will be ashwaganda, holy basil, tulsi and matcha, many of which were in Temple’s products before, but took a backseat to turmeric, he explained.

But by removing turmeric from the name, the other ingredients, which have desirable properties, can “really shine,” such as in the case of matcha, which will be the primary ingredient in a new shot debuting at Expo East, he said.

Bracing for changing consumer tastes

Dropping turmeric also will help the brand “thrive through different market cycles,” Knowles said.

“Regardless of how well consumers resonate with a product or brand, trends change and tastes change and when you are pigeonholed to one single ingredient that your entire business is built around, then you increase that volatility by orders of magnitude, and we have seen that time and time again with other single ingredient based brands,” he said.

Plus, he added, “there really is a much bigger message to be had here, which is also a fundamental element why turmeric was the bedrock for this particular brand,” and that is having products that were so efficacious that consumers could actually feel them working.

“We are building a brand that speaks to a concept that we feel is extremely important in this day and age, which is total vitality and optimized wellness,” Knowles said.

By focusing on this concept, rather than just turmeric or the specific herbs in the products, Knowles predicts the brand will also have wider appeal beyond its current core users.

“Right now, the brand design is very niche” and focused on the yoga community, “but we want to cast a much wider net. We think there is a need for a brand that is entirely focused on vitality, and so that is what we have really done with the design – we have stepped it up a notch … because we would venture that just about everybody in the country can benefit from a little pep or a little boost in their day from the extremely high quality ingredients” in these products, Knowles said.

While everyone might benefit from the products, the company is taking a slightly more targeted approach to focus on consumers who are athletes or busy professionals or students who care about their bodies and performing at optimal levels, he added.

New product sparkling juice

In addition to altering the branding, Temple is launching its first shelf stable products in a line of sparkling adaptogen and organic caffeinated drinks that will expand its presence in stores beyond the refrigerated section where its HPP-processed products currently reside.

The new line of Total Vitality Super Tonics will include three products that consumers will be able to feel working, and will be more accessible for everyday use because they are shelf-stable, Knowles said.

The new line will build on consumer interest in the relationship between the mind and body, which Knowles says is “coming back in vogue,” and provide an added energy boost from a natural source, which is another “really hot category” currently.

Marketing strategy

To support the new product launch and the broader rebranding effort, the company will check the standard boxes of in-store demos and consumer education, but the bulk of its marketing campaign will focus on driving awareness through experiential events.

“We want people out of their houses, out of the office, out in the world and getting inspired, speaking with other people and having memorable experiences with the Temple brand in hand,” Knowles said. “We believe if we can do that successfully, whether at a yoga studio or a ju-jitsu gym or a concert or anything in between, we can get people excited about this product and convince them to try something new.”

Once they do, he said he believes they will be hooked and want to know more about the ingredients and as they learn they will become advocates for the brand and healthier living.