These Are the 'Most Loved' Food & Drink Brands in America Right Now

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Walking into the grocery store in 2018 is like entering a vortex of perpetually rebranded products vying for your attention. But a fancy new label or package is rarely enough to get people to fall in love with what you're selling, and certain brands have an 'X factor' of sorts that keeps people coming back -- from ketchup to candy bars.

Simply put, shoppers are more likely to pick up products from certain companies over others for a whole host of mysterious reasons. New research sheds lights on exactly this by revealing the most beloved food and drink brands in America right now. 

A pair of new reports from the market research gurus at Morning Consult dug into the nation's shopping habits and revealed the most-loved packaged food and beverage brands in America in 2018. To figure it out, the MC team conducted surveys between January and March during which nearly 50,000 adults rated numerous companies, including more than 300 food and beverage brands. Those ratings were then compiled to determine a "net favorability score," which dictated the ranking.

Somewhat surprisingly, Hershey's took the top spot this year as the most favored brand in America, while Ritz and Pillsbury earned the number two and three position, respectively. Here's how the full top 10 list stacked up.

Most beloved food & beverage brands in America

10. Frito Lay
9. Oreo
8. Campbell's
7. Cheerios
6. Betty Crocker
5. Heinz
4. Kellogg's
3. Pillsbury
2. Ritz
1. Hershey

Morning Consult

Additionally, the Morning Consult report took a look at the most beloved brands among 18-29 year-olds, or people who fall roughly within the millennial age range. Here's how that top 10 list looks.

Most beloved food & beverage brands among 18-29 year-olds

10. Tostitos
9. Pillsbury
8. Heinz
7. Cheetos
6. Kellogg's
5. Gatorade
4. Ritz
3. Hershey
2. Doritos
1. Oreo

Morning Consult

The other Morning Consult report looked a bunch of additional data to help determine what the most effective packaging strategies are at the moment. In that regard, they found the terns "vegan" or "diet" were the biggest turn-offs for people, with 35% and 31% of consumers saying they make products less appealing, respectively. Alternately, the terms most enticing to consumers right now are "fresh," "farm-fresh," and "Sourced from American farmers."

The word "organic" is also a huge lure, especially for younger people. In fact, 54% of 18-29 year-olds said having "organic" on a label makes a product more appealing. Familiarity and brand loyalty is still a big deal, too, with 45% of the survey respondents said they're willing to pay an extra 50 cents on a small grocery item if it was from a brand they knew and liked. 

Interestingly, despite the fact that enormous companies like Whole Foods and Walmart are knee-deep in the grocery delivery business, most people still aren't on board with getting their groceries that way. It turns out that 65% of all consumers have never bought food or drink products online, and don't plan to in the future "regardless of advancements." 

Beyond illuminating just how much people prefer certain purveyors over others, the whole study also kind of makes you wonder how an online-only grocery company dedicated to being explicitly brand-less is ever going to survive.

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Joe McGauley is a senior writer for Thrillist. Follow him @jwmcgauley.