Functional Is No Longer Enough

In Brief

Functional FMCG is drifting into commodity science. What once differentiated brands now barely gets them noticed.

SIGNAL — What’s happening?

Protein is everywhere.

Gut health is everywhere.

“No sugar”, “added vitamins”, “immune support”, “energy”, “focus”, “hydration” — everywhere.

Walk down any grocery aisle and you’ll see the same functional promises repeated with minor variations. Different fonts. Same claims. Same logic.

What used to be innovation has become hygiene.

INSIGHT — What it really means

Function used to win choice.

Now it only earns entry.

The category has mistaken utility for relevance.

Consumers assume functionality. They don’t reward it.

They don’t choose brands because they work.

They choose brands because they mean something.

When every product promises better digestion, more protein, or cleaner energy, the decision moves elsewhere — to identity, emotion, aesthetics, and worldview.

This is where many FMCG brands get uncomfortable.

Because science feels safe.

Identity feels risky.

So they double down on ingredients, charts, and claims — and quietly slide into sameness.

THE DRIFT — Where brands are going wrong

Most functional brands are still asking the wrong question:

“How do we prove this works?”

The modern consumer is asking something else entirely:

“What does choosing this say about me?”

Functional brands that fail to answer that question don’t become disliked.

They become interchangeable.

And interchangeable brands don’t win preference.

They compete on price, promotions, and shelf position — until margins evaporate.

STRATEGIC SHIFT — Where the winners are moving

The brands pulling ahead aren’t abandoning function.

They’re reframing it.

They understand that:

• Function is table stakes
• Meaning is the differentiator
• Identity is the accelerator

Winning brands translate function into identity outcomes, not technical benefits.

Not:

• “High protein”

But:

• “Built for people who train with intent”

Not:

• “Gut health support”

But:

• “For people who care about how their body actually works”

Not:

• “No sugar”

But:

• “For people who don’t want artificial shortcuts in their life”

Same science.

Completely different relevance.

EXECUTION — What this looks like in practice

Across the five dimensions of brand relevance:

Product

Function stays — but is framed as a means, not the hero.

Packaging

Less clinical. More cultural. Visual cues signal who the product is for, not just what it contains.

Messaging

From claims → convictions. From features → worldview.

Culture & Content

Participation in identity spaces, not just nutritional conversations.

Experience

The brand feels like an ally in a lifestyle — not a supplement label with opinions.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Function gets you on shelf.

Meaning gets you chosen.

The future of FMCG isn’t won by brands with the best science.

It’s won by brands that translate science into self-image.

Brands that keep selling ingredients will fight for attention.

Brands that sell identity will earn preference.

That’s the difference between growth and drift.