Naming a food or beverage company is no piece of cake (see what we did there?). While the industry is full to bursting with opportunities, it’s also competitive. Snappy, memorable, and available names are getting harder and harder to come by. Whether you’re starting a meal delivery service, a corner bistro, a brewery, or a healthy snack stop, you may need a little help finding the best name for your business or signature products.
NameStormers has worked with leading clients in the food and beverage industry, and we have a few helpful naming tips for companies that are just starting out.
Keep the Packaging in Mind
Most company and product names benefit from brevity in any industry, but it’s especially important in the food and beverage realm that your name is not too long and wordy for your packaging. It needs to be short enough to fit on a box, cup, bottle, bag, menu, etc., without requiring a tiny font. The name needs to have a “billboard effect,” grabbing the customer’s attention even when the product is literally surrounded by competition on the shelf.
NameStormers helped NatureSweet create a brand name for their grape tomatoes. We came up with Cherubs, which not only conveyed that the tomatoes were sweet and small, but was also short enough to fit on the compact packaging in a bold font that drew the eye.
Make a List of Appetizing Words
One way to get the juices flowing (anyone hungry for a burger yet?) is to throw out a bunch of words that make your mouth water. You can get as literal or abstract with the list as you want. Here are some examples:
- Flavor: tangy, zingy, sweet, spicy, buttery, tart, smoky, fruity, zesty, delectable, honeyed, indulgent, luscious, juicy
- Texture: creamy, silky, crunchy, tender, flaky, melty, crackly, rich, sticky, chewy
- Size: mega, bite-size, beefy, chunky, super, epic, hefty, mini, limitless, slim, whopping, max, colossal, jumbo
At NameStormers, we know how to appeal to the appetite; we worked with Arby’s to come up with catchy names for three new sandwiches. They were Triple Stack, Ultimate Angus, and Spicy Santa Fe. Triple stack suggests impressive size and meatiness in only two succinct words. Ultimate Angus gets across that the sandwich is beefy and won’t leave you hungry for more. Spicy Santa Fe conveys a hint of Southwestern spice. All three of these names are easy to understand and remember, and don’t take up too much space on the menu.
Promise Only What You Give
A name can draw a customer in, but their taste buds are the real test. If your company or product doesn’t deliver on the promise of the name, consumers will feel misled. Don’t get so caught up in splashy marketing that you stretch the truth and skew expectations. If your product has just a hint of spice, don’t call it “fire in the hole” or “flamethrower” — you’ll scare off people who might like it and underwhelm the ones who dare to try it. Don’t insinuate that a dark-colored beer is light, refreshing, and perfect for summer if the flavors are more robust. Deliver on the expectations you set.
The inverse is also true; don’t undersell your company or product. When Breyers came to NameStormers needing a name for their low-fat ice cream, they knew that if their customers just gave it a chance, they would realize how creamy and delectable it actually was — regardless of calories. We developed the name Double Churn, which communicates that the product is not only extra creamy but also made with care. If your product is delicious and indulgent, the name should tell that to the world.
Naming a Food or Beverage Company? NameStormers Can Help
NameStormers has developed a seven-step process that yields original, “sticky” names that suit our clients’ needs and mesh perfectly with their brands. Unlike the automatic name generators you find online, we do so much more than spit out a list of names.
First, we get to know your company on a personal level before we start coming up with ideas. Once we brainstorm name candidates, we check them for legal and online availability. After we make sure those names are potentially usable, we run them by you to fine-tune and tweak, even going back to the drawing board if necessary. Once you’ve approved a list of top names, we test them with your target and get your favorite ready for a potential launch.
If you’re ready to get started naming your food or beverage company, get in touch with us today!