Omnichannel for Challenger Brands: How Small FMCG Businesses Can Win Without Big Budgets
Retail in the UK is moving faster than ever. A shopper might spot your brand on TikTok, check Tesco.com for availability, then grab it on their next supermarket run. For small FMCG brands, this fragmented path to purchase can feel overwhelming, but it’s actually a huge opportunity.
You don’t need a giant budget or a full marketing team to build a powerful omnichannel presence. You just need to show up consistently where your shoppers are already looking.
What Omnichannel Really Means for Small FMCG Brands
Omnichannel isn’t about being everywhere.
It’s about joining the dots across the few places you can show up - so whether someone encounters your brand online, in a farm shop, at a food festival, or on a supermarket shelf, the experience feels familiar, trustworthy, and unmistakably you.
Why It Matters
FMCG is a battleground where most purchase decisions take seconds. If a shopper recognises you instantly, and knows what you stand for, you’ve already got an edge.
A small brand with consistency will outperform a big brand that feels confused.
Build a Clear & Memorable Brand Identity
Your omnichannel strategy starts with a strong core:
✔ What do you stand for?
✔ Why should shoppers care?
✔ How should your brand look, speak and behave?
Carry this through your:
Packaging (your hardest-working media)
Website & retailer digital content (SEO matters here!)
Social media (show product and brand world)
In-store activation (from shelf-talkers to sampling)
Every encounter should feel like part of one story.
Rule of thumb: If someone saw your Instagram post printed and stuck on shelf, would they immediately know it was you?
Lead With Your Story, Not Your SKU List
People don’t form emotional bonds with formats. They connect with:
✨ Your mission
✨ Your flavour world
✨ Your founder story
✨ The problem you solve
✨ The joy you bring to the table
Bring that to life everywhere. The more someone sees your purpose reinforced, the more likely they are to pick you up in-store.
Omnichannel isn’t just convenient. It creates trust.
At Eyes Wide Open, we help brands create strategies that deliver clarity, consistency and measurable results. If you want to drive your brand forward, we would be delighted to continue the conversation.