The Better-for-You (BFY) movement isn’t just a trend, it’s a complete shift in how people eat, shop, and think. Today’s consumers want it all: health, transparency, and convenience, without sacrificing taste. As the demand for feel-good, do-good snacks grows, BFY has become a driving force in reshaping the global food landscape. In response, brands are rethinking everything from product design to packaging and messaging, all in pursuit of developing deeper, more meaningful connections with wellness-minded shoppers.
The Four Pillars of BFY Repositioning
BFY products are often marketed as healthier, cleaner, or more functional alternatives to traditional offerings, with labels “reduced sugar,” “organic ingredients,” or “free-from” claims. But according to the Blink Factor, effective repositioning requires more than just ingredients tweaks and surface-level health messaging. The most successful BFY brands don’t stop at being a “better-for-you” alternative, they reframe their entire value proposition. Instead of simply offering “less bad,” they redefine what they stand for, creating a new emotional and cultural meaning in the minds of consumers.
1. Amping Up Everyday Rituals with Blended Benfifts
Bloom’s collagen-infused coffee transforms the morning routine by seamlessly merging wellness with a daily indulgence. Positioned as a “functional luxury,” it elevates a ritual into an act of self-care. Bloom markets its product as delivering the energizing comfort of coffee with the added benefit of beauty-boosting collagen. The minimalist design of its packaging, and a focus on glow-from-within benefits appeal to consumers seeking products that feel as good as they look.
2. Permission to indulge
Smart Sweets’ slogan, “Kick Sugar, Keep Candy,” perfectly emphasizes the new era of BFY snacks, reinventing popular junk food as a treat they can feel good about. Vibrant and enlarged graphics amp up the flavor experience, making the product as enjoyable as any of its competitors with ten times the sugar.
Cove Soda and Poppi position themselves as “healthy” sodas, a twist on a traditionally unhealthy classic. These brands lead with style and flavor, then back it up with wellness. Instead of focusing solely on digestive jargon, their taglines include “Soda’s back, but better” and “Trust Your Gut” and paired with bright, colorful packaging that say fun and flavor. Both brands flip the script on how health is typically marketed. In this case “gut health” becomes something consumers feel is fun, not something to hide away. And by taking a product we normally think of as “bad” and making it good for you, both brands shift the emotional connection from conflicted guilt to pride and pleasure.
3. Careful Claims: Ensuring Credibility in BFY
Olipop‘s slogan, “A New Kind of Soda” is also described as a gut heath prebiotic soda, but last year the brand faced backlash over the exaggeration of its claims. When consumers and critics dug deeper they found that the claims didn’t fully align with the science. The amount of prebiotic fiber was lower than what’s typically needed for measurable benefits and the brand’s “gut happy” messaging was seen as vague and unsubstantiated. In a category built on trust, this disconnect became a major reputational risk.
Olipop has defended its products and maintains that its beverages do in fact offer benefits, however they have since emphasized that their products are not intended to be a cure-all for gut health issues and individual result may vary. This controversy underscores a key truth: claims without substantiation erode credibility. In the BFY space, where emotional connection and wellness goals drive purchasing behavior, broken trust can be hard to repair. Consumers want brands that are not only aspirational, but accountable.
4. Value-Driven and Feel-Good Treats
In this new landscape, food isn’t just fuel or flavor; it’s a statement of identity and a channel for doing good through everyday choices. Eating well now means buying from brands that treat people fairly, protect the planet, and take a stand on issues that matter.
Tony’s Chocolonely is more than just a chocolate brand, it’s a social movement wrapped in bright packaging. Tony’s mission to make all chocolate 100% exploitation-free has turned a sweet treat into a statement. Every bar shares a story, such as inequities in the cocoa supply chain and their efforts in creating a fairer system, inviting consumers to be part of the solution with every bite.
Maxwell House shifted the challenge of coffee pod waste into a powerful brand asset with the launch of its zero-waste pods. By using packaging as a storytelling tool, the brand sells both coffee and a commitment to sustainability. Thoughtfully designed graphics along the side and front panels highlight the zero-waste promise, turning the box into an emotional touchpoint that reinforces the brand’s values.
Image Source: Tony’s Chocolonley Official Website and SLD
The Blink Factor in BFY Emotional Connections
Capturing the Eye: Disrupting a category starts with products that stand out visually. Tony’s Chocolonely’s unique bar shape and design make it easy to recognize. Poppi and Cove’s bright colors and fun graphics provide the fun feel that soda lovers want, but with clean, premium touches that match their ingredient list.
Evoking Emotion Instantly: BFY brands can build emotional connections through values like trust, empowerment, and optimism. Cove’s probiotic callouts don’t just talk about nutrition; they immediately make you feel like you’re making smart choices. Maxwell House’s zero-waste messaging taps into people’s sentiments about environmental responsibility.
Making It Easy to Shop: Instead of bombarding consumers with complicated health claims, zero in on one straightforward benefit. Smart Sweets’ tagline “Kick Sugar, Keep Candy” is direct, impactful and easy to absorb.
Work with the Environment: Instead of fighting against the indulgent nature of their categories, successful BFY brands embrace it while adding a “better for you” twist. They’re not trying to be something they’re not; they’re smarter and more exciting versions of favorite treats.
The Future of Feel-Good Consumption
The brands that are doing well in the BFY space have figured out how to shift the category away from negative or conflicted emotions towards positive ones. CPG brands looking to move into a BFY space must understand that transformation isn’t just about changing the formula, but about changing how people feel both about themselves and the product.
