Our award winning store brand packaging designs include:

Sprouts Organic Kombucha

Category: Beverages – Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink)

To speak to health-conscious shoppers, MBD designed a fruit-forward mandala background and a tea bag–shaped placard that nods to the kombucha’s natural origins. Vibrant, earthy colors and fruity imagery enhance taste appeal.

Sprouts Premium Gelato

Category: Frozen

MBD conveyed a premium Italian feel through elegant illustrations and faux gold for a foil stamp effect. A prominently placed “Product of Italy” stamp highlights origin, while beautiful photography entices consumers and showcases the product.

Sprouts Italian Soda

Category: Beverages – Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink)

This quirky, on-brand design adds a farmers market spin to a classic Italian beverage. Illustrated in a vintage style with retro fonts and a “Product of Italy” stamp, it bridges authenticity with Sprouts’ playful aesthetic.

BJ’s Diapers

Category: Baby – Diapers, wipes, medicine, food

MBD created a cheerful, modern look for BJ’s premium diaper line, featuring size-specific woodland animal illustrations. A vertical holding device makes key product features easy to find, while a tan background and bright accents deliver premium cues with warmth and clarity.

BJ’s Frozen Apps

Category: Frozen

MBD developed a cohesive design system for both the Everyday and Premium tiers of frozen appetizers. Top-down photography enhances appetite appeal, while SKU-specific colors distinguish each item. The dark blue marble background adds contrast and a high-quality feel.

PriceSmart Pasta

Category: International/Specialty food

This design balances fun and sophistication, with playful raw pasta patterns paired with upscale fonts and a rich blue base. A prominent Italy bug acts as a badge of authenticity, reinforcing product origin and quality.

Smart & Final Mexican Breads & Cookies

Category: Packaged Goods

MBD celebrated cultural heritage with a traditional papel picado-inspired design and a festive color palette. Color-coded panels aid navigation, while bold, simple typography brings clarity and modernity.

7-Eleven Sparkling Tea Beverages

Category: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink)

This sparkling tea line delivers a light, refreshing, and elevated look. MBD’s execution features realistic fruit illustrations, minimalistic bubbles, and elegant aluminum touches. A clean white background and side panel adaptogen callout tie health benefits into a visually cohesive design.

Pick Me Up Provisions

Category: New Brand

MBD partnered with Staples Brands Group (SBG) to launch this vibrant new breakroom brand. From naming and logo to packaging and strategy, the brand evokes the feel of a local coffee shop—energizing, friendly, and wellness-minded.

Pick Me Up Provisions – Coffee

Category: Beverages – Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink)

As part of the Pick Me Up brand, this coffee line mirrors the same design language: clean, energizing, and workplace-friendly. MBD’s design helps bring warmth and connection to the breakroom through inviting visuals and pack formats that suit both single-serve and bulk needs.

Winning these eleven Vertex Awards reflects our team’s passion, talent, and relentless pursuit of excellence for store brand packaging. Each award-winning project showcases our ability to bring retail brands to life in ways that connect, delight, and deliver impact. We’re incredibly grateful to each of our clients and partners who make all this possible. Congratulations to all this year’s winners at the 2025 Vertex Awards!

Based in Los Angeles, Smart & Final is a grocery retailer with over 250 stores in California, Nevada, and Arizona, serving customers for 150 years. The brand offers a unique shopping experience through its club store within a grocery store format, showcasing over 3,000 club-sized items to fit every household and business need. At Smart & Final, private label products form almost 30% of each store’s inventory, with some categories reaching nearly 100% penetration.

The evolution of the First Street design coincides with Smart & Final’s renewed commitment to standing out from the competition. With thousands of SKUs undergoing this refresh, together we have spent the past year introducing innovative product offerings across several competitive and unique categories, such Frozen Quick Breakfasts & Meals, Sweet & Savory Snacks, Over the counter Medication, as well as Kitchenware & Foodservice Packaging.

By utilizing a set of strong core fonts, we establish a cohesive look across all First Street items, complemented by vibrant, bold color palettes that enhance the product’s appeal. Each category incorporates tailored design cues, relevant informational claims, cooking times, and options for club, family, or party sizes where applicable. This holistic approach is designed to resonate better with the brand’s target audiences, elevating the overall experience to match the product’s high quality and value Check out what we’ve been up to…

Frozen Pasta Meals with Sauce (Family Size)

MBD has crafted a vibrant and intuitive packaging solution that perfectly captures the essence of the product while staying true to the First Street brand. This stylish and eye-catching design plays across about 12 frozen pasta favorites!

– Color-Coded Background: Each variant features a distinct color-coded background with an energetic pattern, abstractly resembling different pasta shapes. This helps consumers easily identify their favorite pasta at a glance.

– Top-Down Photography: The photography showcases beautifully plated, cooked pasta with minimal garnish. For non-sauced items, we’ve included actual size images off the plate, giving a clear and accurate representation of the product.

Frozen Chocolate Covered Berries

Nestled behind freezer doors, these smaller bags in a newer product category needed a design that works hard to grab attention. MBD pushed the concept of affordable sophistication with a tone-on-tone marbled background, mimicking the swirling of delicious chocolate layers. Simple photography takes the lead, conveying a sense of premium quality and fun. The conversational language in the “just fruit & real milk chocolate” copy emphasizes simple, healthier ingredients for snacking.

Frozen Waffles & Pancakes

A mid-size range of frozen convenience breakfast items required a vibrant and eye-catching design that appeals directly to families. The bright colors and inviting photography make these waffles hard to resist. We incorporated a subtle waffle-patterned background to add texture and warmth, tying the design together seamlessly. The product offerings range from 10-count to 60-count club sizes on select items.

Ice Cream Syrup Toppings

Modern photography and a dripping syrup effect make these ice cream toppings feel both fun and indulgent. The contrasting colors, combined with the actual product hues and imagery, create an eye-catching presentation on the shelf. This playful and approachable design elevates products that were once standard for your party sundae bar into something truly special.

Popcorn & Cotton Candy

Popcorn and cotton candy need to resonate with both families and organizations. We’ve incorporated an engaging background pattern that unifies the range, complemented by fun color combinations and SKU-specific illustrations. Highlighting that some SKUs come in 24-pack sizes with single-serve bags inside is key; we believe the “perfect snacking size” messaging appeals to all groups.

By carefully reimagining the First Street packaging across a wide range of categories, MBD has aimed to make each product not only stand out on the shelves but also align with the values of quality and value that both First Street and Smart & Final represent. Our collaborative approach ensures that every element, from vibrant color-coding to thoughtfully crafted photography, contributes to a cohesive and inviting brand identity across every SKU.

In a bold move to refresh its identity and strengthen its presence on shelves, 7-Eleven has partnered with Marketing By Design (MBD) to roll out a cohesive 7-Select brand strategy that spans multiple categories. The results are already being met with enthusiasm from both franchisees and customers, signaling a successful transition into a new era of retail design for 7-Eleven. With bold visuals and a unified look designed by Equator, 7-Eleven has set a new standard for eye-catching brand innovation.

Seasonal Packaging: Bringing Playful Art to the Shelves

Seasonal, limited time offerings are an essential part of the retail calendar for 7-Select. MBD’s task was to create themed designs that speak to the moment. The result? Packaging that leans into each season with playful artwork and on-trend aesthetics. This fresh approach not only delights customers but keeps the shelves dynamic and engaging all year round. From summer’s bright, sun-kissed colors to the cozy, warm hues of fall, 7-Select’s seasonal packaging promises to captivate with every shift in the seasons.

Strategic Collaborations: Amplifying Private Label Brands

In the ever-competitive world of retail, brands are constantly seeking innovative ways to stand out. 7-Eleven has found a successful formula by leveraging its private label brands, most notably the 7-Select Replenish Sports Drink line, 7-Select Gummies and 7-Select Juices that not only captures consumer attention but also push the boundaries of what’s possible in private label.

The collaboration between 7-Select’s Replenish Sports drink and a football wide receiver exemplifies how partnerships can elevate a brand’s visibility and connect with a wider audience. MBD’s ability to roll out eye-catching, timely designs ensured the campaign remained relevant and connected to the viral moment surrounding the football star.

MBD created bold, high-energy packaging for 7-Eleven’s Where Car? gummy and juice line, designed to spark social media buzz among car, music, and skateboarding enthusiasts (18–34). Dynamic car illustrations and vibrant splash elements fuse automotive culture with flavor cues, delivering a visually striking design that grabs attention.

The Road Ahead

The partnership between 7-Eleven’s private label team and MBD has already proven successful, with franchisees and customers alike praising the new branding for its boldness and relevance. With the 7-Select slash becoming a recognizable marker of quality, and seasonal designs bringing joy and excitement to the shelves, 7-Eleven’s private label team is clearly committed to pushing the envelope in how it connects with its customers.

As the MBD team established category and line looks, we found ourselves having fun with the designs and addressing challenges along the way. From retrofitting “tiered” design approaches to working on line extensions, our efforts have shifted but the goal has remained the same.

100% Fruit Juices

The goal of this line redesign was to establish a brand block in the 100% juice category, while maintaining different premium levels, across both conventional and organic. Our 100% apple juices (from concentrate) start off the tiering with a slightly more playful approach, speaking to parents who may be buying these items for their children. The tiering steps up a level for the 100% apple juice (not from concentrate), with more serious fonts, illustrations and color palates. The NFC 100% apple juices helped bridge the gap between the more playful approach in our first tier, to the most premium level of 100% juices (NFC). With the use of white, sophisticated line illustrations and serious fonts, our artists are creating a brand block of premium juices, which are easily shoppable. We chose to allow conventional and organic to sit closely together from a design standpoint, as both levels are premium and do not need to be further differentiated.

Deli Soups

The deli category has proven itself to be an exciting and interesting category to work through. For the soup, MBD wanted to communicate a freshness for the category, while toeing the line of playful and premium. The use of white across the top with color blocking across the bottom allows the items to pop off the shelf and draw the shopper in. With a very small PDP, our designers wanted to find creative ways to include flavor cues and required regulatory information. Having our illustration style come in from the sides like a border allows for the information to be centralized and easy to read.

Italian Risottos

Navigating through not only the frozen category as a whole, but more specifically the Italian frozen meals, has been an exciting endeavor. The frozen risottos joined our family of ravioli, stuffed gnocchi and saccottini pasta. MBD wanted to identify where our designers could utilize colors that exist within those sets, while still having these items stand out on their own. Photography is the cornerstone of this project, as it effortlessly highlights the decadence that many frozen items lack.

Jarred Olives

The challenge our artists faced with the jarred olives projects was to have this item live on its own, but also fit well within the pickled vegetable and jarred pickle category they sit in. The jarred olives became one of those unique products where the MBD team is retrofitting them into a nearly complete set, while giving them their own identity. Knowing how important shopability is to Sprouts, our designers needed to create a system that clearly identified form (whole, stuffed, pitted, etc.), type (green, mixed, kalamata, etc.) and flavor (smoked, red pepper, jalapeno, etc.). Our color system spoke to the color of the olive in the jar, which is a nice combination with the product you can see through the jar. With pops of color for the flavor and each form sitting in the same font above the product name, our artists created a system that communicates the premium nature of these items, while allowing the consumer to easily identify the item they’re searching for. Sitting at the bottom of the uniquely shaped holding vessel is the country of origin.

Each year our team works through the redesign with Sprouts and designing packaging for new, innovative products. We work together as partners and face new challenges, accomplish new goals and establish even more of Sprouts’ special personality throughout each store. The team at MBD can’t wait to share what is to come!

Our award-winning store brand packaging designs include:

Smart & Final First Street Chocolate Covered Fruit

Nestled behind freezer doors, these smaller bags in a newer product category needed a design that works hard to grab attention. We pushed the concept of affordable sophistication with a tone-on-tone marbled background, mimicking the swirling of delicious chocolate layers. Simple photography takes the lead, conveying a sense of premium quality and fun. The conversational language in the “just fruit & real milk chocolate” copy emphasizes simple, healthier ingredients for snacking.

BJ’s Berkley Jensen Housewares

This new product category was designed to be elevated, modern, and fashionable with a simplified color palette, easy-to-read fonts, and clear communication hierarchy. The hero of the packaging is the ownable photography that captures product usage, showcasing the high quality and trustworthiness of the brand. The design speaks to customers in a welcoming manner while highlighting the brand’s premium appeal.

PriceSmart Almond Flour

Customers associate this brand with high quality, trustworthiness, and affordability. Our design for this product exudes appetite appeal, speaking to customers in a friendly, fresh, and inviting manner. The window showcases the product, and playful hand-drawn illustrations add an original twist. The tone is inviting, bright, and cheerful, making it easy to distinguish in the club.

Sprouts Frozen Fruit Bars

Exuding originality with a farmers market feel, this design features bold fonts, fun illustrations, and unexpected color combinations. The effective information architecture integrates the product into the design, using it as a placard for the product name, flavor, and claims. Background patterns, a mix of photography and illustration, create a fun yet sophisticated design that stands out on the shelf.

Sprouts Organic Coconut Water

Vibrant pops of color, combined with cascading photorealistic imagery, make the product stand out on the shelf. Bold, easy-to-read textured fonts add character to the label, and unique tropical leaf cutouts let the product show through. This original design effectively speaks to the refreshing product inside.

Sprouts Organic Croutons

A quirky, earthy farmers market feel defines this packaging’s overall design aesthetics. The hero of the design is the ownable, close-up photography, showcasing the crouton composition and ample seasoning. Fun illustrations in flavor-specific colors add depth, bringing the package to life.

Sprouts Oatmeal

Meant to refresh the previous artwork, this Instant Oatmeal design offers a colorful, muted tone for an earthy and calm morning feel, perfectly complementing the organic nature of the oats. The variety pack clearly distinguishes the flavors inside the box, downplaying background elements to highlight varietal callouts and flavor cues.

Sprouts Organic Superfoods

Expressive and exciting, our design disrupts the on-trend superfood category. Firework-esque design elements highlight the ‘superfood!’ goodness and its health benefits in an approachable way. Easy-to-read claims complement the open-window, spoon-shaped vessel for product visibility.

Sprouts Frozen Potatoes

In the Sprouts frozen section, this clean yet fun design boldly establishes the brand. Large top-down photography enhances shopability in the coffin freezers, showcasing product type and quality. The background features bold colors with stylized potato illustrations, adding texture and depth. The chosen font is unique yet easy to read, popping in white against the unique colored backgrounds.

Sprouts Organic Frozen Fruit

For this extensive category with over 15 SKUs, the objective is to inform shoppers that frozen fruit provides the same vitamins and nutrients as fresh fruit. The clean yet fun design boldly represents the brand in the Sprouts frozen section. The Organic offering, differentiated with a cream background, features stylized illustrations from the conventional packaging on the top and bottom. Quirky yet legible fonts are used, and the fun collage-style illustrations of fruit around the square holding vessel in the middle highlight the product name.

Sprouts Gluten-Free Raviolis

The gluten-free filled raviolis are an absolutely delicious meal that stand out as an elevated product in the frozen entrée set. The design, with a premium feel, lets the photography sell the product. Light background details add depth to enhance the overall design, and unique yet sophisticated fonts are chosen to communicate the story, with a key claim highlighting “made from ancient grains.”

Sprouts Frozen Fruit

For this large category of over 18 SKUs, the objective is to convey that frozen fruit offers the same vitamins and nutrients as fresh fruit. In the Sprouts frozen section, the clean yet fun design makes a bold brand statement. Top-down photography enhances shopability in coffin freezers, showcasing product type and quality. The background features bold colors with stylized illustrations resembling the plant of the fruit, adding texture and depth. The easy to read font pops in white against the bold colored backgrounds.

Winning these twelve Vertex Awards is a testament to our team’s creativity, dedication, and expertise in packaging design. Each project reflects our commitment to innovation, attention to detail, and the ability to create designs that resonate with consumers. At MBD, we are not just designing packages; we are crafting stories, enhancing experiences, and elevating brands. We look forward to continuing our journey of excellence and delivering outstanding designs. Thank you to our clients and partners for trusting us with their brands, and here’s to many more years of award-winning work!

As retailers navigate the ever-evolving world of private label products, packaging design continues to be a crucial differentiator in capturing consumer attention and loyalty. In 2024, we’re witnessing a dynamic interplay of design elements that redefine the essence of private label packaging. From the nostalgic allure of re-imagined classics to the bold and playful use of hyper contrasts, brands are leveraging design to evoke emotions and tell compelling stories. Complimentary illustrative elements, once seen as mere embellishments, are now integral to creating immersive brand experiences. Meanwhile, the use of brand characters and mascots continues to resonate with consumers, offering a unique avenue for brand-person relationships.

Simultaneously, packaging is becoming a canvas for storytelling, with sourcing narratives and origins taking center stage. Bold shapes and unexpected color choices are breaking traditional norms, inviting consumers to explore products with a sense of curiosity and adventure. The artistry of illustrative work is elevating packaging, blurring the lines between functional packaging and artistic expression. As we delve into the top private label packaging design trends of 2024, it’s evident that packaging is no longer just a vessel for products; it’s a gateway to brand experiences that captivate, engage, and ultimately, drive consumer loyalty.

Nostalgia Meets Modern

One of the main design trends emerging in food packaging for 2024 is the fusion of nostalgia with modern design. By giving classic elements a contemporary twist, brands can evoke feelings of warmth and familiarity. This trend aims to capture a sense of fun, resonating with consumers seeking comfort and nostalgia.

Hyper Contrasts

Another notable design trend for 2024 is the use of hyper contrasts. This approach embraces a ‘more is more’ philosophy to capture consumer attention. It revolves around juxtaposition, using mismatched, highly saturated colors to create a bold and playful look. Brands that embrace this trend can purposefully clash creative elements to leave a strong and impactful impression on consumers.

Discreet but Deluxe

The ‘Discreet but Deluxe’ trend focuses on creating intrigue and allure through intentionally subtle design choices that unfold throughout the unboxing experience. It’s about creating small moments of discovery that keep consumers engaged and enhance the perceived value of the product.

Carrying on from 2023

Carrying over from 2023, we continue to see several design trends that are as popular as ever. These include the use of complimentary illustrative elements, playful patterns and depictions of food, storytelling through sourcing, bold shapes, unexpected color choices, and the enduring appeal of brand characters and mascots. These trends remain effective in capturing consumer attention and creating memorable brand experiences.

Complimentary Illustrative Elements

MBD designed the Member’s Se-lection brand to communicate high quality, trustworthiness, and afford-ability. This design exudes appetite appeal, speaking to customers in a friendly, fresh, and inviting manner. The window showcases the product, and playful hand-drawn illustrations add an original twist. The tone is inviting, bright, and cheerful, making it easy to distinguish in the club.

Playful use of Patterns with Food

The playful use of patterns on food packaging continues to be a prominent trend, adding a touch of whimsy and charm to product presentation. Brands are leveraging patterns to create visually appealing packaging that stands out on shelves and resonates with consumers. Whether it’s bold geometric shapes, lively il-lustrations, or intricate designs, these patterns add depth and character to packaging, enhancing the overall brand experience and drawing consumers in with their delightful and engaging aesthetics.

Sourcing Storytelling

MBD set out to create an ‘Andes Mountain range’ look, tone, and feel for this Sprouts Farmer’s Market chip packaging. The sunshine rising in the back brings light and positivity, complemented by an Inca-inspired subtle illustration in the mountain range, mimicking a traditional Peruvian pattern for storytelling. The hero of the concept is the photography, showcasing the gorgeous Andes Mountains-grown chips. This packaging thoughtfully celebrates the unique-ness of these chips with its carefully designed concept.

Beautiful Illustrative Work

Infusing a beautiful and whimsical illustration style into the butter cookies design helped to not only elevate the packaging, but to help sell the upscale cookies ingredient story. The product name pops off the cream in a whimsical yet easy to read font, while the beautiful product photography showcases the product.

Mascots

The trend of using mascots or characters on packaging continues to be a powerful strategy, adding personality and creating a memorable brand identity that resonates with consumers. This friendly design for BJ’s Wellsley Farms organic applesauce showcases the pouches, perfect for on-the-go snacks or lunch boxes. The product claims are clearly communicated and playfully highlighted, integrated with a cute character mascot. 

Together with Sprouts, MBD creat­ed a look that elevates customers’ expectations and generates ex­citement around new products and flavors. Overall, it is wholesome, optimistic, innovative, really fun to shop and highlights the differentiat­ed assortment of products you will find in store. We are excited to share the thought process behind some of these designs.

More importantly, our CHI (client happiness index) is a 12 out of 10!

“MBD’s creative talent base never ceases to amaze us. They deliver on time, on budget, and on strategy. Their partnership was essential to the success of what we set out to accomplish. Stay tuned for future growth and more great packaging design from MBD and Sprouts!”

Elizabeth Erby, Director, Sprouts Brand, Sprouts Farmers Market

ORGANIC & CONVENTIONAL PASTA & SAUCES

This clever design exudes originality. Organic is meant to look different from conventional and have a more premium vibe, but play nicely with the conventional skus creating a cohesive on-shelf story. Playful, earthy elements crawl up the pack, highlighting the pasta through the window. The claim ‘Product of Italy’ takes center stage in a mature stamp-like graphic, emphasizing the premium quality. The unexpected color stories separate the 2 designs while the illustrations and Italian inspired fonts tie them together.

ORGANIC SPICES

The challenge was to design a system for 52 skus of Organic Spices that could easily be rolled out and drive shelf presence. The solution is one clean, yet confident look to create a dominating brand block. Visibility of product is key, achieved through a clever and ambiguous illustration that wraps around the clear label. Product name pops off the white placard with a bold font for easy legibility.

NON-DAIRY FROZEN DESSERT

While disrupting an already busy shelf set, this design is the heart and soul of who Sprouts is. The vibrant colors and titles create great shelf impact while the charmful illustra­tions speak to the “ingredient ques” helping to differentiate the varieties. Claims are clear, easy to read and speak to Sprouts clean and con­scious consumer.

ORGANIC & CONVENTIONAL CANNED TOMATOES

When MBD was asked to create a premium design that was easily shoppable and stood out among national competitors, we couldn’t wait to create packaging that came alive on shelf. Through color and illustrative artistry, the 2 seg­ments are visually different, yet still have a cohesive brand presence – giving this commodity item more meaning.

ORGANIC SUPERFOODS

Expressive and exciting, moving the needle in the on-trend superfood category this packaging speaks to the good-for-you benefits present in all Sprouts branded products. The firework-esque design elements highlight the ‘superfood!’ goodness in an approachable way.

FRESH PASTA

To shake up the fresh pasta category MBD chose earth toned colors with pops of black to provide a premium look allowing the information archi­tecture to be clear, while the half win­dow allows the product to be hero. The titles focus on the pasta form for all skus, while icons speak to the attributes. The illustrations enhance the flavor profiles breathing life into this premium design. The contrasting font helps the concept to be high end looking while maintaining the Sprouts brand look and feel.

ORGANIC COCONUT WATER

MBD had so much fun with this design. Bursting with personality and in­spired by the coconut origin, carefully thought-out fonts and tropical leaf shaped windows allow transparency and highlights the freshness of the product. This energetic design speaks to the refreshing hydration of this 100% Organic Coconut Water.

1. Upcycled Food

At MBD, we are proud members of the Upcycled Food Association. Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment. In short, upcycled food uses ingredients that normally would be discarded, reducing food waste. Companies such as Uglies Kettle Chips, Misfits Market and The Daily Crunch are finding innovative ways to incorporate upcycling into their business models. We even got to try Uglies Kettle Chips on the plane – a great product!

2. Sustainability

Consumers are actively seeking out more sustainable options and brands in turn responding with both new product and packaging solutions. Tetra Pak, renowned for its aseptic packages, now includes an option for caps made of sugar cane instead of plastic.
Bottle manufacturers such as Pretium and Amcor are delivering more sustainable options by incorporating as much as 100% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) material into some of their packaging solutions.

Tru Earth is another brand noteworthy for its sustainability efforts. This company produces jug free detergent and toilet bowl cleaner strips. The products resemble sheets of paper, packaged in compostable cardboard envelopes. I was skeptical how well these products might work, but after testing them at home, will buy from now on!

3. Regenerative Agriculture

Climate change is driving this approach to farming and agricultural practices to improve soil health. Regenerative practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions by drawing carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil. It also increases crop yields and recent data shows it improves the nutrient density of foods. This is significant because of its powerful potential to both reduce global food insecurity and improve health.

The Regenerative Organic Alliance, which includes partners like Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s, and Patagonia are raising the bar on how food is grown through a relatively new Regenerative Organic Certification. Did you know that over 157 Farms and 753 products have been certified to date?

4. Multicultural Flavors

Gen Z is the most ethnically and culturally diverse generation in the US. While they may not yet have the highest purchasing power, food companies are paying attention. Brands are creating bold, adventurous flavor profiles with a multicultural influence that appeal to changing demographics. Korean, Southeast Asian, Mediterranean, and Mexican influences are among cuisines on the rise.

5. Beverages

Functional beverages fortified with supplements and/or CBD as well as non-alcoholic choices continue to make a splash. Consumers desire products like the ones from Recess will not only quench their thirst but support their health. Overindulgence during the pandemic and the “sober-curious” have inspired sophisticated mocktails and mixers. Vivid, bright colors and soothing pastel palettes alike on the packaging of these products heighten the appeal.

What trends are most inspiring to you? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

1. The Urgency of Food Waste and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

As Whole Foods presented, “One-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted.” Using less is the top way we can make an impact. Whole Foods also shared that the food industry is responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, with packaging being a significant contributor. Sustainable packaging can substantially reduce this impact by employing eco-friendly materials and efficient design.

2. Carbon Concerns

“Carbon is the new calorie,” one presenter commented. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the carbon footprint of products, including their packaging. Brands should be prepared to provide information on the sustainability of their packaging materials and design choices. 4 states have EPR laws already in place, and there will be more in the future!

3. Consumers Care

SPINS gave a helpful presentation on “conscious consumerism” where they said even in the face of recession, the US natural and organic product industry is poised to surpass $300B by 2024! Consumer preferences have evolved – they care deeply about values like grass fed, free range, cruelty free, plant based, and nothing artificial. Half of consumers consider themselves a values-oriented shopper.

4. The Role of Certifications in Sustainable Packaging

– Third-party certifications are a valuable tool in packaging design, providing consumers with clear information about the eco-friendliness of the ingredients, materials and processes. Consumers are now very aware of greenwashing. They are seeking certifications and transparent sustainability claims to ensure genuine sustainability.

5. Communicate about Recycling

People want to recycle. We must clear the way for them to act!” said one presenter from The Recycling Partnership. 8 in 10 consumers are looking for ON PACK recycling information. The Recycling Partnership has developed a centralized hub to determine if a specific package is recyclable in each zip code. Consumers can access this hub through a simple QR code (integrated with How2Recycle). We are eager to see which companies follow the lead of General Mills and Horizon with adding this QR code to the back of their packaging!

6. Be PROUD

If you have made some progress with sustainability, no matter how small, be PROUD. We’re all in this together and need to learn from one another. “Greenhushing” (a new term), is when a company deliberately chooses to hide their sustainability goals or ESG credentials for fear of scrutiny. Share your progress boldly and as one presenter said, “Celebrate the small victories!”

7. Seek to be Nature Positive

Beyond reducing harm, companies should aim to be “nature-positive” wherever they can. This means designing packaging solutions that not only minimize negative environmental impacts but also actively contribute to biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Our final takeaway – it was great to catch up with so many familiar faces at the event! Collaboration among retailer leads, packaging designers, and sustainability experts is crucial to develop effective sustainable packaging solutions. As sponsors of the conference, MBD really enjoyed hosting the Music & Mixers cocktail party, and spending time with many of you. Thanks to all who presented and participated in the Velocity Sustainability Summit!

GOLD: Sprouts Brand Redesign

The new Sprouts brand delivers uncompromising quality with a wide variety of products across most categories throughout the store. This redesign focuses on increased awareness and perception of the brand by using the refreshed logo and modernizing the current packaging through various categories across the store. MBD created a look that elevates customers’ expectations and generates excitement around new products and new flavors. We used a billboard effect to broaden appeal beyond its existing customer base with bold coloring, storytelling through illustrations and ownable photography, unexpected typefaces, and design elements that are more category specific.

GOLD: Sprouts Everyday Crackers

The cracker category is saturated with many brands using bright, primary colors to stand out on shelf. MBD pulled back the design and utilized pastel colors to create an on-brand and on-trend package that stands out in a crowded category shelf set. We used simple, elegant watercolor-style illustrations combined with photography to elevate these everyday crackers.

SILVER: Sprouts Soy Chorizo

A new product to Sprouts, MBD designed soy chorizo to compete with the other vegan alternatives. The unique design disrupts the on-trend plant based product category with a quirky approach to the farmers market feel. The fun pattern work brings a youthful energy to the design.

BRONZE: Sprouts Olive Oil

MBD’s beautiful olive oil design uses colorful, bold patterns and quirky typeface to stand out in a crowded category. The unique approach to a farmers market style feels lively and unexpected.

BRONZE: Sprouts Almond Milk

Very early on in the redesign, MBD’s team was tasked with revamping the existing almond milk line at Sprouts. This design was the first where MBD introduced a “character” with some cartoon charm. We designed the almond milk mascot to differentiate product variation without breaking cohesion of the brand and product line. The earth tones, simple line work and punchy ingredient shot with a large almond bring this item to life.

BRONZE: Sprouts Beans

Canned beans are a popular commodity item that find themselves in a wide range of recipes. MBD wanted to make sure these cans stood out on shelf and clearly communicated the product, without creating too much noise on the PDP. The photography within the set is what made the concept come alive and create a lot of fun and movement on the packaging. Organic and conventional canned beans were designed in a family look to connect the SKUs while keeping them easily shoppable.

BRONZE: Smart & Final Ice Cream

The structure of the ice cream carton was modernized to a “Scround” (square/round) shape that differentiates it from a traditional round package. The rich color palette and subtle pattern across over 20 flavors make a strong visual impact on-shelf. Completely ownable photography makes the ice cream the hero but pairs the product with interesting and indulgent ingredient inclusions. The design also allows the smaller side panel to act as an alternate PDP, allowing for more flexible merchandising in smaller format stores.

BRONZE: 7-Eleven Peppermints

MBD designed these peppermints to follow brand initiatives and match the look of the 7-Select candy line. We created an everyday look for a product that is often seen as seasonal. The final design uses creative storytelling for these sweet, fun, on-the-go treats. The carnival tent stripes magnify the iconic pattern of these classic candies, and the peppermints are playfully added into the scene on a rollercoaster.

BRONZE: PriceSmart Pet Food

MBD partnered with PriceSmart to design this friendly, fresh, inviting line of pet food products. The product benefits are highlighted in a distinguishable way without being too serious. The imagery of high-quality ingredients and happy pets are front and center to draw attention to the product.

BRONZE: BJ’s Wholesale Club Baby Wipes

The mix of diverse and happy babies with bright colors and fun patterns bring the baby wipes package to life. Callouts highlight competitive features equivalent to national brands carried in-club at BJ’s Wholesale Club stores.

Congratulations to all Vertex Award winners as well as all who participated in the competition! With all the current innovation and energy around new store brand packaging artwork, we are excited to see the new designs that continue to come out across all retail brands throughout the rest of the year!