For Brian Wendel, founder and president of plant-based foodie brand Forks Over Knives, the proof is in the organic, dairy-free pudding, so to speak.
“Forks Over Knives is a brand that empowers people to live healthier lives by changing the way the world understands nutrition,” writes Samir “Mr. Magazine” Husni, who recently interviewed Wendel along with Elizabeth Turner, editor-in-chief of their print magazine.
As Husni explains, the brand recently entered into a partnership with Meredith, who is helping him bring “his beloved brand full force into the marketplace in a soon-to-be quarterly publication that promises fun, delicious food, and a healthier way of life.”
For Wendel’s audience, the need for print is apparent, judging from the success of their first four issues.
“I believe in print because we’re seeing quite a bit of success with it, honestly,” Wendel notes, saying it’s “easier to bring a magazine into the kitchen that it is a computer. There’s just something more tangible about it. Something beautiful about a magazine that’s just not captured on a computer.”
As for their partnership with Meredith, both sides seem to agree it’s a match made in foodie heaven.
“We work really well together to support each other and create great products,” says Meredith’s Michelle Bilyeu, editorial content director. “And it’s ultimately about the consumer. We’re really excited with the fall issue; we’ve been able to over-double the draw that’s going out on newsstand, hopefully reaching more consumers. And introducing more and more people to such a wonderful brand.”
For Turner, the print quarterly gives their readers something digital certainly can’t.
“It’s inspiring,” she explains. “You can keep a beautiful food magazine, any beautiful magazine, but it’s a keeper. It’s something you have on your coffee table; it’s something that you look at and it reminds you of how you’d like to live your life. I don’t think magazines are going away, they’re just getting more special.”
More special … that’s a great way to encapsulate what we see happening in the print magazine market every day. The beautiful niche explosion continues in print, as the swing away from mass market grows. And while the newsstand model in general is struggling to find its footing, titles like Forks Over Knives are having no trouble expanding their reach through this kind of strategic partnership.
Meredith continues to shine as a publisher who has adapted to the new realities of the magazine industry, as they embrace the print proud, digital smart mantra and bring hugely successful new titles to a wider marketplace – titles like Magnolia that has been a massive hit for all involved.
As we shared last fall, forsaking print has never been an option for the publisher, as print is still the preferred channel for magazine consumption in their target demographic.
We wish all connected with Forks Over the Knives a long, happy partnership for this delicious title. When’s lunch?
February 25, 2020, 3:58 am