A Flurry of Food-Brand Agency Agreements

Food and beverage brands have represented one of the most active sectors in licensing for quite some time, and the trend shows no sign of waning. As one illustration, in the 15 weeks since January 1, 2024, more than a half dozen food and beverage brands have retained new licensing agents to expand their outbound licensing efforts:

• This month, J.M. Smucker hired Brand Central to represent its food and beverage brands, including Smuckers, Jif, Folgers, Café Bustelo, and Uncrustables, and pet food brands, such as Meow Mix and Milk Bone, among others. The agency is charged with extending the IP into additional food and beverage and pet products categories, as well as other licensed consumer products and collaborative collections.

• Mister Softee, the soft-serve ice cream truck brand, signed with Surge Brands, also this month. Plans include food and beverage items such as desserts and confectionery, as well as non-foods products such as appliances, toys and games, apparel and accessories, and novelties.

• In March, Pabst Brewing Company, which is celebrating its 180th anniversary in 2024, said Licensing Haus would represent its brands for licensing. Its portfolio includes Pabst Blue Ribbon, Colt 45, Schlitz, Lone Star, Old Milwaukee, Old Style, Blatz, and Rainier, among others. New and existing licensees include G Mason Group for pet products; Mad Engine, BioWorld, H3 Sportgear, and LIDS for apparel and accessories; Grandstand Glassware for drinkware; Holy Black Trading for men’s haircare; Ideaman for magnets; and Cody Foster for seasonal ornaments.

• Steak-ummm named Valen Group in March to extend its brand into new food and beverage categories for the first time. Positioned as the original “60 Second Meal,” the brand’s extensions will focus on convenience, as well as quality and taste.

• Post Consumer Brands named Brandgenuity in March as the agency for its top-selling brand, Honey Bunches of Oats. The partners will consider product extensions such as snack bars, breads, muffins, cookies, on-the-go-snacks, shelf-stable and frozen breakfast items, and ice cream. Consumers use the core product as a snack, in baking, and as a topping, which suggests they will embrace the brand outside the cereal aisle.

• Jel Sert, a frequent licensee for powdered drink mixes, freezer bars, and dessert mixes, announced in February that it would work with Broad Street Licensing Group for its outbound licensing activities. Its brands include Fla-Vor-Ice, Otter Pops, Wyler’s Light, and Pure Kick. The plan is to extend these brands into food and beverage categories including ready-to-drink beverages, supplements, fruit snacks, and confectionery.

• Morinaga America paired with Beanstalk in January to represent Hi-Chew, a fruity confectionery brand hailing from Japan, for licensing in the U.S. Categories planned include food and beverage, health and beauty, fashion and lifestyle, and social expressions and gifts, along with short-term collaborations. Hi-Chew has paired with the likes of Menchie’s, Zola Bakes, Dana’s Bakery, and The Doughnut Project, as well as Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, in the past. The brand, which comes in flavors from strawberry and green apple to kiwi and açaí, is the most popular soft candy in Japan and began expanding internationally, including into the U.S., in 2008.

Note that the configurations of the representation agreements vary. Some are global and others U.S.-based; some involve multiple brands and others just one; some build on already-strong licensing foundations and others mark the property owner’s entry into licensing; some focus on food and beverage extensions and others encompass food and non-food opportunities.

These deals continue an ongoing trend, of course. Other recent agency agreements range from Chiquita Brands signing Joester Loria Group as its global agent to Kellogg’s naming Beanstalk as its U.S. agency, to name just two. Both were announced in fall 2023 and focus on food and beverage extensions.

Watch for Raugust Communications’ monthly e-newsletter next Tuesday, April 16, 2024. The Licensing Topic of the Month will look at what can be learned from the current woes in luxury e-commerce, while the Datapoint research spotlight will examine licensing in the eyewear sector. If you do not yet subscribe to this free publication, you can do so here.