Belliwelli’s ‘goal is to make gut health mainstream,’ expands nationally in Target locations

Along with its online retail presence in Amazon and Instacart, among others, Belliwelli has “doubled down on brick-and-mortar expansion to increase access to our bars—launching into over one thousand new doors including Sprouts, H-E-B, Kings, Fresh Thyme, Fresh Market,​” Wilson said. 

With an activist strategy to bring gut health education to consumers, particularly women, Wilson explained that Belliwelli’s partnership with Target will “help improve the lives of hundreds of millions of women​” who experience digestive issues.

“We acknowledge the reality of the daily struggle with stomach issues that many modern women face and aim to make them feel seen and heard with products that taste great and support digestive goals,​” Wilson added.

‘Tapping into an underserved market’​

Outside of taste, one of the primary drivers within the $29 billion snack bar category​ is convenience as consumers look for accessible snack bars to address a wide range of dietary and nutritional needs, giving brands an opportunity to differentiate themselves​ by honing in on their consumers’ preferences through ingredients, packaging, messaging and omnichannel strategies.

“Although the snack category is extremely crowded... BelliWelli is tapping into [an] underserved market and differentiating itself from the keto, low-sugar, high-protein options​,”​ Wilson noted.

With flavors like Chocolate Chip, Birthday Cake and the recent Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter, the low-FODMAP snack bars are gluten-free, plant-based, devoid of sugar alcohols and contain probiotics and three grams of dietary fiber through ingredients like oats, chia, apple cider vinegar and acacia fiber.

With glossy pink and purple-hued packaging and bubble font, Belliwelli’s design is eye-catching, conveying a positive, inclusive message about gut-health awareness.

Belliwelli “leverages social media and non-traditional marketing tactics such as TikTok and out-of-home (OOH) initiatives,​” where the brand “flips the script from aspiration to actual—giving a voice to those struggling​,” Wilson explained.

The brand’s “Hot Girls Have IBS” campaign brings visibility to the digestive issue that millions of women experience, bringing “humor with function to build trust in a relatable way​.”

“Our goal is to make gut health mainstream. Similar to how we view mental health or skin health, digestive health should be just as important and part of our daily routines. Our unique approach centers around providing products that live in the pantry and not the medicine cabinet so consumers don’t feel like patients with a disease​,” Wilson elaborated.