pepsico
Nosh-talgia: Transforming Keto Snacking with Zero CAPEX Investment
Trend Research
Design Research
Product Definition
Brand Strategy
Situation: PepsiCo’s Hive Incubator wanted to capture the sky-rocking growth in Keto foods.
Challenge: At the time, the team was considering everything from chocolate to cheese. We began consumer research to bring life to a business opportunity—a mere PowerPoint concept pitch—making it a tangible success.
Solution: Through in-depth research with consumers, we identified a bullseye design target, coined ‘Keto Normies’, to inform concept development. A far cry from performance-oriented biohackers who dominate the Keto landscape, and eat bacon for every meal, Keto Normies miss the indulgences of their former diets, including the taste, texture, and fun experience of snacks.
Our research led to the product portfolio and brand position for Hilo Life, a brand on a mission to make foods a source of joy for carb counters who have ‘Nosh-talgia’ and miss traditional snacks. To date, Hilo Life is the the Hive’s most successful launch. HiLo's success hinges on our strategy to offer familiar snacks with 5 net carbs or less, without a single dollar of CAPEX investment
“HiLo’s success hinges on our strategy to offer familiar snacks with 5 net carbs or less, without a single dollar of CAPEX investment.”
Tribe-Driven Research
Research with ‘Keto-Normies’ helped define every element of our new-to-world brand.
Food Design
Since Keto-Normies miss crunchy, salty carbs, we envisioned snacks that are 5 net carbs or less, utilizing current supply chain and made on existing machinery.
Nosh without regret
Hilo Life's Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips are made with almond flour and have a bold nacho cheese flavor. They are keto-friendly, low-carb, and contain 9g of protein and 3g of net carbs per serving.
