Brand Communications: Selling Solutions

Brand communications are most effective when they tap into genuine consumer insight. Frida Redknapp’s new food brand, Frood, is a great example of how marketing and communications strategy can bring together health, convenience and clear positioning to create a compelling brand story. While the product itself is new, the thinking behind the launch offers valuable lessons for brands looking to stand out in crowded consumer markets.

Frida Redknapp is arguably best known for her surname. She is, of course, married to footballer-turned-pundit Jamie. But she’s a successful model in her own right and a health and wellness advocate. This month, she put the latter to use by securing major grocery listings for her Frood brand.

That’s not a typo. Redknapp has launched a food brand named Frood, billed as the “ultimate kitchen hack”, into M&S and Ocado. According to the blurb, shoppers need only add a protein of their choice to the blends – a four-strong lineup comprising Swedish Meatballs, Bella Bolognese, Golden Curry and Mexi Fiesta – to create a nourishing meal in just 20 minutes.

Brand Positioning: Solving a Real Consumer Problem

Frood goes heavy on the health credentials. The blends are made with “gently dried” fruits and vegetables, meaning they contain the equivalent of 560g of raw veg per pack, as well as grains, seeds and plant proteins. They’re also “fibre-rich and a natural source of protein”, according to the brand.

You might ask how Frood is different from Huel, which similarly promises high levels of nutrition – in an even more convenient format. The difference is, Frood more closely resembles food.

Huel has a dedicated fan base that appreciates its functionality and simplicity. However, many of its products are classed as ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Frood is clear its blends don’t fall under that definition. Instead, it’s positioned as a permissible shortcut for people who want to scratch cook but lack the time, inspiration and energy. Redknapp says she’s created Frood to “make healthy home cooking simpler for everyone”.

Frood may be a niche product, but it holds some wider lessons for brands. The insight behind the launch is spot on. UK shoppers want to be healthier, and they want to avoid processed foods. Yet in an increasingly frantic world, they too often fall down on the execution.

Brands that marry convenience with compelling health credentials are therefore in a sweet spot. Those that successfully communicate speed without sacrifice stand to win big. The key is finding the balance between meals that take hours of prep and convenience-led options that sound more like science experiments than food.

Frood appears to have found that balance. More importantly, it demonstrates what great brand communications look like: identifying a genuine consumer tension, creating a product that addresses it and building a clear, credible story around the solution. That’s the difference between simply launching a product and launching a brand people genuinely want to buy into.

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