Brandless is back

Brandless is back.

After an abrupt February shutdown, the direct-to-consumer grocery startup relaunched on Monday with a limited assortment of bundles of consumables for sale at Brandless.com.

The company announced Monday it had partnered with SEO National on the relaunch effort. SEO National has worked with NBA teams, Spoonful of Comfort on developing high-converting websites and SEO strategies that help companies maintain top search engine rankings.

Brandless was founded in San Francisco in 2017. In July 2018 SoftBank’s $100 billion Vision Fund invested US$240 million in the company in a deal that valued Brandless at a little over $500 million. Then in 2019 the company lost momentum and wasn’t able to hit some performance targets set by Softbank, according to CNBC.

The company shut down at a time when it was exploring a strategy to roll out about 10,000 of its eco-friendly personal care, vitamins and health-focused foods onto brick-and-mortar shelves. Brandless also planned to expand into CBD products.

"They have built enviable followings on every social media channel--YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest. They get people talking about hot button issues like non-GMOs, gluten-free and food allergies and tap into parenting blogger communities," said Damon Burton, president of SEO National. "They build emotional bonds with their followers and turn them into evangelists for their message."

Burton and his firm are committed to growing Brandless online. "The potential here is endless," he said. "They've tapped into the needs and ideals of today's consumers, and we're excited to help extend their products to even more homes."

This article appeared at ProgressiveGrocer.com.