By ROOT Marketing & PR
Twenty-five years ago, ROOT opened its doors in Boulder with a simple belief: good food deserves good storytelling. We still believe that. And after 25 years of pitching, placing, and building alongside some of the most passionate brands in food and beverage, we’ve learned a few things worth sharing. Here are 25 of them.
THE FOUNDATIONS
1. The people are everything.
The clients who trusted us, the editors who listened, the team members who made us proud — relationships are the engine behind everything we do. Every placement, every win, every long-term partnership started with a real human connection. This industry is built on trust, and trust is built between people.
2. Earned media is the most powerful way to promote what you do.
Not bought. Not boosted. Earned. When a trusted editor writes about your brand — unprompted, unpaid, and with their credibility attached — that’s worth more than any ad spend. And increasingly, it’s what AI search engines are prioritizing, too. Read more →
3. A great story will always outperform a big budget.
The brands we’ve watched grow — and stay relevant — always have a mission that extends beyond the product. Values aren’t a marketing add-on. They’re the story. And editors can tell the difference between a brand that lives its mission and one that just put it on a label.
4. The most successful brands stand for something bigger than what they sell.
The brands we’ve watched grow — and stay relevant — always have a mission that extends beyond the product. Values aren’t a marketing add-on. They’re the story. And editors can tell the difference between a brand that lives its mission and one that just put it on a label.
5. Consistency beats virality every time.
One viral moment is fun. Showing up week after week — with the same voice, the same values, the same quality — builds the kind of trust that actually converts. The brands with staying power don’t chase the spike. They do the work. Read more for social media→
KNOWING THE LANDSCAPE
6. Trendspotting isn’t just interesting — it’s essential.
Staying ahead of what’s coming in your category isn’t optional for brands that want to lead. It’s how you time a pitch, shape a story, and position yourself before the moment passes. The brands that show up first with a compelling narrative rarely have to fight for coverage. Trends We Saw at Expo West 2026→
7. The natural foods space is constantly evolving.
What was a niche in 2001 is now a mainstream expectation. What’s buzzy today may be table stakes in three years. The brands that thrive are the ones paying attention — and willing to shift their story as the category matures around them. Again, check out the Trends We Saw at Expo West 2026→
8. Not every trend is worth chasing.
We’ve seen brands bend themselves out of shape trying to hop on the latest wave — and lose the clarity that made them interesting in the first place. Some trends have legs. Some don’t. Knowing the difference, and having the discipline to stay in your lane, matters more than being first.
9. “Better-for-you” means something different to everyone — nuance matters.
For one consumer it’s organic. For another it’s allergen-free. For another it’s local, or regenerative, or low-sugar. Understanding how your specific audience defines better-for-you shapes every message you put into the world — and every pitch you send to media.
10. Sustainability isn’t a trend — it’s a responsibility.
We’ve worked with brands in this space for 25 years and watched “sustainability” evolve from a differentiator to a baseline expectation. The brands doing it right aren’t doing it for the press. The press follows because it’s real.
TRADITIONAL PR… AND BEYOND
11. Media relationships are built over time, not just when you need coverage.
The editors who pick up when we call do so because we’ve shown up for them consistently — with good stories, accurate information, and genuine respect for their work and their readers. Relationships aren’t a tactic. They’re a practice. Read more →
12. Trade shows are what you make them — and prep is everything.
Walking the floor isn’t a strategy. The brands that get the most from Expo West and events like it come in with a plan: media meetings scheduled, key messages locked, booth experience intentional. Everything else flows from that. Read more →
13. Awards and third-party validation can change the trajectory of a brand.
A well-placed award win opens doors with retailers, catches editors’ attention, and gives your team something to rally around. The key is being strategic about which ones you pursue — and then actually leveraging them once you’ve won. Read more →
14. Holiday gift guides are one of the most underutilized PR opportunities in food and bev.
The window is short, the competition is real, and the payoff — for the right product at the right time — is significant. Most brands either miss the deadlines or underestimate how early the outreach needs to start. Spoiler: it’s earlier than you think. Read more →
15. Some of the best ideas come from being on the ground.
Stores, farmers markets, events, trade show floors — that’s where real insight lives. The packaging that’s hard to find on shelf, the competitor that’s suddenly everywhere, the trend you’d never notice from behind a desk. Get out there.
BRAND-BUILDING THAT LASTS
16. Local matters: community-first brands build deeper, longer-lasting loyalty.
There’s a reason some brands stay beloved in their home market long before they go national. They earned it neighborhood by neighborhood, farmers market by farmers market, one real conversation at a time. Community is infrastructure. Read more →
17. Founders who show up — and are willing to be vulnerable — win.
The founder who tells the real story, including the hard parts, builds more connection than the polished brand statement ever will. Your “why” — the real one — is your most powerful asset. Don’t outsource it or sand it down.
18. Social media is a conversation, not a billboard.
The brands that treat their feeds like a one-way broadcast tend to plateau. The ones that listen, respond, and make their audience feel seen are the ones building something that compounds over time. Your community will tell you everything you need to know if you let them.
19. The best partnerships feel like true collaboration, not transactions.
Whether it’s a media collaboration, a co-brand, or an agency relationship — the ones that produce real results are built on shared goals, mutual respect, and a willingness to go beyond the contract. Transactional partnerships deliver transactional results.
20. Small brands can make the biggest impact.
We’ve always believed this. An emerging brand with a clear mission, a great founder story, and the right media moment can punch far above its weight. Size is not the limiting factor. Clarity is.
STAYING IN IT FOR THE LONG GAME
21. Be nice to everyone. It’s a small world.
The assistant editor at a regional food publication today is the features editor at a national outlet in five years. The founder you met at a farmers market is pitching Whole Foods next year. Show up with generosity and genuine interest at every level. It always comes back around.
22. Flexibility is key — the industry and media landscape are always shifting.
Twenty-five years ago, we didn’t pitch podcasts, think about AI search, or build Instagram strategies. The fundamentals — good story, right relationship, right timing — are the same. But the tactics change constantly, and staying current isn’t optional. Read more →
23. Showing up consistently over time builds real momentum.
The brands and agencies that last aren’t the ones who had one great year. They’re the ones who did the work — month after month, pitch after pitch — and let the results compound. There’s no shortcut for this one, and we’d be doing you a disservice to pretend otherwise. Read more →
24. Media placements are the gift that keeps giving — repurpose everything.
A great placement doesn’t end when it runs. Put it on your website. Share it in your newsletter. Train your sales team to reference it. Add it to your media kit. Update your pitch with it. Earned coverage only compounds if you actually use it. Read more →
25. After 25 years, we’re still learning — and that’s the best part.
This industry keeps us humble, keeps us curious, and keeps us excited to come to work. The food and beverage world is endlessly creative, endlessly surprising, and full of people doing genuinely good work. We’re grateful to be in it — and we’re just getting started.
Want help telling your brand’s story? Get in touch here! 25 years in, that’s still our favorite thing to do!
