Veganuary is coming up - How to use this time marketing-wise

Veganuary is an increasingly popular January international campaign encouraging people to try a plant-based diet. It’s not only an opportunity to spread the idea of veganism, but also a great time to promote your brand and products. If you are a producer of plant-based foods, beverages or cosmetics (but not only), a well-planned marketing campaign can help you attract new customers and increase sales. Here are our tips on how to make the most of Veganuary’s potential.

1. Focus on authenticity

Veganuary is a magnet for both vegans and people who are just testing plant-based alternatives, including flexitarians. As such, you need to pay attention to show your brand as authentic and committed to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.

Tell your story: share your company’s mission, highlighting why it’s worth reaching out for plant-based products.

Show commitment: point out how your actions support the planet and the community, are you vegan, vegetarian or just trying to limit your animal product consumption? Share it!

Authenticity is the basis for building trust among customers, especially in the plant-based industry, where consumers are often motivated by values and responsible choices. Your brand should clearly communicate why it exists and what ideas drive it – whether it’s concern for the environment, animal welfare or consumer health.

Share your story in a truthful and inspiring way, such as telling about the company’s beginnings, the challenges of creating products or the passion that fuels growth.

It’s also important that your declarations are backed up by concrete actions – use of certified ingredients, transparency in the production process or support for environmental initiatives. Customers will appreciate if you show that you are not just another brand on the market, but a true leader of change who cares about the planet and people.

2. Introduce limited products

Consumers love novelties and promotions. Prepare limited edition products or special Veganuary sets that will be available only in January.

An example for restaurateurs and food producers: A new taste of a plant-based burger or a limited edition box with several products.

Limited product offers are an effective way to generate interest and create a sense of uniqueness in customers. Products that are only available for a limited time, such as special editions on Veganuary, attract the attention of consumers who want to try something new and unique. This could be a new flavor of your flagship product, or a product package made up of several bestsellers, or a brand new product created especially for the occasion (e.g., using attractive graphic packaging, or with a useful gadget/toy attached).

This kind of action not only increases sales in the short term, but also encourages customers to return if the products win their approval. Limited offers are also a great opportunity to test new ideas, flavors and gather consumer feedback before introducing them to regular sales. Be sure to properly highlight uniqueness in your marketing campaigns by communicating that they are only available for the duration of Veganuary!

Examples: limited flavor plant-based yogurt alternatives (ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin), chicken or your best-selling product in a plant-based version (burger, tortilla, pizza).

3. Remember about social media activities

Social media is your biggest support for promotion during Veganuary.

Challenges and competitions – encourage your audience to share photos and reviews of your products by offering prizes. You can also organize a cook-off competition for a dish created based on your product, which an influencer can support.

Live cooking – organize a live broadcast where you show how to prepare delicious dishes with your products.

Social media continues to be a powerful tool for building engagement and increasing brand awareness, especially during events like Veganuary. Especially when your marketing budget is not big and you need to focus on growth hacking and viral marketing aimed at reaching a precise target audience.

Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn allow you to reach a wide audience interested in a plant-based lifestyle. You can create a variety of content – from recipes using your products to inspiring educational posts to videos showing behind-the-scenes of their creation. Organizing challenges, such as “30 days on plant-based fuel” with your products, or contests with prizes, will encourage your audience to participate actively. In the last case, make sure to offer attractive prizes related to cooking. It doesn’t have to be a trip to Bali, but the fact is that a prize of a new electric grill or blender will gain more interest than a discount coupon to your online store or a single box of products.

It’s also worth using the power of influencers. Collaboration with influencers who have a trusted vegan or healthy lifestyle community will help to authentically promote your product offering. This point is strongly related to tip number 1. Without checking the quality and level of authenticity of the influencer, your activities may do more damage than benefit!

In addition, live streaming, such as cooking workshops or Q&As on plant-based products, will get you closer to your customers and allow you to answer their questions in real time. It’s important to regularly publish content that engages, educates and inspires so that your brand becomes recognized as a Veganuary leader on social media.

Think about a cooking workshop with 2-3 medium-sized influencers, with 7-10 active fans rewarded for attending!

4. Partnerships and collaborations

Start partnerships with other food producers whose products can enhance your offer.

Example: A common campaign with a plant-based beverage producer or a bakery offering plant-based baked products.

Partnerships and cooperations are a great way to expand the reach of your marketing efforts during Veganuary. By establishing relationships with other companies, you can work together to create offerings that enhance the customer experience and reach new audiences. 

Producer of plant-based meat or dairy alternatives can team up with a local bakery offering vegan baked goods or sandwiches to create “perfect for breakfast” meal sets. Partnering with local cafes or restaurants is also a great idea – your products can be featured on their menus as a special Veganuary offering, increasing their distribution. Remember to put your logo on the products. For example, by using: small flags, napkins or carton boxes.

Cooperation with other companies can also be strictly marketing in nature. All you have to do is arrange for marketing departments to send products to an internal or external content creator, who will create one or more dishes from the products received and take photos or insta / Tik Tok reels. You will be able to use the content after the post-production process on your own social media channels. Invite the other company to co-create the post or reels. This way you will be able to reach each other’s fans.

5. Educate and inspire

Veganuary is a great time to educate customers and share inspiration.

Recipes and guides – create educational materials, such as an e-book with recipes based on your products.

Education and inspiration are key to building customer engagement, especially during Veganuary, when many people are just starting out on a plant-based diet. Create valuable content that not only promotes your products, but also teaches how to use them. Recipes, tutorials or e-books with plant-based meal ideas will help consumers discover that plant-based food can be tasty, varied and easy to prepare.

Highlight the product advantages you highlight on the package!

Inspire customers by showing how your products can fit into their daily routines – from healthy snacks to quick lunches/dinners to elegant meals for special occasions. You can also partner with experts, such as nutritionists or chefs, who will create professional content, adding credibility to your brand. If you offer cosmetics, focus on educating about their ingredients and their benefits for the skin and the environment.

Remember that education is also about answering questions and addressing concerns – organize Q&As on social media or on your website. By sharing your knowledge and inspiring you to change your habits, you build trust in your brand and strengthen relationships with your customers.

Summary

Veganuary is a great opportunity to reach new customers, increase sales and strengthen your position in the market. The key to success is authenticity, creativity and the ability to educate consumers. A well-planned marketing strategy will allow you to maximize the potential of this campaign and contribute to the popularization of plant-based products.

And what else is worth remembering? Creating a super product and establishing an interesting collaboration with another producer or influencer requires a shout out! Start quacking and bragging about the partnership, because without it, your actions and efforts may not achieve the desired effect. Encourage your collaborators to share the action, inform industry and local media that you started January with a new green power. Be realistic and be wise,  don’t be afraid to allocate a few euros in paid support for the action. In the age of current algorithms – without support – it’s a big challenge to make your content go viral.

We hope you find our tips useful. Help us grow and like or share this post!

Do you have questions or are you looking for inspiration to create the perfect products for Veganuary? Contact us – you have an IDEA, we have a “TOOL BOX” to make it come true. We’ll provide you with the highest quality ingredients your customers will love!