How Emerging Brands Drive Repeat Purchase
At Natural Products Expo West this year, we double clicked into a real challenge for emerging brands: discovery creates momentum, but repeat purchase determines growth.
During our exhibitor presented seminar titled, "Building Brands Shoppers Come Back To," we invited leaders from Bloom, Chomps, and Frontier Co-Op to share how they turn early momentum into sustained shopper relationships.
The discussion followed a simple framework for driving repeat purchase, from positioning to habit formation, supported by real-world examples. Watch the full session to explore the complete conversation.
Clear positioning helps shoppers choose you again
Shoppers today make more intentional choices about what goes in their basket. Brands that clearly communicate what they stand for—whether that’s ingredient transparency, convenience, or ethical sourcing—create a reason to return. Panelists shared how defining their role in the category helps guide everything from product innovation to retail activation.
For Chomps, Director of Omnichannel Marketing DeeDee McCoy emphasized clarity and simplicity:
"Simplicity wins. Real ingredients, high-quality protein, and convenience are what our consumers care about. When the value is clear, the decision to buy again becomes easier."
The right moment matters as much as the right message
Purchase decisions often happen around specific retail moments: launches, seasonal spikes, or promotional windows. Brands that understand when their product fits into a shopper’s routine can invest more confidently, and expanding usage occasions—like introducing recipes or new dayparts—can increase purchase frequency and keep products relevant beyond traditional peak seasons.
Jeremy Myers, Sr. Manager, Shopper Marketing at Frontier Natural Products Co-Op shared how they expanded usage for vanilla extract beyond the holiday baking season: "We intentionally activated summer and holiday programs because we wanted to expand usage beyond the traditional window." In doing so, the brand encouraged new purchase occasions for the product and gradually increased purchase frequency over time.
Building on this thought with CHOMP’s framework in mind, DeeDee pointed to the importance of balancing launches with consistent presence:
"We focus on big launches and key seasonal moments, but we also invest in always-on digital shelf hygiene. When shoppers search, the brand needs to show up clearly and consistently."
Consistency builds trust across the shopper journey
Shoppers encounter brands across many touchpoints—at shelf, on retailer sites, in media, and through promotions. When those experiences reinforce each other, they build recognition and trust.
Enrick Garcia, Sr. Director, Shopper Marketing for Bloom highlighted how alignment across channels helps brands scale:
"When messaging, visuals, and the value proposition stay consistent across in-store, digital, and promotional touchpoints, it creates a seamless path to purchase."
He pointed to the launch of Bloom Pop as a strong example. The team focused on reinforcing the same brand signals everywhere a shopper encountered the product. Packaging clearly communicated the product’s benefits and stood out on shelf, while digital content, retail media, and promotional messaging echoed the same story.
This coordination helped shoppers quickly understand what Bloom Pop was, why it mattered, and how it fit within the broader Bloom brand — establishing clear brand positioning during a new product launch and strengthening brand equity across retailers.
Real behavior data drives smarter decisions
Brands today activate across multiple retail media networks and promotional platforms, which makes clear measurement essential, but also complicated to manage. Panelists discussed how retailer-verified reporting—especially around repeat purchase and purchase frequency—helps teams understand what actually changes shopper behavior. Those insights also build internal confidence to scale the programs that work.
Citing a recent in-store activation with Inmar, DeeDee highlighted how Chomps’ use of high-impact shelf signage drew attention to their brand at shelf within a crowded protein snack set. Comprehensive multiretailer measurement unveiled that the program drove a 34% sales lift, with 40% of incremental revenue coming from halo SKUs, indicating that trial for one item influenced purchases across the portfolio.
Habit is built through value
Promotions and launches can create spikes in trial. Long-term growth happens when a product becomes part of a shopper’s routine. When asked how to balance short-term activation with long-term brand building, panelists shared that repeat behavior develops when brands consistently reinforce value. Expanding usage occasions, showing up reliably across channels, and giving shoppers a clear reason to return all help move a brand from trial to habit.
For Chomps, habit forms when the product fits naturally into everyday moments—whether that’s a gym bag, a workday snack, or travel. Maintaining a consistent presence across shelf and digital touchpoints helps reinforce that role in a shopper’s routine.
For Frontier Co-Op, reinforcing product value remains central, especially in a price-conscious environment. Promotional moments introduce new recipes and usage occasions, but the brand continues reinforcing quality and ingredient integrity long after the offer ends.
For Bloom, building habit means expanding how and when the product fits into a shopper’s day. By activating across multiple occasions and touchpoints, the brand turns early trial into repeat engagement and continued basket growth.
WATCH THE FULL SESSION
Across categories—from beverages to snacks to pantry staples—the pattern looked similar. Brands that succeed focus on understanding real shopper behavior and reinforcing their value every time a consumer encounters the product.
If you missed the session at Expo West, you can catch up on the discussion and hear more examples from Bloom, Chomps, and Frontier Co-Op by watching the full video session.
We’re grateful to everyone who joined the conversation and shared their perspective on what it takes to build brands shoppers come back to.
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