Merch Madness: Food and Beverage Brands Up Their Merch Game

Long gone are the days when food and beverage brand identities were limited to product selections on grocery store shelves. Today, brands engage in a feeding frenzy of product diversification, with many extending their market presence through medleys of merchandise. 

Food and beverage brand consumption has gone beyond eating and drinking to a diversity of merch-driven experiences and activations, from pop-up stores to seemingly unrelated product categories.

Datassential’s 2024 Food Trends report reveals the growing appetite for diversified brand experiences. Nearly 30% of consumers surveyed would visit a pop-up store — typically a source of brand extension merchandise — from their favorite food brand. That percentage jumps to 32% for millennials. 

Branded Merch Wins Young Audiences

The trend toward product diversification is especially strong among young consumers. Thirty-six percent of Gen Zers surveyed have purchased or have tried to purchase a special-edition, limited-time product from a food brand, and 21% have worn a food-branded clothing item, according to Datassential.

“Branded merch is a natural extension of how food and beverage brands build excitement today, and limited-release products generate buzz and create urgency,” said Ruby Powell, social media lead at The Food Group. “Creators tease them for days on TikTok, and suddenly it’s an event! People will wake up early and get in line for even a chance at exclusive merch.”

Big Brands, Major Merch

From Chick-Fil-A’s fully equipped online stores to one-off limited-launch products like Ricola’s scented scarves, brands keep finding buzzworthy ways to make their mark in the merch space.

Ricola made a statement blending fashion and fragrance when it created scarves with the brand name, colors and one very familiar scent. The scarves exude the aroma of the Swiss Alps on a cool winter’s day thanks to an infusion of the very same herbs Ricola uses in its cough drops. And when you need more help staving off the sniffles, there’s even a hidden pocket in the seam for cough drops on demand.

Denny’s stepped up its street game with a limited-edition sneaker via a collab with shoe artist Mache. The aptly named “Sticky Kicks” sport Denny’s logo, brand colors and, the kicker, real syrup in the sides and tongue panels, giving these shoes a new level of drip. How does footwear connect to Denny’s never-ending breakfast service? They’ll tell you: “We love syrup from our plates to our soles.”

To celebrate 80 years in business, Chick-fil-A is naming 2026 the “Year of Newstalgia.” The brand kicked off the celebration in January with the Golden Fan Cup Sweepstakes, where customers can purchase one of four retro-style Chick-fil-A “Classic Cups.” Guests who receive a Golden Cup are entered for a chance to win free Chick-fil-A for a year. Additional Newstalgia merchandise is expected to roll out online throughout the year. While Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays, the brand’s online merch store — open daily since 2022 — offers items like cow-print apparel, branded sports gear and waffle fry-themed drinkware.

Campbell’s declared “Sides Season” with a limited-edition designer merch drop tied to its 2025 State of the Sides report. By pairing data-driven insights with two functional bag options,, the brand turned a classic food truth—everyone loves a good side—into a cultural moment. 

Ore-Ida is tapping into ski-bum culture with French Fry Skis, created in collaboration with premium ski brand Fischer Sports. Launching in February 2026, the skis feature oversized crinkle-cut fry graphics and play on the moment skiers graduate from the “pizza” stance to “french fries.” As Ore-Ida Senior Brand Manager Claire Lukaszewski puts it, the skis are a fun, unexpected way to take the brand’s golden, crispy-on-the-outside fries from the frozen aisle to the frozen slopes — and celebrate a milestone every skier remembers.

Six Takeaways: Why Merch Is a Must for Next-Level Brand Growth

1. It builds a lifestyle and community: In an age of social media amplification and cross-channel marketing, merch gives your brand a lifestyle dimension that binds fans together. It’s more than brand building; it’s community building.
2. It provides an additional revenue stream: Many limited-edition products like the Miller Lite Beercracker and Panera BAGguette Bag quickly sell out and become sought-after items on sites like eBay. The hunger for merch is huge — and so is the profit potential.
3. It’s great for gifting: Merch gives customers options for gift giving for the holidays and other occasions. Branded items can stand out from the blur of potential gifts and attract gift-givers looking for something unique and distinctive.
4. It expands market reach: Clothing and accessories extend your brand beyond the product or service to appeal to both foodies and the fashion-conscious. These and other specialty items can reach consumers who may otherwise overlook your brand.
5. It can serve as a fundraiser: Merch can make a difference through cause marketing initiatives. Panera, for example, donates a portion of net profits from its digital shop to the Panera Bread Foundation Inc., which funds services for underprivileged and at-risk children. (Check out our post on cause marketing to learn more about the power and pitfalls of food and beverage fundraising initiatives.)
6. It drives earned exposure and brand advocacy: Merch drops and collaborations create fresh, newsworthy moments that fuel brand campaigns and unlock earned media opportunities. By turning fans into advocates — and customers into walking billboards — merch extends reach beyond paid promotion, building awareness organically through authenticity and real-world visibility.

In the end, merch is an essential extension of brand engagement — and food and beverage brands are increasingly stepping up to plate with exclusive collections of lifestyle apparel, accessories and novelty items. Feed the need for merch and you nourish the bottom line.

Stay on top of food and beverage brand and marketing trends with The Front Burner, our agency e-newsletter packed with info to keep you in the know. To satisfy your craving for culinary solutions, reach out to our food innovation consultancy, Creative Food Solutions.