Globally food and drink manufacturers launch and pull thousands of new products every year. Each launch comes with significant risk and while a select brands few become household favourites many more end up on the pile of the forgotten – or are quietly withdrawn.
Despite investing millions into innovation, launches and marketing, global F&B manufacturers continue to grapple with the big question of how to make these brands successful.
Global advertising spend in the F&B category is projected to soar from $72.5bn in 2022 to $112bn by 2027, according to Industry Snapshot: Food and Beverage 2026.
The report from WARC (World Advertising Research Center) reveals that most incremental growth will continue to be captured by “internet pure play”, which accounts for roughly two-thirds of total category spend in 2025.
Aditya Kishore, WARC’s Insight Director, says the F&B space is “quite crowded” in most markets, with high failure rates.
A successful launch, he explains, requires a deep understanding of the specific consumer need as well as the ability to spark excitement.
“With lots of options already catering to broader customer needs, a new brand has to identify a segment or a need that is not being clearly catered to and then create its own ‘distinctive truth’,” says Kishore.
“There will always be exceptions, but broadly speaking we think that’s a critical requirement for a new brand. It must be able to stand out from others in the category and fulfil some sort of customer need, either practical or emotional.”
Why do brands fail?
Phil Toms, a UK‑based marketing specialist who has worked with major brands including Nestlé and brewer Charles Wells, describes brands as “the clothes around the product.”
As founder of consultancy See Round Corners, he agrees that every new launch must be grounded in an existing or emerging consumer need, with marketing driving awareness and trial.
“Brands are what people buy into because that is how they make you feel. It gets notice and persuades people to do something,” he says.
“Ahead of launches, lots of pre-testing of new products/brands will take place particularly amongst the bigger businesses investigating what people like, don’t, what works, doesn’t etc. Whilst this might give an indication of likely success or failure it cannot exactly replicate what will happen in the real world.”
One of the biggest hurdles is getting a supermarket listing but even then, initial sales are only the beginning.
“If the product doesn’t deliver for the consumer, repeat purchase simply won’t happen,” he adds.
Large global businesses with the expertise to create and launch new products are far from guaranteed success.
“Ultimately the key judge in all of this is the consumer. It is important to get under the skin of who you are doing it for, why you are doing it and that what you are doing has value.”
Limited edition FMCG brands
Despite these challenges existing brands in the marketplace continue to innovate to maintain engagement.
Limited‑edition products, according to Toms, are a “great way” to test new ideas and evaluate popularity, although they also reveal concepts to competitors. He cites KitKat Chunky as a good example of a product which started life as a limited edition before becoming a long‑term favourite.
Finn Communications, the FMCG marketing agency that has worked with brands including Jason’s Sourdough and Yorkshire Tea, agrees that while every product should meet a consumer need, established brands must continue to innovate.
“Innovation is critical because it helps to build the brand as well as fulfil a consumer demand. It keeps the brand fresh and demonstrates to the retailer that you are supporting them and you’re looking to create new excitement and energy around the category,” says Finn Communications founder and CEO Richard Rawlins.
“Innovation is critical for both keeping up with and shaping consumer behaviour.”
He says the key thing is striking the right balance between strong insight, and understanding of both the shopper and the consumer, and making sure the product delivers.
However, he concedes that not every launch is a success.
“There are times when marketing misses the mood or it just doesn’t land,” he adds.
The top 10 food and drink brands that vanished
There are plenty of brands that did not get the backing of the consumer. Many have made it to the Museum of Failure, a collection of failed products and services from around the world. Here is our pick of innovative brand launches that just didn’t survive.
Coca-Cola, New Coke
- Launch: 23 April 1985
- Date last sold: 11 July 1985
Coca-Cola Company decided to reinvigorate its brand after losing market share. On April 23, 1985, it announced a change to its nearly century-old secret formula, with “New Coke” introducing a smoother, sweeter version of the drink.
Since, the launch has arguably become the most infamous of its kind and the Coca-Cola Company has called the move the “biggest risk” in consumer goods history.
Reaction to the change spawned widespread consumer angst, with reports of US consumers hoarding bottles of original Coke in basements. Protest groups formed and within months the classic Cola was back on the shelves.
“We set out to change the dynamics of sugar colas in the United States, and we did exactly that – albeit not in the way we planned,” then chairman and chief executive officer Roberto Goizueta said in 1995.
Kellogg’s OJs
- Launch date: 1985
- Date last sold: 1986
Kellogg’s decided to launch a new variant of its breakfast cereal in the USA, with added Orange Juice.
It used the animated cowboy “OJ Joe” to advertise the orange flavoured cereal, which it said was “packed with Vitamin C.”
It launched with a fun commercial showing “OJ Joe” digging his spurs into an orange as he rounded up other oranges, eventually branding one with the “OJ” logo. While he was doing this, he was shown riding an orange, much like a horse, through the “OJ Ranch.”
But as fun as the animated character was consumers were not keen on the orange flavoured cereal, and it was removed from shelves.
PepsiCo, Crystal Pepsi
- Launch: 1992
- Date last sold: 1995
PepsiCo released a new version of its fizzy beverage that tapped into an apparent demand for clear products, which consumers believed were healthier.
This caffeine-free variant was ahead of its time but there were issues with consumers finding a colourless Cola hard to engage with as well as having concerns around the taste.
But this wasn’t the end of the brand as it has had a retro revival and has since been brought back in limited editions. Crystal Pepsi was offered for a limited time in the USA through a sweepstakes on the Pepsi Pass app in December 2015. It also saw a revival for a limited time in 2016 across retail and foodservice in Canada and US.
McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
- Date Launched: 1996
- Date last sold: 2000
Global burger chain McDonald’s wanted to upscale its burgers to appeal beyond its core demographic of younger consumers.
Before the craft burger chains of today, McDonald’s then executive chef Andrew Selvaggio attempted to make the humble McDonald’s burger a little classier and birthed the Arch Deluxe. It was a burger focused on the adult market and described as “the burger with the grown-up taste.”
Reports claimed the burger chain invested up to $300m in market research and development for the new product.
McDonald’s was known for being an affordable family friendly brand, and consumers just didn’t engage with the new premium burger. It was removed from McDonald’s venues by 2000.
Lay’s Wow Chips
- Launch: 1998
- Date last sold: 2010
The low-calorie craze of the 1990s came for the crisps and chips category.
A new food ingredient called Olestra, developed by Proctor and Gamble, was set to revolutionise the snacks category.
Lay’s WOW! chips, introduced by Frito-Lay in 1998, were fat-free, calorie-reduced snacks made with the fat substitute Olestra. They were not the only brand on the market, with Pringles, Doritos and Ruffles joining the craze.
Despite its massive popularity, Olestra became known for causing gastrointestinal issues such as abdominal cramping, diarrhoea and “anal leakage”. YUM!
According to The Grocer magazine in 2021 Procter & Gamble threw in the towel and scrapped its use of fat substitute, Olestra.
Heinz EZ Squirt
- Launch: October 2000
- Date last sold: 2006
Moving in to the 2000s and it was Heinz that shook up the ketchup market in the US with its colourful ketchup for kids.
It launched Heinz EZ Squirt which was marketed to children featuring vibrant shades like "Blastin’ Green“, ”Funky Purple," and "Stellar Blue“.
Heinz also added a mystery colour to create excitement, which could be the Passion Pink, Awesome Orange or Totally Teal.
The product was designed to make mealtimes interactive and fun and was produced in a squeezy bottle making it easy for children to use.
Although the product boomed initially, sales began to dwindle as children lost interest in the coloured condiment. The product was ultimately discontinued in 2006.
Trump Steaks
- Launch: May 2007
- Date last sold: July 2007
Before Donald Trump became US President, he was also in the food and drink business launching his own range of steaks to his home market in the USA. No prizes for guessing how it ended.
Sold under the strapline of the “The World’s Greatest Steaks” they were available through The Sharper Image in the USA.
He promoted the new range of steaks with a major advert, where he told potential customers that: “Trump steaks are by far the best tasting most flavourful beef you have ever had. Truly in a league of their own.”
They were reported to be five-star gourmet and certified Angus Beef Prime. The brand started in May 2007 but was discontinued just two months after launch.
Molson Coors, Animée
- Launch: August 2011
- Date last sold: December 2012
Global brewer Molson Coors announced a beer directly marketed toward women, called Animée.
When it launched in August 2011 Molson Coors chief executive Mark Hunter admitted “we are prepared to fail” but said it was a “game-changing move”.
The company launched with a £2m advertising campaign.
Animée, 4% ABV, was available in three variants: Clear Filtered, Crisp Rose and Zesty Lemon.
But a year later it axed the brand as it failed to attract those all-important female drinkers.
There was backlash from the UK beer industry at the time with beer sommelier Jane Peyton saying that instead of creating a beer for women, brewers should focus on marketing beer as a gender-neutral beverage.
Coca-Cola Company, Dasani Water
- Date launched: February 2004
- Date last sold: March 2004
Dasani Water, was already the second-best selling water popular brand in the USA, when it was introduced into the British market in 2004.
Coca-Cola invested £7m into the UK publicity launch but British consumers were just unprepared to pay a premium for filtered water. Turns out the water taken from mains water and produced at a factory in Sidcup, South east of London.
According to a report in newspaper The Independent the company was widely compared to British sitcom character Del Boy Trotter in the Only Fools and Horses comedy series, who attempted to sell gullible customers bottled tap water from what he called “the Peckham Spring”.
It was withdrawn only a month after launch and was described as “humiliating withdrawal” from the UK market.
Hedgehog Flavoured Crisps
- Date Launched: 1981
- Date last sold: Early/mid 1990s
While not a global brand these classics 1980s crisps launched in the UK were controversial at the time.
Hedgehog Flavoured Crisps, reportedly inspired by a story of baked hedgehogs, were developed by Phillip Lewis, the landlord of the Vaults public house in Welshpool Montgomeryshire, Wales, in 1981.
They soon became a household name and caught the attention of the media.
The BBC even went out on the streets of the UK with famous TV presenter Esther Rantzen to get members of the public to try them.
They were fraught with issues and eventually withdrawn when the UK Office of Fair Trading alleged a breach of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 as the product contained no actual hedgehog.
After rebranding to “Hedgehog Flavour Crisps” the product returned to sale in 1984 and continued to be sold until the early/mid 1990s.