Food and Beverage Brand Names: Create Craveable Branding

Your Name Should Be as Good as Your Product

In food and beverage, your brand name appears on packaging, menus, delivery apps, and grocery shelves. It needs to work at every size — from a tiny ingredient label to a billboard. And it needs to make people hungry, thirsty, or curious.

Naming by Category

Packaged Food

Shelf appeal is everything. Your name competes with dozens of others in the same aisle:

Simple and bold: Kind, Rxbar, Epic
Descriptive: Bare Snacks, Smart Sweets, Caulipower
Playful: Pirate's Booty, Hippeas, LesserEvil

Beverages

Drink names need to sound refreshing and be easy to order:

Crisp and clean: Liquid Death, Olipop, Spindrift
Energetic: Celsius, Bang, Reign
Sophisticated: Fever-Tree, St-Germain, Hendrick's

CPG Brands

Consumer packaged goods names should be:

Easy to read at arm's length on a shelf
Distinguishable from competitors
Memorable enough to add to a shopping list

Restaurant/Café Brands

These names set the atmosphere:

Sweetgreen (fresh, healthy)
Shake Shack (fun, indulgent)
Blue Bottle Coffee (artisan, premium)

Naming Strategies for Food Brands

Ingredient-Forward

Put your hero ingredient in the name:

Chobani (derived from the Turkish word for shepherd — tied to dairy)
Siete (family-centered, but the brand focuses on specific ingredients)
Oatly (it's oat milk — the name tells you everything)

Founder Story

Personal names add authenticity in food:

Newman's Own
Annie's Homegrown
Dave's Killer Bread

Sensory Words

Names that trigger taste, texture, or aroma:

Crunch, Snap, Sizzle
Smooth, Velvet, Silk
Zest, Tang, Spice

Attitude and Personality

Brands with attitude stand out in crowded categories:

Liquid Death (just water, but the name is unforgettable)
Ugly Drinks (embracing imperfection)
OffLimits (cereal brand breaking rules)

Packaging and Label Considerations

Your name must work visually on packaging:

Short names have more design flexibility and larger typography
All-caps names read well on bottles and cans
Names with distinct letter shapes are more readable at small sizes

Mock up your name on packaging before finalizing. Does it look appetizing?

Regulatory Naming Rules

The FDA has specific rules about food labeling:

Your brand name cannot misrepresent the product
Terms like "organic," "natural," and "healthy" have legal definitions
Allergen-related terms in names can create labeling complications
"Made in [Country]" claims must be accurate

Consult an FDA labeling attorney if your name makes any implicit claims.

Digital Presence for Food Brands

Modern food brands need:

Website — For direct-to-consumer sales and brand storytelling
Instagram — Food photography drives brand awareness
Amazon — Many CPG brands sell here
Delivery apps — Your name appears in search results on DoorDash, Instacart, etc.

Secure your domain and social handles early. Use BrandScout to check availability.

Common Food Brand Naming Mistakes

Too generic: "Natural Foods Co." blends in with everything
Unappetizing associations: Test your name for unintended meanings
Too long for packaging: If it doesn't fit on a label, it's too long
Ignoring pronunciation: If customers can't order it confidently, they'll order something else

Your Food Brand Naming Checklist

[ ] Sounds appetizing or intriguing
[ ] Works on packaging at multiple sizes
[ ] Compliant with FDA naming guidelines
[ ] Domain available
[ ] Social handles available (especially Instagram)
[ ] No trademark conflicts in food and beverage
[ ] Easy to pronounce for verbal ordering

Create a food brand name that makes mouths water. Check availability with BrandScout and get your brand on shelves faster.