“The foundation of our company is that we are a grain-free food brand, and our belief is there is a convergence of science and diet … related to reducing inflammation, increasing energy and cognitive function” and managing autoimmune disorders by carefully selecting what to eat and not eat, Cappello’s co-founder and co-CEO Ben Frohlichstein said.
For many, he explained, this has meant giving up classic favorites typically made with a heavy helping of grain. But, now Cappello’s is able to return to these consumers “a sense of normality” by offering an expanded line up of previously off-limit foods, including frozen pizzas, cookie dough and pasta.
Among the seven new products introduced this month, is a collection of almond flour frozen pizzas that include one topped with whole milk mozzarella, another made with uncured pepperoni and Italian sausage with roasted red peppers, and one ‘naked’ crust, which Frohlichstein says “consumers really love because it is dairy free and grain free, which provides a lot of opportunity.”
He added that consumer response to the new pizzas has been “outstanding,” with many thanking the brand for offering something that everyone around the table can enjoy without feeling like they are making a sacrifice.
“Just yesterday, this mother emailed me a photo of her 3-year-old daughter holding a box of our Almond Flour Naked crust pizza because she suffers from several autoimmune disorders and now she was able to have pizza with the rest of the family,” Frohlichstein said, adding that feedback like this not only melts his heart but inspires him to drive the company forward.
“In this way, we were able to set that standard by not only offering our product portfolio to consumers with very specific needs, but also people who just love to eat,” he said.
In addition to the pizzas, the company also added two new cuts of almond flour pasta to its legacy line of pasta. These include a sweet potato gnocchi and a classic spaghetti, for which consumers are “going bananas,” Frohlichstein said.
Finally, the company added a second grain-free cookie dough to is portfolio. The new double chocolate cookie dough compliments the existing chocolate chip recipe and gives the brand the opportunity for block branding in a segment where it previously only had one option.
New look unifies diverse portfolio
Along with the new products, Cappello's is unveiling new branding that extends across its packaging, social media, website and marketing efforts.
While launching the new products and brand refresh at the same time may sound overwhelming to some, Frohlichstein said it made sense for Cappello's because “we didn’t want to have one-off pieces come to the marketplace. Rather, with the new packaging we felt like we could manage the broader portfolio expansion and maintain a cohesive look and feel” that reflected the company’s mission.
He explained that “the biggest change that you are going to see is we introduced a photographic element to the front of all our packages,” which will empower consumers to better understand what is inside and inspire them to buy and cook the new products.
The photos will replace the “distinguishable black and white triangle that had been on the boxes and served the brand well when the family of products was a little narrower with just the frozen pasta,” he explained.
Along with new packaging, the brand has pivoted the look and feel of its social media channels to better position the company as an expert in grain-free cooking and lifestyle.
“On our Instagram we are deploying a whole new art direction” that includes more curated images from the company versus the user-generated content that was more prevalent before, Frohlichstein said.
“User generated content is great, but I think that is it kind of ubiquitous in the food and beverage space, and you know this brand has always been really driven by being unique … and the new content that we are creating in-house is really beautiful and showcases how to use the products in different recipes, which is something consumers want,” he added.
With the new look and new products, the company is ready to expand into new doors, Frohlichstein said. “We have big plans to expand our distribution in the coming year – our goal is to open thousands of new doors in the natural channel,” which the brand is now better positioned to support.
He added, ultimately, “we are just really excited about continuing to get out in front of consumers” and provide a much-needed solution that doesn’t compromise on any front.
