Brand & Blend: Brand Positioning in Food & Wine Drives Customer Choice

Brand & Blend: Brand Positioning in Food & Wine Drives Customer Choice

From product to meaning: what is changing in the way we choose and recognize Food & Wine brands

Taste has changed — and with it, purchasing dynamics, consumer expectations and the way brands are perceived. In the Food & Wine industry, where storytelling has long focused primarily on product, quality and tradition, another decisive factor has now clearly emerged: the identity a brand is able to express, make recognizable and maintain consistently over time.

This awareness gave rise to Brand&Blend, Zaki’s signature project centered on strategic positioning and communication. It supports wineries and Food & Wine businesses in defining and narrating their identity through a path designed to be coherent, distinctive and relevant across every touchpoint — from digital channels to in-person experiences, where relationships are truly consolidated.

Give your Wine & Food brand a clear and coherent identity. Brand&Blend combines storytelling, communication and hospitality, transforming every touchpoint into tangible value. Discover how at: Brand&Blend

Direct customer relationships as a competitive advantage

For companies in the Food & Wine sector, speaking directly to the end customer is increasingly a competitive choice. Wine no longer exists only in the glass — it exists beforehand, in the imagery built around it, in the expectations that take shape, in the system of values and symbols a brand can activate even before tasting.

The numbers help clarify the point: over 70% of purchasing decisions are driven by emotions, and 95% of choices occur at an unconscious level. In other words, the brand often “arrives” before the product, shaping perception and preparing the ground for choice. This is where positioning stops being a theoretical exercise and becomes a concrete lever: it shapes perception, facilitates decision-making and builds preference.

Positioning means choosing what to stand for (and communicating it consistently)

Brand&Blend was created to help companies clarify who they are, what they stand for and why they should be chosen, avoiding the generic and interchangeable language that is still too common in the sector.

Effective positioning is not the sum of isolated claims and messages, but the result of a coherent combination of personality, promise and consistency. The strongest brands do not compete solely on product quality — which remains a prerequisite — but on the meaning they convey and the relationship they are able to build.

Direct relationships are the real capital — and the context confirms it

At the same time, the landscape is clearly evolving: food and wine tourism continues to grow and is estimated at $11.5 billion globally, with the potential to exceed $40 billion by 2030 (average annual growth rate of 19.9%). Wine tourism is no longer “just visibility”: out of a sample of 1,310 wineries, 88% offer wine tourism activities, 65% consider them profitable or more, and the average revenue share reaches 25%. Additionally, 51% state their intention to invest further.

This reinforces a simple concept: in an increasingly disintermediated market, direct relationships become a strategic asset. DTC sales, communities, wine clubs, experiences and events are powerful tools — but they truly work only when supported by a solid and recognizable identity.

MareDiVino, Livorno: a necessary conversation

The themes at the core of Brand&Blend were also shared during MareDiVino in Livorno, providing an opportunity to discuss the ongoing transformation of the sector and the growing importance of the direct relationship between brand and consumer. Today — especially in the wine industry — communication and positioning can no longer be treated as add-ons or corrective measures. They are, in every respect, an integral part of business strategy.

Brand&Blend as a response to this scenario

Brand&Blend is an integrated project with a clear focus: positioning and communication, transforming identity and value into perception, recognition and choice.

Our services:

• Strategy and positioning: we define distinctive values and build competitive, authentic positioning.
• Brand identity and storytelling: from design to copywriting, we translate identity into coherent words and visuals.
• Digital experience: websites, campaigns, social strategy and visual storytelling to deliver value to the right audience.
• Hospitality and customer journey: we design experiential paths aligned with the brand positioning.
• Podcast and immersive formats: original audio/video formats that give voice to the brand narrative.
• Events and experience design: experiential moments that combine storytelling and relationship-building, strengthening reputation and perception.

Let’s check your positioning

If you are a wine producer or a business in the Food & Wine industry and want to understand whether your brand is truly clear, distinctive and coherent (before simply “communicating more”), get in touch with us for a positioning check. We analyze messaging, differentiation and key touchpoints, delivering a concrete snapshot of your brand today and its future potential.