Rebuilding the food vertical

In addition to its events footprint, Family Style will serve as the foundation for Complex to rebuild its food vertical following the loss of Hot Ones and First We Feast.

One area of emphasis will be video, which will be a key focus for Complex more broadly. Family Style has history in the medium, having created and sold a show, Big Appetite, to Tastemade. By the end of the year, Complex hopes to launch 6-to-10 new video series, several of which will be Family Style branded.

Family Style will also enable Complex to move further into commerce, as the food franchise has connections with restaurateurs across the country. At its events, chefs work with streetwear designers to create custom merchandise, a formula that Complex plans to reproduce on a broader scale. 

Complex also has a track record of monetizing its food brands through commerce, such as the success of its Hot Ones hot sauces, and hopes to replicate that success with Family Style.

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The expansion into events and commerce is part of Complex’s continuing strategy to diversify its business. Right now, roughly 50% of its business comes from commerce, but the company aims to increase that to 66% by the end of next year, according to Levant.

The company aims to migrate to a proprietary content-management system by the second half of the year, which will bring more shoppable capabilities to its website. 

“We are investing in the channels that are insulated from these short-term and mid-term changes,” Levant said. “If you want to watch our videos, attend our events or buy our products, you have to come through us.”