17 | Our. Guide to Food & Drink Branding

Whether you're launching a new product, refreshing your range or repositioning for growth, your packaging has to do more than just look good on the shelf. It needs to tell a story, spark recognition and connect emotionally with your audience in an instant. That's where great design, backed by strategy, comes in.

As a leading Food & Drink Branding Agency, we know what makes packaging stick and we’ve helped brands like ASDA, Wolfe Bros and Levi Roots create packaging that cuts through clutter and builds real customer connection. This guide covers our approach to standout packaging in these sectors, including what we consider at every stage of the process and why working with the right partner can make all the difference.

What makes great food & drink packaging?

Memorable packaging goes beyond colour and typography. It taps into emotion, builds trust and delivers clear, consistent cues about what your brand stands for.

• Recognition matters: A well-designed pack doesn’t just look nice – it helps you get noticed. In saturated supermarket aisles, strong visual identity is everything.
  
  
• Storytelling sells: Great packaging should communicate your brand’s personality and purpose at a glance. What does it feel like to pick it up? What does it say about the people behind the product?
  
  
• Honesty builds trust: It’s not just what’s inside, it’s how you talk about it. Clear, human-first messaging around ingredients and health claims helps consumers make informed choices and feel good about them.
  
  
• Sustainability counts: Today’s consumers are paying attention to materials, messaging and environmental impact. Sustainable packaging isn’t a bonus – it’s expected.

• Unbox the brand: For online-first brands, the unboxing moment is your front door. That 'bland brown box' is actually valuable real estate – a chance to create delight, reinforce your brand values and earn loyalty before the product is even opened.
  
  

How OurCreative. approaches food & drink packaging

We bring a full-service perspective to every packaging project. From brand strategy and brand creation through to final design and rollout, we make sure every element works hard.

Our strategic process always starts with research: getting under the skin of your product, your market, your customer, and critically, your business challenge. Whether you're a challenger brand or a household name, the fundamentals remain the same. We focus on differentiation, storytelling and impact, so the packaging we create doesn’t just look good, it solves the right problem.

As a seasoned Food Packaging Design Agency and Drink Branding and Packaging Agency, our team combines commercial insight with creative flair. We build brands that pop on shelf, but also hold their own across digital, DTC and experiential environments.

“Packaging is often the first physical interaction someone has with your brand. It needs to deliver more than shelf standout – it has to hold meaning," says Our MD Kim Van Elkan. 

Our designers and strategists work closely together to bring this philosophy to life, creating work that doesn't just look beautiful, but works hard commercially.

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Packaging success stories

Take Wolfe Bros, a challenger in the premium spirits space with big ambitions. We crafted a packaging identity that captures the rebellious spirit of the brand while ensuring it flexes across formats, SKUs and sales channels. From the tactile label system to the bold “W” marque and striking shelf presence, every element was designed for maximum impact, whether it’s stocked in a craft spirits shop or shared online. This wasn’t about trend-led aesthetics; it was about building a brand with long-term credibility and standout.

For Levi Roots, we were tasked with breathing new energy into a household name. We kept the soul of the brand intact – rooted in Levi’s personality and legacy – while updating the packaging to reflect a broader, more modern appeal. The new look dials up the flavour, joy and charisma that made the brand famous, helping it reach new audiences while staying true to its roots.

Then there’s Just Essentials by Asda, which was one of the UK’s most visible supermarket launches in recent years. We stripped away the category noise and created something unmistakable: bright yellow packs, big impact, and no-nonsense design that made life easier for shoppers. It sparked national conversation and built instant recognition across the range – all 300 SKUs of it.

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Why the right partner matters

The difference between good packaging and great packaging often comes down to the team behind it. As experienced Food and Drink Packaging Experts, OurCreative. help brands translate their story into shelf-ready, strategy-led design that delivers.

We act as a true partner – one that understands the pressures brand teams face, because many of us have been there too. With client-side experience in the mix, we know how to turn insight into packaging that works across all formats, markets and moments.

Our approach blends insight, storytelling and standout design to create brands and packaging people actually want to pick up. Whether you're looking for a fresh take on a heritage brand or launching something entirely new, we bring the clarity, creativity and consistency that gets results. 

Got a food and drink packaging challenge? Let’s fix it together! Get in touch for a free consultation.

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