What's the Hype About Pop-Up Bagels?

💙 The Branded Moment 💙

While their bagels are undeniably good, it isn’t just quality that fueled their meteoric rise.

I’d argue (like most TBM’s that you’ll read) brand had a whole lot to do with this explosive growth.

Here’s how:

1. The Making Of A Bagel Brand

Pop-Up Bagels is a BRAND. Not that this is a crazy original concept, but I’ll bet you Pop-Up Bagels has one of the most identifiable bagel shop logos in NYC and the only one with a tagline you might recall. (And the tagline isn’t the best bagel shop in NYC)

Pop-Up Bagels clearly worked with designers / strategists / marketers.

I mean… how often do you see a bagel shop raising $8M in PE money?

2. The Scarcity Effect

True to their name, Pop-Up Bagels initially operated as—you guessed it—pop-ups.

Limited hours, small batches, and the thrill of “catching them while you can” turned a simple bagel into an event.

Plus, they started small, and that contributed to major lines just to try their limited edition runs.

And of course, their partnership strategy is on point…

3. Partnership-Driven Growth

Pop-Up Bagels has leaned HARD into strategic partnerships by collaborating with popular chefs, food influencers, and even global brands.

Think: limited-edition spreads crafted by top culinary names (Dominique Ansel), or bagel drops at local events.

Take this example from Poppi to further promote the launch of their Orange Cream Soda:

These partnerships last for ~1-2 weeks at a time, and if you don’t try them when they’re happening, you’ll miss it.

This has made partnerships a huge driver of the brand’s success.

4. Community as a Brand Asset

Bagel eaters are SO SNOBBY (myself included). They LOVE to talk and try new places when there’s hype.

Pop-Up Bagels feeds right into this. A rip & dip bagel? GHASP! The bagel enthusiasts have to try.

Their early fans quickly became their loudest advocates, which seriously fueled their organic growth.

5. Actually Differentiated Product

LASTLY, just like the ramen burger or the sushi burrito, Pop-Up’s bagels are meant to be ripped and dipped, meaning an entirely new (and exciting) way to eat a bagel.

Obviously, this is by no means proprietary, but given the way the cream cheese is delivered, it does mean other bagel shops would have to change their menus to offer dipping cups.

The Pop-Up playbook hasn’t been crazy, but by doing everything just 1% better or differently, they’ve built a true brand and been able to take some serious market share in a heavily competitive market.

One new product I tried this week 👉 Magic Spoon Honey Almond Granola - Better-for-you & delicious. Definitely worth a try.

One new campaign I’m loving 👉 Hellmann’s Super Bowl Commercial because who doesn't love a new take on a classic?

One new piece of content to watch / listen to 👉 I found the Out2Win Sports Newsletter super interesting for brand x sports news. Consider me a subscriber.