Revolution Retail was the first of its kind popup store showcasing emerging retail technologies and innovative CPG food and beverage brands from Boston and beyond.

Branchfood, in partnership with Foodboro, Roche Bros Supermarkets, Survey.com, BREX, and the Faneuil Hall Marketplace built Revolution Retail and hosted GMDC and Retail Tomorrow’s Boston Immersion tour attendees welcoming 80+ national retail executives to experience the future of food. Revolution Retail launched in the heart of the Faneuil Hall Marketplace on Thursday, July 18th with a sold-out Community Event including 150+ attendees and remained operational until Sunday, July 21st. Over the course of just 4 days, we had more than 1K+ visitors from different walks of life and nationalities and were thrilled to share these startups with the community.  

The Future of Retail Community Event launched the popup and was hosted at Ned Devine’s also in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The goal of this event was to discuss emerging trends in food retail. Panels focused on the future of retail with regards to robotics, artificial intelligence and automation as well as self-care - all in the name of better food/beverage products and services! Panels were moderated by Janelle Nanos, reporter for The Boston Globe, and Danielle Duplin, Co-founder & Global Launch Director for Agency.

During the event, we heard a total of six startup pitches and recorded a food podcast LIVE! This event brought together the retail executives who were part of the Retail Tomorrow Boston Immersion tour with food entrepreneurs from the Boston community.

Why a popup store you might ask? The food industry has been continuously and rapidly changing to accommodate consumers’ interests, dietary restrictions, and latest food interests. Consumers want to eat and drink products that make them feel healthier and are better for the planet. They seek brands that reflect their personal values and dietary preferences: sustainability, animal welfare, better-for-you, and alternative proteins. Most importantly, they want to purchase from brands they can trust. And food entrepreneurs have been responding to these changes. From food products, to software services and retail technologies, more than $3.08B have been invested in food and agricultural startups within New England (source: The Food & Agriculture Ecosystem in New England, The Engine Built by MIT, 2019). We’re proud of the entrepreneurs building these products and grateful for their efforts in bringing them to life. They’re local, they’re small, they’re driven, they’re hard working, and they’re people like you and me who seek to make a dent in the food industry and transform it into a better system for everyone. It’s not only about the products, it’s about the people behind them and the stories that led them to start these companies. They truly are inspirational. 

The Revolution Retail popup store was located in the historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the heart of commerce for the city dating back to the late 1700s. The store hosted over 60 food and beverages brands as well as Roche Bros. Supermarkets’ very own Brothers Marketplace brand. The complete list of participating brands can be found here. Products included better-for-you food and beverages, plant-based jerky and snacks, caffeinated and high-protein bars, upcycled pet treats, and shrubs among others. Check out the discount codes from some of our awesome vendors!

• Legally Addictive - chocolate covered crackers
  10% off online ‘JULY19’

• Loco Coffee - cold brew
  Online/Amazon orders 'LOCOFIT20'

• Love the Kick - candied nut clusters
  20% discount + 1 free sample ‘REVOLUTION’

• Monfefo - ginger & turmeric shots
  20% off online order of 1 case+ ‘HOTSHOT’

• More Labs - hangover cure
  code ’LASTCALL’

• Off Our Rocker - sweet potato cookies
  Code 'FOODBORO ROCKS'

• Olyra - breakfast biscuits made of ancient grains
  30% off online ‘REVOLYRA30’

• Onesto - gluten-free crackers
  15% off online ‘POPUP15’

• Pan's Mushroom Jerky - shiitake jerky
  Code 'REVRETAIL19'

• Perfectly Free - better for your kids fruit bites
  25% online ‘REVOLUTION’

• R.E.D.D. - protein bar
  20% off online 'REDDREVOLUTION'

• Shameless Pets - upcycled pet treats
  20% off online ‘BOSTON’

• Spudsy - upcycled sweet potato snack
  Amazon code 'SpudLife'

• Telos Foods - collagen boosters and lattes
  20% off online ‘RevolutionRetail’

• The Backyard Food Company - wholesome condiments
  $5 off online orders of 3+ items ‘RetailRev’

• Töst - sparkling beverage
  20% off $50+ online orders 'bostontost2019'

• Waku - plant based tonic for gut health
  25% off 'TRYWAKU'

• Yerbary - concentrated ACV tonic
  20% off online 'POPUP'

• A Boring Life - hemp infused snacks
  Buy 1 get 1 free 'RRBOGO'

• Akua - kelp jerky
  20% off online ‘REVOLUTION20’

• Anna's Kitchen - organic shrubs
  Online orders 'ShrubLove'

• Bellicchi’s Best - biscotti
  10% off online ‘I Love Biscotti’

• Beyond the Equator - seed butter
  10% off Amazon orders ‘10REVPOPUP’

• Bohana - popped water lily seeds
  Code ‘RevolutionBohana’

• Core + Rind - dairy free cheese sauce
  20% off online 'RevolutionRetail'

• Cure - electrolyte powder
  $10 off online 'REVOLUTIONRETAIL10'

• Do Anything Foods - vegetable-based, dairy-free sauces
  10$ off online ‘REVOLUTIONRETAIL10’

• Eat Your Coffee - caffeinated snack bars
  30% off online 'ENERGIZED'

• Elemental Beverage Company - cold coffee
  25% off a 6 pack 'BRANCHFOOD'

• Energy Bits - superfood algae tablets
  20% off online ‘BITSPOPUP’

• Five Way Foods - vegetable and bone broth
  10% off online ‘fivenew’

• FlavaNaturals - performance boosting chocolate
  $20 off 2+ items 'HAVAFLAVA'

• Foreal Foods - coconut jerky
  Online/Amazon orders 'Foreal19'

• IQ Bar - brain + body protein bar
  25% off 'POPUP25’

• Jack’s Crackers - innovative crackers
  $5 shipping discount on $25+ orders ‘RRPOPUP5’

• Keto and Co - keto baking mixes
  10% off online ‘REVOLUTION’

• Laiki Crackers - rice crackers
  15% off online 'SAVELAIKI'

In the store, we also showcased smart vending machines from 6AM Health and Vicki, Alert Innovation’s automated storage solution, Survey.com’s merchandising solution, and Popspots’ engaging POS platform.

Revolution Retail’s store in Boston is the first of many stores to come. If you have any suggestions on where to host our next store and would like to refer products and brands, contact us at info@branchfood.com. Stay tuned by signing up for our updates and news!

About Foodboro
Foodboro is a resource hub and membership toolkit for food entrepreneurs. They help makers start, scale and streamline their businesses by providing support, access to opportunities, and community. Whether you’re a CPG brand, a baker, a caterer, or a foodie with big dreams, Foodboro has something for you. Their educational content, partnerships with high-value service providers, and toolkit of business resources are essential for any maker and any stage. Build a better food business with Foodboro!

About Retail Tomorrow
Retail Tomorrow was created by GMDC to foster innovation within the retail industry. As today’s evolving shopper drives change at a faster pace than ever before, retailers and their trading partners need to find ways to stay competitive in a highly disruptive marketplace. We help companies understand the future and activate against relevant trends by hosting City Immersions and Headquarter Events to expose executives to emerging technologies, products, and new business models that will drive tomorrow’s revenue.