This audio is generated automatically. Please let me know if you have any comments.
Nearly 20 years after starting as a wooden food cart in Boston, Grillo’s Pickles is leveraging word of mouth and limited-time collaborative products to achieve organic growth.
The brand is known for its tangy pickles sold in the refrigerated section of grocery stores and its fun animated packaging designs. Since being purchased by packaged confectionery maker King’s Hawaiian for an undisclosed price in 2021, the brand has been leveraging unique collaborations to grow its presence. Products ranged from pickle-flavored beer to toothpaste.
“What we realized is that people love the flavor profile of pickles, whether in chips, pretzels, nuts or beverages,” said Eddie Andre, vice president of branding at Grillo’s, who has been with the company since its founding.
Andre said the DIY approach has influenced the company’s independent spirit. When the brand launched in 2008, most people still had cash and Twitter was just starting to grow, so the company’s founders tweeted about the place they founded back in the day.
“We only wrapped two classic dills in foil because we took them downtown and sold two spears for a dollar,” Andre said. “People weren’t sure if we were really a pickle brand or a skate brand or a band. They didn’t know what it was.”
Expanding its reach through social media, the brand caught the attention of Whole Foods, which began selling Grillo’s Pickles in its North Atlantic stores by 2010.
The brand continues to grow its presence with limited-time products created in conjunction with other popular food and beverage brands. In October, Grillo’s teamed up with Campbell’s V8 on a ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic Bloody Mary cocktail mix. And last month, the brand launched Pickle de Gallo. schmear With PopUp Bagels in New York City. On the beverage front, Grillo’s is collaborating with Two Robbers on sparkling water flavors in 2023.
Until recently, Grillo’s quirky products had resulted in partnerships with fellow startup food and beverage producers. The V8 Bloody Mary product marks the first time the brand has collaborated with an established brand, Andre said. “We realized we could create a really great product that would bring the youth of Grillo’s to an old company like V8 and make it a really fun experience.”
Grillo’s cult fan base, most of whom are aligned with the punk rock scene, doesn’t see collaborations with big brands as the company “selling out,” Andre said.
When deciding whether to partner with a particular brand, Grillo’s considers several factors: Whether the brand aligns with those values. The quality of the products, the ingredients used, and most importantly, the brand’s products should feel like an extension of Grillo’s roots, Andre said.
Andre said Grillo’s has several launches lined up for 2025, including snacks and more beverages. Grillo’s also continues to collaborate with music groups and skate companies on co-branded products and events.
“I’m not saying, ‘The grillo is too big.’ It’s like saying, ‘Okay, Grillo’s is falling apart,’ because we’re still very involved in the subcultures and little things that keep us grounded as a brand,” Andre said.
