We kick off our new article series with a deep dive on marketing
Marketing is one of the most misunderstood business functions. For many plant-based startups, it’s seen as something you turn to once the product is ready – an afterthought involving social media posts and maybe a bit of PR.
But marketing is much more fundamental than that. It’s not just about promotion; it’s about everything from conceiving and designing a product that meets customer needs and wants, through to pricing it effectively, communicating its value, understanding customer behaviour, and building a brand that resonates.
Marketing is a broad process that shapes how a product is developed, positioned, and ultimately received by the market.
As Peter Drucker – the influential management thinker who defined modern business strategy – famously said:
“The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous.” 1
This means that when marketing is done well, the product or service should meet customer needs so effectively that it almost sells itself. For plant-based brands operating in a fast-growing but competitive market, understanding the true nature of marketing – and how to apply it effectively – can make the difference between thriving, struggling, or even failing altogether.
In this new series for plant-based entrepreneurs, based on insights from my book, What You Need to Know About Marketing, I’ll be looking at the topic of marketing in detail to give you the tools and understanding you need to build a successful, sustainable marketing-led business.2
Why marketing is the foundation of success
Many plant-based startups focus their energy on the product itself – getting the right ingredients, taste, and nutritional profile – while others put all their efforts into promotion. While both are important, neither product nor promotion alone is enough to succeed.
Marketing helps you align your product, pricing, distribution, and communication strategy with customer needs. A well-designed product is itself a result of good marketing, because it reflects a clear understanding of what customers want and how to meet those needs better than the competition. Ongoing marketing is what ensures customers keep coming back.
The four pillars of marketing
Philip Kotler – often called the ‘father of modern marketing’ – outlined what have become known as the classic 4Ps of marketing – Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.3
These remain highly relevant today, despite the dramatic changes in media, communication channels, and promotional opportunities – and in the way consumers engage with brands. Together, Kotler’s pillars provide a simple but powerful framework for thinking about how to take a product to market:
1. Product – what are you selling?
For plant-based startups, product development is often the core focus. But good marketing starts before the product is even created. It involves understanding:
- What gap in the market you are filling
- How your product compares with existing options
- What product features will resonate most with your target audience – taste, nutrition, sustainability, or occasion of use (family meals, weekday convenience, grab-and-go)
Al Ries and Jack Trout, who pioneered the concept of brand positioning, argued that the battle for customer attention happens in the mind. Successful brands create a clear, distinct position that helps customers understand why they should choose you over the competition.4
2. Price – how much are you charging?
Price sends a powerful signal about value.
- Are you positioning yourself as a premium product or an accessible alternative to meat and dairy?
- Are customers willing to pay more for your ethical or health benefits, or for premium taste and presentation?
- How does your pricing compare with competitors, and what does that say about your brand?
Mark Ritson – a leading marketing consultant and professor – stresses that effective marketing requires a balance between long-term brand-building and short-term sales activation. Pricing plays a key role in both, reinforcing your brand’s positioning while also driving immediate sales.5
3. Place – where and how will customers access your product?
Distribution is critical for plant-based brands. Even a great product won’t succeed if customers can’t find it or purchase it easily.
- Should you focus on retail, food service, or direct-to-consumer sales?
- How does your choice of channels affect customer perception and accessibility?
- Are there opportunities to partner with established retailers or platforms?
As Byron Sharp argues in How Brands Grow, successful brands make themselves easy to buy – both mentally (by being front of mind) and physically (by being easy to find and purchase).6
4. Promotion – how will you tell your story?
Branding comes into its own as a crucial part of the overall marketing effort at this stage, shaping the story you tell and how customers perceive your brand. (For a deeper dive into brand strategy, see our previous series on branding.)
- Are you targeting plant-based customers, flexitarians, or mainstream consumers?
- What’s the best mix of social media, influencer partnerships, PR, and traditional advertising?
- How will you measure the success of your promotional activity?
Seth Godin, known for his work on permission marketing, emphasises the power of telling a story that customers want to hear. Effective promotion isn’t about shouting louder – it’s about building trust and emotional connection.7
The importance of understanding your customer
Successful marketing starts with understanding your customer, not just who they are, but why they buy. It’s about knowing their motivations, their needs, and how your product fits into their lifestyle. The most successful brands are those that build a deep understanding of their customers and respond to their evolving needs:
- They listen to their customers and gather feedback.
- They study market trends and customer behaviour.
- They adapt when customer needs shift.
Philip Kotler captured this idea perfectly when he said:
“Authentic marketing is not the art of selling what you make, but knowing what to make. It is the art of understanding customer needs and creating solutions that deliver satisfaction to the customers…” 8
For plant-based brands, this means recognising that customers buy for all kinds of reasons. Some are motivated by health or sustainability, while others are simply looking for great taste, convenience, or better nutrition. Whatever the motivation, every part of the customer experience – from product design to packaging and communication – should reflect and reinforce those needs.
The real goal of marketing
At its core, marketing is about creating value for customers, not just by communicating value, but by building it into the product and the overall customer experience. Effective marketing starts with understanding customer needs and developing a product that meets those needs better than anything else on the market.
Good marketing isn’t about gimmicks or short-term sales tactics; it’s about building a sustainable relationship with your audience. That means:
- Creating a product that solves a real problem or satisfies a genuine need.
- Helping customers understand why your product matters and why it’s different.
- Building trust and long-term loyalty through consistent delivery and communication.
Marketing isn’t a side project or a final step – it’s the foundation that shapes how your product is conceived, delivered, and experienced. When marketing is done well, it creates a virtuous cycle where customer satisfaction drives repeat purchase, positive word-of-mouth, and long-term brand equity.
Key takeaways
- Marketing is about more than just promotion – it’s about understanding customer needs, creating demand, and building value through every part of the customer experience.
- The 4Ps (product, price, place, promotion) provide a proven and practical framework for building an effective marketing strategy.
- Customer focus is key – understanding not just who your customers are, but why they buy, will shape how you develop and market your product.
- Good marketing builds long-term customer relationships – not just through repeat sales, but by creating trust, delivering value, and fostering brand loyalty.
Next in the series
In the next instalment of this series, we’ll explore in detail how to identify and understand your target customer, because knowing who you’re selling to is the key to building a successful plant-based business.
Simon Middleton
Senior Writer
References
- Drucker, P. (1973). Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices. Harper & Row.
- Middleton, S. (2012). What You Need to Know About Marketing. Capstone.
- Kotler, P. (1967). Marketing Management. Prentice Hall.
- Ries, A., & Trout, J. (1981). Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. McGraw-Hill.
- Ritson, M. Various articles and lectures on brand-building and activation.
- Sharp, B. (2010). How Brands Grow. Oxford University Press.
- Godin, S. (1999). Permission Marketing. Simon & Schuster.
- Kotler, P. (1967). Marketing Management. Prentice Hall.
