Why food and fashion is a delicious combo marketers can't seem to resist

From an early age, many of us were taught by our parents to avoid getting food on our clothes. Now, brands are doing the exact opposite, proudly displaying their popular food and beverage (F&B) products on exclusive apparel. 

In recent years, food brands have increasingly adopted clothing drops as a unique marketing strategy to seemingly engage consumers and create buzz around their products. For instance, in October last year, Ya Kun Kaya Toast collaborated with athletic apparel and footwear brand adidas to unveil "Raise a toast". The merchandise drop included vinyl heat-press graphic tees and hoodies as well as shoe charms and enamel pins inspired by Ya Kun menu items such as kaya butter toast, iced tea, soft boiled eggs.

Across the border, Malaysian coffee chain ZUS Coffee collaborated with local clothing brand Pestle & Mortar Clothing (PMC) to release a limited-edition collection in November last year. Most recently, McDonald's Singapore collaborated with screen printing company Konstrukt Laboratories to make its delectable fan-favourite McGriddles wearable. 

Don't miss: Why a clothing drop might just be the boost your non-fashion brand needs

As more and more delicious clothing campaigns flood MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's newsroom, the question that has been living in the minds of the journalists is, why are food brands jumping on this, and how can they use these drops to their advantage?

Statement, trend, or touch of irony 

Food and fashion have long been a natural fit, but today’s drop culture makes the connection even stronger. According to Ritu Nakra, general manager at Landor Delhi, flavour and fashion teaming up together is a great playground for disruptive storytelling. A fashion platform gives the brands a role beyond the traditional consumer journey with strong saliency in micro moments of the consumer’s lifestyle.

"These collaborations also help food brands stay trendy, tap into pop culture and drive cultural relevance. Wearing the food brand’s apparel turns consumers into brand advocates," she added. 

From a business perspective, Nakra also said that branching into fashion allows for expansion by tapping into new markets and adding additional revenue streams.

In tandem, Graham Hitchmough, chief operating officer at The Bonsey Design Partnership said that with their seasonal product launches, returning fan favourites and limited-editions, F&B brands can tap into the hype-driven nature of streetwear. 

"This crossover extends their relevance and visibility as lifestyle staples, while appealing to younger consumers who are open to literally wearing their favourite brands on their sleeves, whether as a statement, a trend, or even with a touch of irony," he added. 

Right message, wrong execution 

With several professionals seeing food-themed drops as a positive, it is important to note that expanding into unfamiliar territory is not without challenges. Virginia Ngai, associate partner at Prophet pointed out that the common pitfalls of such collections include the lack of authenticity, quality control issues, sustainability concerns and failure to drive business success.

"While partnerships can generate short-term buzz, brands must leverage them to strengthen equity, grow their customer base, and foster loyalty. Misaligned collaborations can harm the brand rather than create meaningful impact," she said.

Similarly, Nakra stated that the biggest risk at hand is brand dilution due to a wrong fit on core values over dominance of one partner over the other.

"A mismatched audience fit can be a wasted effort. Consumers expect consistency of brand experiences across all platforms and touchpoints so a poor-quality merchandise can be a big let-down and hurt the brand reputation," she added.

Scarcity sells

With the do's and don'ts locked in, how can food brands play this strategy to their advantage?

With the ever-changing digital landscape available in the palm of our hands, knowing how to utilise the online space is key. With that, Nakra noted that digital platforms and influencer collaborations generate buzz and drive virality.

"Fashion influencers introduce the food brands to new and more diverse consumers expanding the footprint, influence and impact of the brand’s presence. This elevates the food brands coolness factor making it more trendy and culturally relevant," she added. 

Echoing similar sentiments, Ngai said partnering with fashion brands or influencers who resonate with the target audience ensures credibility and broader reach.

However, Hitchmough noted that consumers can smell a cash grab from a mile away. To effectively utilise the fashion trend to their advantage, brands need to mine their DNA and play to their strengths.

"The best collaborations also tap into a broader cultural moment, such as Chagee and ZUS Coffee teaming up with PMC to celebrate Malaysian heritage. Ultimately, the products have to stand on their own as desirable, collectible, and wearable," he said. 

Hitchmough also said the success of such collections often hinges on the perception of limited availability. "Social media fuels the hype, creating buzz, leveraging celebrity or influencer endorsements, and introducing gamification elements that drive virality and the 'fear of missing out' (FOMO)," he added. 

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