The FMCG Marketing Daily — May 20, 2026

The essential daily briefing for brand managers and marketers in consumer goods.

In today's episode:

• Oscar Mayer is scaling up one of FMCG's most recognisable brand assets into a full media property — a case study in turning a brand icon into an earned-attention engine.

• The sale of Old Speckled Hen to Estrella owner Damm signals how heritage British ale brands are being repositioned by international acquirers who see export and off-trade potential that domestic owners no longer want to pursue.

• Starbucks Chilled Coffee has launched a new EMEA brand platform targeting Gen Z authenticity anxiety — a significant strategic move for a chilled RTD coffee brand trying to carve out cultural relevance beyond the café.

Fun fact: The average supermarket loses roughly 40% of its fresh produce revenue not at the checkout, but during the supply chain — and Walmart's investment in ethylene-absorbing packaging technology in 2019 extended average banana shelf life by nearly three days, translating to hundreds of millions in recovered margin annually. That means a banana's journey to your cart is now actively managed at the molecular level.

Hosted by Marco and Klara.