A food and beverage comparison table lets shoppers evaluate flavors, ingredients, nutritional profiles, and allergen information side by side before buying. The food and beverage comparison tables overview explains the conversion case — this page walks through how to set one up in Shopify with SimplyCompare.
Step 1: Install SimplyCompare from the Shopify App Store
Search for SimplyCompare in the Shopify App Store, install it, and connect it to your store. No theme modifications are required at this point. SimplyCompare adds an app block that you will use later to embed the comparison table on the relevant pages in your store.
Step 2: Set up your food and beverage product metafields
SimplyCompare comparison tables pull data from your Shopify product metafields. For food and beverage, the attributes shoppers most often compare include flavor or variety name (single-line text), primary ingredients (text or list), key nutritional values — calories, protein, carbohydrates, sugar, fat (integers or decimals) — allergens present (list of strings), serving size (text), product format or form (e.g., powder, ready-to-drink, concentrate), and certifications (vegan, kosher, gluten-free, etc.). Define these in Shopify Settings > Custom Data > Products under a namespace like food. If your metafields are already in place, skip to step 3.
Step 3: Create your comparison table in SimplyCompare
Open SimplyCompare, create a new comparison table, and add the food and beverage products you want to include. Configure your columns by mapping each metafield to a visible attribute. For a nutrition-focused table, that might mean calories, protein, carbs, sugar, and allergens. For a flavor-focused table, flavor name, format, serving size, and certifications. SimplyCompare reads current metafield values live from Shopify, so the table is accurate from the moment you publish it.
Step 4: Embed the table and publish
Use the SimplyCompare app block in the Shopify theme editor to embed the table on the relevant page — a product page comparing flavors in a line, a collection page, or a dedicated comparison landing page. Once live, any updates to the underlying metafields in Shopify appear in the comparison table automatically on the next page load.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a developer to set up food and beverage comparison tables in Shopify?
No. The entire process — defining metafields, building the table, and embedding it — is no-code. You use Shopify’s standard admin interface and the SimplyCompare app admin, then embed using the standard app block in the Shopify theme editor.
Can I show allergen information in a SimplyCompare comparison table?
Yes. Storing allergen information as a list metafield — listing each present allergen as a string — lets you display a comma-separated allergen summary in a comparison column. For regulatory compliance, always ensure your primary allergen declarations are on the product page and packaging, not only in a comparison table.
Can I build comparison tables for different product formats separately?
Yes. Each comparison table in SimplyCompare has its own product selection and column configuration. A comparison table for protein powders can show different columns than a table for ready-to-drink beverages.
What if I add new flavors or products to the range?
Add the new products to your Shopify catalog, populate their metafield values, and add them to the relevant comparison table in SimplyCompare. The table will start displaying their live data immediately.