i.
Brand Films
Cinema-grade brand films that tell the story behind your product — where it comes from, who makes it, and why it matters. Not a commercial. A document.
Industries/CPG / Food & Beverage
We build CPG brands.
Brand films, editorial photography, chef content, and full brand strategy for food and beverage companies. We've done it for ourselves — now we do it for brands like yours.
Built 1971 Hook45 Whole Foods stores12+ video productions37 editorial photos7 chef films
Quick answer
What does it take to land a CPG brand in Whole Foods?
Landing in Whole Foods takes a real product, a real brand, and content that retail buyers can actually use — buyer-deck-ready films, editorial photography sized for shelf and PDP, and a social presence that proves the brand has a community. WERZ built 1971 Hook, a small-batch hot sauce now stocked at 45 Whole Foods stores including the SF Castro, Berkeley, Palo Alto, Sacramento, Fresno, Boise, and Reno locations.
By the numbers
Field to shelf.
- 45
- Whole Foods stores — NorCal, Boise & Reno (live now)
- 12+
- Video productions for 1971 Hook
- 37
- Editorial photos for the launch campaign
- 7
- Chef films across kitchens & cuisines
Updated 4 min read
1971 Hook is a small-batch hot sauce born from generational farmers in Hudson Valley, NY. When they came to us, they had a product and a story — but no visual identity, no content, no brand. We built everything: a 21-minute director's cut brand film, a 37-image editorial campaign, a 7-part chef video series, two client spots, and a full social content library. All rooted in the authenticity of where the sauce actually comes from.
In May 2026, that work landed on shelves: 1971 Hook launched in 45 Whole Foods locations across Northern California, plus Boise (ID) and Reno (NV). NorCal alone is one of the most competitive specialty grocery markets in the country. The brand film, the editorial photography, and the chef community we built were what walked into the buyer meetings. See the full case study.
Most video agencies produce content for CPG clients. We went further — we built one. That means we understand margins, launch timelines, retail buyer decks, and the economics of content for a brand that doesn't have a $2M marketing budget. When we work on your brand, we're not just executing a brief. We're thinking like founders.
What we do
CPG brand services.
ii.
Product & Editorial Photography
37-image editorial campaigns, lifestyle shoots, packaging photography — everything a brand needs to own its visual identity across packaging, DTC, and retail.
iii.
Chef & Creator Series
Vertical-first chef content built for Instagram and TikTok. Real chefs, real food, real reactions. The format that converts for food brands.
iv.
Full Brand Build
From zero to launch: brand strategy, visual identity, content library, and social presence. We've done it once for ourselves — we know exactly what it takes.
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Campaign Strategy
Launch campaigns, retail sell-in decks, trade show content, and influencer briefs — the business layer that makes the creative work.
vi.
Influencer & Earned Media
Gifting kits, creator briefs, and UGC frameworks that generate organic reach. We know what content creators actually want from a CPG brand.
Why WERZ
We're not just your agency.
- We own a CPG brand — we know the economics firsthand
- Full-service: strategy through delivery, no handoffs
- Cinema-grade production at indie brand budgets
- Social-native formats built in from the start
- Retail and DTC content in the same shoot
- Chef and culinary creator network on-call
Chef series
Built for Instagram.
“We certainly punched above our weight. That's what any company would want.”
Vincent
Marketing Manager, OneShop
“WERZ was willing to go the extra mile. The whole process was done well — and it showed.”
Pier Luigi
CEO & Co-founder, Evolution Devices
FAQ
Common questions.
What does a CPG brand film production involve?
A CPG brand film starts with strategy: what story are we telling, who are we telling it to, and where will it live? From there we develop a shoot concept, location scout (often on-site at farms, kitchens, or production facilities), hire crew and talent, and produce a 1–3 minute cinematic brand film plus a library of cut-downs for digital. Typical timelines run 6–10 weeks from brief to delivery.
How much does a CPG brand video production cost?
A focused brand film for an emerging CPG brand typically starts at $12,000–$25,000, covering pre-production, a 1–2 day shoot, and full post-production. Full-service brand builds — film + photography + chef series + social library — range from $30,000–$80,000+ depending on scope. We structure packages around your stage and goal.
Do you work with early-stage CPG brands or only established ones?
Both, but we're especially good with early-stage brands that need to build from scratch. 1971 Hook had no visual identity when we started — we built everything. That zero-to-one work is where we bring the most leverage.
What food and beverage categories have you worked in?
Hot sauce and condiments, agricultural / farm-to-table brands, culinary products, restaurant brands, and artisan food production. We're actively expanding into beverage, snack, and specialty grocery categories.
Can you create content for both retail sell-in and DTC/social?
Yes — and we build shoots with that dual purpose baked in. A single production day can yield a brand film, packaging photography, 9:16 chef clips for Instagram, and hero images for a retail sell sheet. Smart planning means you're not paying twice.
Do you handle distribution or just production?
We handle production and creative strategy. For paid media distribution, we partner with performance agencies we trust. We'll make the referral and ensure the creative is built to spec for whatever channels you're running.
How does WERZ price video, web, or marketing work?
Pricing is scope-based, not template-based. We define deliverables, audience, locations, crew, and revisions before quoting — so the budget reflects actual production needs rather than a pre-set tier.
Can WERZ work from a fixed budget?
Yes. A fixed budget works best when deliverables, locations, revision rounds, and timeline are clear before production starts. We will tell you what is achievable inside the budget rather than promise more than the scope supports.
Are there ongoing retainers, or only project work?
Both. Most marketing and web programs run as monthly retainers (strategy, content, optimization). Video and brand projects are typically scoped per engagement, with optional content retainers for ongoing assets.
How long does a typical engagement take?
Discovery and strategy run 1–2 weeks; production and build run 3–8 weeks depending on scope; launch and iteration kicks off after delivery. Marketing programs are ongoing with measurable milestones at month one, month three, and month six.
Let's build
Your brand deserves a film.
Tell us where you are in the build — early-stage, pre-launch, or ready to scale. We'll tell you exactly what we'd make.
Start a CPG projectHave one specific question? Email hello@werz.ai