#08: How to Build a Category-Defining Consumer Brand in 2025: Part II

Again, it's all about the form

We’re back with Part II of the Category-Defining Consumer Brand series.

I stumbled across a recent innovator in the CPG space and have personally tried their product. I feel confident this brand has escape velocity, but capitalizing on this escape velocity is way easier said than done. Check out the lowdown on this potential long-term winner and take note of its similarities to Graza and Create.

Brand: Cocomo

Product: Peanut Butter

The Form: Powdered

Much lesser known today, Cocomo combined peanut butter and coconut oil to create… coconut peanut butter. All ingredients are listed as organic (besides the sea salt), and the nutritional facts are comparable to traditional peanut butter.

Here’s the kicker: it’s absolutely delicious. As a self-proclaimed peanut butter connoisseur (criteria: consume at least one gigantic scoop of peanut butter per day), I’m a huge fan of the coconut and peanut combination tied together in a creamy consistency. I’ve eaten it by the spoonful, as well as subbed it into baked goods recipes that traditionally require peanut butter.

Simply put, it tastes better than any peanut butter I’ve ever eaten.

But because it does have several ingredients beyond peanuts or coconuts, I don’t see it as a direct replacement for peanut butter. Also, in part as I don’t believe it would pair well with jelly in the classic PB&J sandwich, but that’s my personal opinion (can’t see the coconut oil meshing well with grape jelly).

I see it as a “better-for-you” Nutella, which can still command a massive TAM. Nutella’s first ingredient is sugar and its second is palm oil (yikes). In the world where “better-for-you” sodas like Poppi and Olipop are stealing market share from Coke and Pepsi, there’s likely a place for a “better-for-you” Nutella. This brand pivot can help with differentiation on the shelf vs. peanut butter incumbents that offer their products at a fraction of the cost. Why try to outcompete Jiff, Skippy, or a private-label grocery store brand when you really do have a differentiated product?

However, what really has caught my eye is their recent product launch.

Cocomo introduced a powdered form of their creamy coconut peanut butter. I initially scoffed at the idea as I enjoy the texture of peanut butter, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

They’re solving the transportability problem of peanut butter. You can’t travel with a full peanut butter jar in a carry-on (believe me, I’ve tried), but you sure can travel with peanut butter in powdered form. This is a huge win for frequent international travelers as any nut butter isn’t really a thing outside the US (at least from my experience). Or nut butter besides Nutella, which is really sugar and palm oil after all.

There’s also the in-kitchen transportability problem. Have you ever made a smoothie with peanut butter? It’s painful to get the peanut butter into the blender (especially if its creamy, it’ll drip everywhere before it makes its way to the end destination) and even more annoying to clean the blender afterwards. Now, this is a bit more of a personal problem that I’m griping over, with the business opportunity being more realistic around the prior paragraph.

What remains to be seen is how “big” a problem they are solving with this product extension (ie TAM). Some may really enjoy the texture of nut butter and wouldn’t want to consume it any other way. But you may find this creates a TAM of travelers and everyday consumers who are searching for nut butter in a more transportable form.

Early reviews/ratings are strong. I’ll be watching Cocomo closely.

Author’s Note: I haven’t tried the powdered nut butter yet, however it’s on my shopping list!