Service: Packaging Adaptations

Bashas’ A to Z Pantry

The Challenge

The mid-sized, Arizona-based grocery chain, Bashas’, was looking to develop their own brands throughout the center store and beyond. The chain has a long, memorable history in Arizona and wanted to build a brand that connected with their hometown grocery roots.

While seeking to satisfy their current customers with their continued value offerings they wanted to set themselves up to capture new customers who were looking for higher-quality value products.

Our challenge was to ensure that the new brand connected to the roots of Arizona and elevated their own brand to compete with national brands while still connecting with value shoppers.

The Solution

Developing a brand name for a private-label line of groceries can be a challenge since the products span a large group of categories. It was imperative that the brand name tie back to Bashas’ and/or their Arizona roots. “Bashas’ A to Z Pantry” rose to the top of our exhaustive naming exercise and immediately provided the breadth for a large set of products while connecting to their state pride. It also allowed the brand to flex into broader categories e.g. A to Z Home, A to Z Essentials, etc.

The next step, create a brand design system where the visual architecture could quickly communicate the brand to consumers and help it stand out on shelf. The bold, iconic A to Z Pantry symbol and the simple yet playful use of photography helped to achieve a unique product set across the store.

What’s more, the flexibility of the system and typography allowed for special situations where creativity is needed to compete with national brands in categories like salty snacks, cereal, and soda. While the claims statements were designed to provide consistency across product lines, helping consumers quickly identify the product’s benefits.

Then, the packaging system needed to stretch to work across a large variety of shapes and sizes, different printing processes, and different substrates. Working to ensure that it had an impact at any point in the customer shopping journey, from frozen to canned foods. The design work proved that the system could communicate on any shelf in the store.

Services

Naming
Logo Design
Packaging Design
Packaging Adaptations
Packaging Production
Product Photography

Sales increased nine percent in categories where only the packaging was updated

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Country Natural Beef

The Challenge

Ranching co-operative and meat provider Country Natural Beef (CNB) had a robust history as a forward-thinking cooperative of family ranchers who have been raising healthy beef in harmony with the land since 1986, but their identity was failing to tell the full story. To better communicate their pride-ridden work and shared philosophies, CNB needed to create a more telling visual identity.

With an opportunity to carve out an elevated brand identity, CNB tapped The GRO Agency to deliver unique packaging design and mouth-watering product photography.

Our challenge with the CNB product packaging redesign was to 1) tell the authentic story of CNB’s progressive and sustainable approach to ranching, deeply ingrained in the communities and families of the Co-op, and 2) make a premium and more ownable visual identity centered around their community engagement and sustainable practices.

The Solution

In the meat industry, brands must avoid appearing like a big corporate supplier at risk of subconsciously being thrown in the overarching category of ‘over-processed’. WIth the rebrand, CNB wisely made it clear to consumers that whenever they buy CNB products, they are buying quality beef directly from a ranch family, not a big corporate supplier.

First, amongst many of CNB’s philosophies is the strong belief that they would not market products that their own families would not eat. To serve as an anchor for the rebrand, the GRO Agency rallied the brand behind a new credo, families feeding families, to emphasize their community-driven roots and co-operative practices.

In addition to the human component, the packaging design introduced a modern style to some of the existing design elements that the Co-op had owned for many years, like strong typography reminiscent of a hearty meal. To make the brand name treatments for both CNB and their sub-brand Oregon Country Beef more distinctive and therefore more ownable, the communication hierarchy was rearranged to focus more on the logomark, and appear less of a white-label brand.

Finally, to seal the deal, the website design showcased mouth-watering product photography that captured the sizzling, juicy goodness of a perfectly-prepared meat dish.

Services

Brand Strategy
Logo Design
Packaging Design
Packaging Adaptations
Packaging Production
Website

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Disney License Work

The Challenge

Ice cream brand Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream hoped to conjure up the magic of Disney in the frozen aisle with a new line of Mickey Mouse ice cream products. Previously a Disney Park exclusive, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream needed to design packaging that would represent the Disney brand, leverage the nostalgia of America’s favorite mouse, and create a unified line of products that would attract attention on shelf.

With the opportunity to first bring a Disney Park exclusive to the masses, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream tapped The GRO Agency to design packaging for their assortment of Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Products.

Our challenge with the Mickey Mouse packaging design was to 1) work within the strict licensing parameters, 2) creatively utilize brand elements and colors to design a system that fit for the Disney brand, and 3) all while standing out from the competition in the freezer aisle.

The Solution

To create impactful packaging that would thrill the devoted Disney enthusiast yet appeal to the general ice cream lover, Mickey brand assets were employed thoughtfully and strategically throughout the design. The result: In the year following the launch, Mickey Bars were the top performing Nestle ice scream snack in 2019.

First, leveraging similar Disney-branded layouts and color palettes throughout the design system, the product line shares a unified look to help them stand out and remain recognizable as a cohesive offering. The packaging is simple, straight to the point, but also communicates that essence of Disney magic, as well as the deep and poignant nostalgia inherent to the brand.

From there, appetizing product photography broadcasted the creamy textures and flavors of the ice cream product, while the appealing color palette captured the hearts of kids, adults, and even the Disney agnostic alike.

Services

Packaging Design
Packaging Adaptations
Packaging Production
Product Photography

The top performing Nestlé ice cream snack SKU the year after release

Nestlé Licensing Team

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Oberto

The Challenge

Meat snack brand Oberto was already a staple for on-the-go consumers who needed a protein-packed snack. When faced with ever-changing consumer interests and competitive landscape, Oberto needed to reposition and reimagine their brand to appeal to the modern shopper.

With an opportunity to better communicate their unique value propositions, Oberto brought on The GRO Agency to modernize their brand identity and packaging.

Our challenge with Oberto’s packaging redesign was to enable the expansion of their products outside the inner aisle to the deli and meat counter, while at the same time reinvigorating their core product base.

The Solution

Based on competitive and consumer research, we identified three strategic positionings within the meat snack space, then derived three distinct brands based on the analysis: Pacific Gold Reserve, Bavarian Meats, and Snake River Farms. After developing packaging concepts based on those positions and testing among consumers, Oberto had created a new brand identity, packaging design, and in-store merchandising to support the brands’ new look.

Services

Logo Design
Packaging Design
Packaging Adaptations

The folks at GRO are terrific. They do a fantastic job adapting their work to our multiple brands and catering creative and deliverables to best serve each initiative.

The packaging work for both our Bavarian Meats^® brand and our Snake River Farms^® Wagyu Jerky are prime examples of their ability to internalize the sensibilities of a brand and have been huge successes in Costco.

Stephen O'Hare
Director of Marketing, Oberto Snacks Inc

OBERTO BRANDS: Inspired by consumer’s interest in authenticity and quality, Oberto’s visual identity and messaging strategy strategically focused on Oberto’s 100-year history, premium ingredients, and family recipes.

PACIFIC GOLD RESERVE REDESIGN: To establish PGR as an upscale product amongst their target audience and within the meat-snack category, the bold, flavor-forward package and premium brand mark focused on flavor photography and strong color blocking in order to create an authentic, impactful brand block on shelf. Their distinctive look has since inspired other brands in the space to follow suit.

BAVARIAN MEATS: Being a very classic brand with traditional recipes, the modernized brand would appeal to their current and future consumers, all without compromising the family history message or traditional feel. This approach helped differentiate them on shelf and lay the brand foundation for a new generation of growth.

SNAKE RIVER FARMS: Leveraging super premium flavor cues, a subtle texture, and simple typography, the Snake River Farms brand colors, word placement, and packaging successfully pointed to the undeniable quality and bold flavors of the jerky itself.

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Bashas’ A to Z Pantry

The Challenge

The Solution

Services

Let’s Talk, You Know You Want To

Country Natural Beef

The Challenge

The Solution

Services

Let’s Talk, You Know You Want To

Disney License Work

The Challenge

The Solution

Services

Let’s Talk, You Know You Want To

Oberto

The Challenge

The Solution

Services

Let’s Talk, You Know You Want To

Let’s Talk,
You Know
You Want To

Let’s Talk,
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You Want To

Let’s Talk,
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You Want To

Let’s Talk,
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