Simple Mills Case Study: Building the Marketing Foundation for a Breakout CPG Brand
The Challenge: A Fast-Growing Startup Without Marketing Infrastructure
Simple Mills, a natural food brand, experienced a dramatic sales increase so quickly that the company hit store shelves before it had the marketing infrastructure or brand awareness strategy to match its momentum. The founding team needed to build their entire digital marketing presence from scratch—social media, website, and brand identity—while simultaneously creating the organizational infrastructure to sustain long-term growth.
With rapid retail expansion outpacing their marketing capabilities, Simple Mills needed a nimble, digitally savvy partner who could move fast, think strategically, and help them capitalize on their early traction before competitors caught up.
Our Solution: First-Ever Marketing Strategy, Digital Presence & Organizational Infrastructure
18 Coffees partnered with Simple Mills during the brand’s earliest days to establish its first-ever marketing strategy and online presence. Our engagement covered the full spectrum of brand building—from social media strategy and day-to-day content management to website UX and analytics—while also putting in place the organizational infrastructure needed for long-term success.
We developed and executed a comprehensive social media marketing strategy, launching and building the brand’s social media communities from the ground up across all major platforms. Our team managed day-to-day content creation and community engagement, and led the upgrade of Simple Mills’ website experience including UX improvements and Google Analytics implementation. As the brand rolled out a new identity and packaging, our team ensured digital channels reflected the evolving brand story. Beyond marketing, we created the team infrastructure—including documented workflows, organizational charts, and job descriptions—to set Simple Mills up for the growth ahead.
Key Services Delivered:
Brand & Marketing Strategy Development
Social Media Launch, Strategy & Day-to-Day Management
Website UX & Google Analytics Implementation
Content Creation & Community Building
Organizational Workflow & Infrastructure Design
Team Structure & Job Description Development
Tangible Impact: Exponential Early-Stage Brand Growth
After implementing 18 Coffees’ marketing recommendations, Simple Mills saw an exponential increase in brand awareness during our engagement, with an average of 135% audience growth across social platforms. Individual channel performance was even more striking: Facebook audience grew by over 200%, Twitter by over 200%, Instagram by over 1,000%, and Pinterest by over 500%.
The organizational infrastructure we built—documented workflows, team structures, and scalable processes—gave the brand a strong operational foundation as it entered its next phase of growth. Simple Mills’ former Head of Marketing went on to recommend 18 Coffees to 17 other companies.
Where They Are Now:
Since our engagement, Simple Mills has grown into one of the most recognized natural food brands in the country. Today, Simple Mills products are available in more than 30,000 stores nationwide, including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and Costco. In early 2025, the brand was acquired by Flowers Foods for $795 million.
“18 Coffees are a group of creative, strategic geniuses who I would recommend wholeheartedly to any organization. They were extremely smart and were experts in their field—they really cared about helping their clients grow.”
Project Details:
Project Length: 12 Months
Client Location: Chicago, IL
Industry: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
Client Type: Small Enterprise / Startup
Ready to build a marketing foundation that scales with your growth? Contact us to explore how our Strategic Communications & Marketing expertise can help you capture momentum and drive lasting brand awareness.
AT A GLANCE
Project Length: 12 Months
Client Location: Chicago, IL
Industry: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
Client Type: Small Enterprise / Startup
Services Delivered: Brand & Marketing Strategy, Social Media Launch & Management, Website UX, Content Creation, Organizational Infrastructure Design
