How brands like Goldbelly, Chobani and Xochitl are showing up for America 250

Still, the occasion comes at a challenging time for the retail industry. The country faces political division and a volatile economy, as gas prices remain high.

But surveys indicate that Americans are showing early signs of excitement for the anniversary. According to an M Booth survey, 62% of Americans say the 250th anniversary is personally important to them, with eight out of 10 saying it’s a moment to celebrate the country’s history, achievements and values. Moreover, a new CivicScience survey shows that two-thirds of American adults from across the political spectrum are at least “somewhat” open to purchasing from brands that are activating campaigns around America 250.

As a result, many brands are still turning out for the occasion, viewing it as another way to drum up excitement during the summer with limited-time offerings and flavors. Food and beverage brands, in particular, are betting that America 250 will be an opportune time to introduce their brand to new customers. After all, it’s a time when customers will already be on the hunt for red, white and blue products, with the Fourth of July right around the corner. Brands are also betting that America 250-themed products will help them land more seasonal placements with their retail partners.

“For us, it’s more than a seasonal SKU. It’s a chance to tell our story on a bigger scale,” Carla O’Brien, CMO of tortilla chip brand Xochitl said.

The limited-edition play

At first glance, many of the products being rolled out for America 250 are the ones shoppers may find on shelves any other year around the Fourth of July. For many brands, the difference lies in the packaging, with special touches to celebrate America 250.

La Colombe, for example, rolled out a limited-edition Liberty Blend earlier this month. According to the company, the release is a tribute to the nation’s first capital. It features a commemorative red tin of Liberty Blend and special-edition 1776 packaging on La Colombe’s cold brew bottles. According to La Colombe’s parent company, Chobani, 12 retailers are selling the La Colombe Liberty Blend, including Albertsons and Walmart.

Chobani, for its part, has also released an American Blueberry Dairy Coffee Creamer for the occasion. According to the company, at one nationwide retailer, the new SKU resulted in a 10-20% increase in Chobani’s creamer sales.

Other companies, like Cibo Vita, view America 250 campaigns as a good opportunity to drive brand awareness.

Cibo Vita, which manufactures the Nature’s Garden snack brand, is using the opportunity to promote one of its newest brands, Yoggies. The probiotic fruit snack line launched just three years ago.

In May, Yoggies rolled out an America 250-themed “From Sea to Shining Sea” pack at Target, Walmart and Sam’s Club. The new limited-edition packaging was designed to evoke a road trip across the nation, featuring iconic sites like Hollywood Boulevard and Route 66. 

Aiden Mould, senior brand manager, said that Yoggies have become a key driver of growth for Nature Made, generating over $250 million in sales since launch. However, the brand is still relatively unknown to mainstream shoppers. “We aren’t yet making the brand connection across mass retail,” he said.

With the “From Sea to Shining Sea” pack, “this is our first movement into seasonal, theme packaging,” he said. “The 250th anniversary happened to coincide with us being ready, so it felt like the right time for us to test it for marketing.”

Mould said that Yoggies also saw this as an opportunity to get in front of a different customer. Most of the time, Yoggies are stocked on busy snack shelves alongside many other fruit snacks.

But limited-edition, seasonal packaging has helped bring Yoggies into a different part of the stores. At Target, for example, the Yoggies America 250 SKU is part of the retailer’s seasonal summer section. “It’s been really interesting to see it next to lawn chairs, pool floats and citronella candles,” Mould said.

Food as a uniting force 

The official anniversary celebration is being led by America250, a national nonpartisan organization established by Congress. A number of larger retailers, like Walmart, Amazon and Anheuser-Busch, have joined in as America250 sponsor partners.

Gourmet food marketplace Goldbelly has been named the program’s Official Marketplace, with founder and CEO Joe Ariel serving as Official Food Curator on behalf of the program.

As part of Goldbelly’s year-long Taste of America250 campaign, Ariel is leading Goldbelly’s “250 Dishes That Made America” project, which highlights the wide array of diverse dishes from across the country. Goldbelly is also choosing America’s official 250th birthday cake, set to be unveiled ahead of July 4.

Ariel told Modern Retail that the company has historically had a busy promotional period around July 4. But this is also the longest and largest marketing campaign Goldbelly has organized.

“I’m a very patriotic person. My dad was an immigrant who loved the country and really showed his love through food,” Ariel said. He said this has inspired Goldbelly’s positioning as a platform that brings America’s vast culinary diversity to customers’ doorsteps.

Xochitl is another official partner of the America250 organization. The brand was founded in 1995 by Mexican-American immigrant Carlos Salinas, and the anniversary coincides with Xochitl’s recent rebranding.  In turn, the company is using this anniversary to tell the origin story of the brand and its founder.

O’Brien, the CMO, said that while America 250 is a once-in-a-generation moment, “the deeper opportunity is introducing Xochitl to new consumers who may not know us yet.” The company has been making a major effort to drive brand awareness, including its latest campaign featuring Jimmy Fallon teaching people how to pronounce Xochitl.

O’Brien said that in honor of America 250, Xochitl is rereleasing its red, white and blue chips to bring awareness to its commitment of only using natural dyes. O’Brien said the product was originally produced last year but without the America250 partnership.

“Consumer reaction has been very positive so far,” she said.

Despite the potential touchiness that America 250 celebrations can evoke, Goldbelly’s Ariel said the company will lean into them from a nonpartisan perspective.

“I know, politically speaking, there are crazy times here,” Ariel said. “But I think America 250 is bigger than that and aligns with our mission to unite people through food.”