Naturao
From Branding to Product Development. This organic juice producer raison d'etre is to re-introduce the Aronia Berry to the US market.
In 2021, Ramborne LLC, an Aronia Berry farm decided to start a beverage company featuring Aronia Berry as their staple ingredient. The marketability of the Aronia berry has been very challenging in the past, enterprises like Tohi had tried and failed, but I believe that any product can be successful when targeted correctly.
This project started as a white canvas, having the opportunity to bring this concept to life, from product development to branding.
1. Establish a cohesive brand strategy.
2. Develop a portfolio of at least 3 product lines featuring Aronia Berry as the main ingredient.
3. Brand Building through packaging design.
Developed the brand identity, and managed freelancer artists to develop the logos, labels, and visual assets for the brand in this early stage. I was also able to submit 2 contest applications for two major New York programs while designing Naturao's marketing materials for their distributors and potential investors. I actively participated in the product development process, learning about the FDA's labeling requirements and in the research and development department being responsible for the addition of the Pineapple Water variety into their portfolio.
The Aronia Berry, a Native American super Berry, has been historically overlooked for its tangy taste, Naturao's goal is to bring the focus on its Antioxidant capacity, and overall health benefits, coupling the Aronia Berry with other nutritious fruits is Naturao's solution to attenuate its tart profile. To define this new juice company branding, I started by running some analysis:
1. Based on Naturao's Consumer target, insight, and need state I proposed "Passion for Wellness, Powered by Nature" as their brand Mantra, we would later change it to "Keeping you in balance, in action, and on the move!"
2. We decided to go for an active lifestyle & outdoor scene as the representation of the brand, focusing on the Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory properties of the juices.
3. Competitors divide into Natural Antioxidants & Artificially infused Antioxidants, a strong focus on natural ingredients was recommended as the main differentiator from the competition.
4. SWOT analysis revealed several opportunities to take more ownership of the process incorporating the Juicing process into their existing farm facilities.
As an early-stage startup company, there were many instances in which research was required before making any decisions, it required some deep work and hours of reading through related documentation to make sure the products were operating under regulatory compliance.
Navigating the applicable FDA label regulations for label design, health claims, general requirements, nutritional panels, UPCs, etc.
Product development, trying and testing different juices combinations, finding the most convenient ingredients suppliers, and projecting costs for every line of product.
Defining bottling materials was a big decision, one of our competitors, Tohi, presented their juices in cans, but the concept of a can is often related to carbonated drinks, deriving into a disappointed misguided consumer, full sleeve labels were also an option, but for a new kind of drink, the product needs to be visible and attractive, our last bottle-related decision was between glass bottles and plastic bottles, but one of our potential distributors had a strong glass only policy, which aligned with our environmentally conscious proposal, that's what we went for
Finding a provider for a test run was not easy, as the glass industry is very saturated.
We currently have a portfolio of 4 juice flavors:
We decided to submit our Brief to 99 Designs, a graphic design platform that gathers hundreds of freelance designers ready to take on the challenge of creating a logo, or in this case, a label, competing to be chosen by the client.
Out of this platform, we gathered around 30 designs, the team was very attracted to one in particular so we picked our winner and closed the contest.
Even though we loved the logo, and the design captures the active outdoors lifestyle concept we were trying to convey, we felt like it still needed some work. Using this design as a base, we found Zahidul's work on Dribbble, shared the original design, guide him towards our vision, and watch him work his magic, take a look at the label evolution from stage 1 to the current design style:
The company is currently working on the production of its first sample batch, there have been a couple of setbacks in this production line, so as soon as they are ready for distribution, I will be updating this page with the Distribution Strategy we go for.
As a startup company in the organic beverage arena, Gaby is an integral partner in product development, this included, formulation, ingredient sourcing, claims viability and actual label design. She has shown creativity and forward-thinking while facing the challenges that come with starting a company. She has been the lead on several business and product contests. She is an integral part of our startup company. Her ability to listen to others on the team and create innovative ideas that support the other team members makes her an invaluable asset.
Barranco, Lima-Perú