Willpower Weekly: Issue No. 05
🤝 Partnerships for Growth: From Ice Cream to Avocados
In today’s crowded landscape, partnerships aren’t just a marketing play, they’re a growth engine. Brands are breaking category walls, tapping nostalgia, and creating shareable moments that live beyond the shelf.
🍦 Van Leeuwen Goes All In
Forget the token Instagram graphic. On National Ice Cream Day, Van Leeuwen went big, giving away custom LoveSac beanbags to fans. Because nothing says “I love ice cream” like sinking into a $1,000 chair.
And then, less than 24 hours later? They dropped a Guinness collab featuring beer ice cream. From cozy to boozy in a single day.
Why does this matter? Because this is how you win in a saturated category: own the calendar, own the conversation, and turn partnerships into a growth strategy. Van Leeuwen isn’t just scooping ice cream, they’re scooping culture moments.
🍨 Laneige × Baskin-Robbins
Laneige took girlhood nostalgia to the next level with a Rainbow Sherbet Lip Sleeping Mask in collaboration with Baskin-Robbins. To celebrate the drop, Sephora locations in NYC and LA handed out matching scoops of Baskin-Robbins Rainbow Sherbet for National Ice Cream Day.
It’s a clever way to blur the line between beauty and indulgence, rooted in flavor nostalgia and powered by experiential retail. When the makeup aisle feels maxed out, moments like this turn shopping into an experience.
We’ve seen this play before. In our last edition, we highlighted Sephora’s partnership with Lyft, offering free rides to stores to get shoppers back in front of products and beauty advisors. Why? Because the makeup aisle has maxed out most product-driven creativity. With endless shades, formats, and limited-edition drops, the next frontier for beauty isn’t in the tube, it’s in the experience.
The message is clear: when the shelf feels saturated, make the experience the differentiator.
🥑 Chipotle × Wonderskin
They called it Lipotle: an avocado-green peel-off lip stain that reveals a soft pink tint. Originally launched as a cheeky stunt for National Avocado Day, its comeback shows the power of playful mashups. Because nothing grabs attention (and TikTok views) like guac-colored beauty.
These collabs are clever and conversation-worthy, but here’s the tension: at what point does “unexpected” stop building equity and start feeling gimmicky? A Guinness ice cream or sherbet lip mask can earn headlines, but the real winners will be the brands that balance cultural surprise with authentic storytelling.
Partnerships aren’t just a fun idea born in a marketing brainstorm; they’re a necessity. In an age of overconsumption and oversaturation, collaborations have become one of the most powerful ways to break through the noise, capture attention, and create relevance that lasts beyond a single campaign.
These are the kind of ideas we are diving into next month at Catalyst Series: Partnerships for Growth in Austin. The more out-of-the-box, the better.
🥩 When Protein Gets Playful
The new growth strategy? Bold, unexpected, and unapologetically different.
🍔 Balanced Protein Goes Mainstream
Forget the extremes: “carnivore diet” or “go full plant-based.” A new narrative is emerging: balanced protein. Instead of replacing meat entirely, brands are taking a blended approach, pairing animal protein with plants for a more sustainable and approachable option.
Applegate’s “Well Carved” Burgers: Grass-fed beef mixed with mushrooms, lentils, and cauliflower for a 1/3 plant, 2/3 meat ratio.
Perdue’s “Chicken Plus” Nuggets: Chicken combined with cauliflower and chickpeas to boost fiber and lighten the footprint.
Tyson’s “Raised & Rooted” Line: Lean beef blended with pea protein for a hybrid burger that feels indulgent but better-for-you.
The pitch: keep the flavor and familiarity of meat, just lighten it up with the veggies once used to make plant-based alternatives. It’s a middle ground aimed at flexitarians, sustainability-conscious shoppers, and families who want health upgrades without sacrificing taste.
Is this the protein future… or just a pit stop before everyone slides back to full meat?
🐟 David Enters the Whole-Food Chat
Known for dessert-inspired protein bars, David just dropped something no one saw coming: a 4-pack of uncooked cod filets, for $55. Flash-frozen and made to be boiled before eating.
The internet thought it was a joke (we did too), but it’s very real. So what’s the strategy here?
This move marks a bold pivot from snackable convenience to premium, whole-food protein. At roughly $13.75 per filet, David isn’t trying to compete with your local fish market. Instead, they’re testing something bigger:
Lifestyle expansion: Can a brand rooted in indulgent protein bars extend into your entire protein routine?
Functional meets real food: The future of protein might not be bars vs. meals. It could be brands that do both.
Conversation as currency: In a crowded category, a drop this unexpected is as much about buzz (if not more) as it is about sales.
If nothing else, David just reminded us that in 2025, protein isn’t a category, it’s a culture. The question is: will cod become the next frontier… or is this the ultimate “shock and awe” play to keep David top of mind?
This is the kind of brand differentiation strategy we’ll be unpacking next week in New York City at Catalyst Series: Cutting Through the Noise, how brands are innovating beyond product and building attention in an oversaturated space.
⚖️ The Deregulation Curveball: What It Means for CPG
In Issue No. 3, we talked about ingredient standards tightening as consumers demand cleaner labels and states push for stricter rules. Now, the conversation is taking a turn.
The FDA just revoked 52 outdated Standards of Identity — definitions that long dictated how products like cheese, canned fruit, and baked goods can be formulated. The move aims to “modernize” food standards and give brands more flexibility in innovation.
At the same time, industry groups like FMI are lobbying to scale back the FDA’s Food Traceability Rule, which currently requires detailed tracking for high-risk foods. FMI argues the rule is too costly and complex, urging regulators to ease the burden on manufacturers and retailers.
Why it matters: These updates highlight a growing push-and-pull between deregulation for innovation and cost savings vs. consumer and legislative demand for safety and transparency. For emerging brands, this means two things:
1️⃣ More flexibility in product development.
2️⃣ A bigger responsibility to self-regulate and uphold trust, even as the rules loosen.
🥤 Beverage Watch Pepsi Doubles Down on Gut Health
After acquiring Poppi, the brand that helped put functional soda on the map, PepsiCo is taking the trend mainstream with its first-ever prebiotic cola. The message is clear: gut health isn’t a fleeting fad; it’s shaping the future of beverages.
But why launch your own when you already own the category leader?
Two reasons:
Reinventing the Icon: Poppi wins with early adopters, but a functional Pepsi brings the movement to the masses while refreshing a legacy brand.
Portfolio Insurance: If “functional” becomes the standard, Pepsi wants both the trendsetter and the household name.
It’s the ultimate play on an old saying: don’t just join them; buy them, then build your own.
Check out what Nate Rosen, founder of Express Checkout, had to say about the launch.
MUD\WTR levels up
From “ditch coffee” to “own your whole wellness stack,” MUD\WTR just launched Nourish, a protein powder with 25g plant protein, adaptogens (lion’s mane, cordyceps), vitamin D, and prebiotic fiber
This isn’t just another SKU. It’s a bet on lifestyle lock-in: if they own your morning ritual, why stop there? Or maybe the real play at stake is survival, because America still runs on coffee.
Liquid Death Flips the Script
The brand that built its identity on not being an energy drink is doing the unthinkable: launching it’s own. After turning bottled water into a punk-rock themed cultural phenomenon, followed by expanding into just-as-aggressive iced teas, Liquid Death is now charging into a category it once ridiculed.
Launching in 2026: 100mg of caffeine, zero sugar, and flavors with names like Tropical Terror and Murder Mystery.
The question now: Can the anti-energy disruptor pull a full-circle move, and take market share from the very category it mocked?
🏢 Kraft Heinz Breakup on the Table
Kraft Heinz is reportedly weighing a split into two companies: one dedicated to condiments (Heinz ketchup, mustard, sauces) and another focused on grocery staples like Kraft Mac & Cheese.
Why does this matter? Because it signals a broader truth: the era of sprawling mega-conglomerates is starting to crack.
Today’s consumers don’t buy corporate scale, they buy clarity, quality, and story. That’s why lean, hyper-focused brands like Fishwife (turning tinned fish into a lifestyle) and Graza (squeeze-bottle olive oil as an identity flex) are thriving. They obsess over a hero product and make it iconic.
For Kraft Heinz, breaking up may be the only way to rediscover that sharpness. In a market where specialization wins, trying to be everything to everyone is the fastest way to feel like nothing at all.
⌚Brand of the Week: WHOOP
WHOOP is on its fifth generation and still pushing boundaries in the wearable space, but what makes it stand out is how it got here. Instead of chasing celebrity endorsements, WHOOP earned credibility the hard way: by building a product trusted by elite athletes like LeBron James, Michael Phelps, and Cristiano Ronaldo before it ever hit the mainstream.
That approach flipped the script. Rather than a flashy launch backed by marketing dollars, WHOOP grew from the inside out, starting with performance purists and expanding to a wider audience looking for deeper health insights. Now, it’s not just a fitness tracker; it’s a data-driven tool for recovery, readiness, and peak performance.
Next week at Catalyst Series: Cutting Through the Noise, Tatiana Kuzmowycz, VP of Brand at WHOOP, will share how the company built trust, scaled without losing credibility, and continues to stand out in a saturated wellness market.
🗞 Extra, Extra: Opportunities You Should Know About
📢 Partner Spotlight: Lux Markets
Lux Markets helps CPG brands activate in luxury apartment communities. We connect you directly with high-value shoppers and give you the tools to track performance, grow revenue, and scale smarter.
Think curated mini vendor villages inside high-rise spaces—designed to create meaningful brand experiences in a sleek, elevated environment that drives engagement and conversion.
Ready to make luxury living your next growth channel? Fill out this form to learn more →
📢 Investor Opportunity: Beauty Nutrition Brand Near Launch
If you’re interested in early-stage investing, this is a unique chance to get in before launch. Bright’s is a beauty nutrition brand with strong early traction, set to debut in just 4 weeks. The current raise is nearly complete, with only one spot left.
The founding team brings serious credibility and visibility, led by a practicing doctor who’s also an influencer (and former Mrs. Nebraska). The product isn’t just effective—it tastes amazing and stands out in a crowded market. Plus, the rollout strategy is already in motion.
To see the full deck, email brian@brightsnutrition.com.
