Pop Up Grocer’s Discovery Model Rewards Packaging That Stands Out

Most traditional grocery stores are built around brand recognition and customers knowing what they’re looking for. But Pop Up Grocer - a formerly online-only platform with a permanent physical store in New York - only sells new and emerging food brands.

Its highly curated store focuses on discovery, inspiration and fun, rather than a bid for ever-increasing efficiency. This is clear from the packaging of the selected brands, which uses more playful colours, typography and graphics than established product brands.

Pop Up Grocer’s model only works if the branding of the products on sale is interesting enough that visitors are happy to browse and find new things. For the brands it stocks, this independent-focused model forces them to consider if their packaging stands out against other disruptors, rather than just established names.

‍