Businesses are not only evaluated by their profits but also by their impact on people and the planet. Your brand is more than a logo or tagline—it's a promise. For businesses in regenerative agriculture, nature conservation, or renewable energy, this promise is deeply tied to the values of sustainability, responsibility, and transparency. But how do you know if your audience can see that your brand is living up to that promise? That’s where a brand audit comes in.

alec’s ice cream

Alec’s pack and mission were getting lost on the shelf—a common challenge for purpose-led CPG brands. Luckily, their designers nailed the solution through a thoughtful brand strategy and bold design. The packaging features unexpected color schemes and playful illustrations that highlight the flavors and regenerative benefits.

The mix of typography, color, illustration, and photography showcases the product’s premium quality in a way that feels both fun and bold. Sure, Alec’s isn’t the first ice cream brand to take this approach—but the way they do it? That’s where the magic happens.

The designers perfectly captured a blend of fun and hopefulness with a premium, luxurious feel. They achieved this through a sophisticated yet playful illustration style, paired with photography that’s visually striking and just the right amount of messy (think dripping chocolate and melty ice cream). While other brands may use similar elements, Alec’s stands out as the only regenerative A2 dairy ice cream brand on the shelf.

Their branding is fresh, original, and totally unique. Had they relied on stock illustrations or copied other popular brands, the impact would have fallen flat. Instead, their investment in original, creative design paid off—big time!

Learn more about Alec’s

painterland sisters

I did a deep dive on this brand in a previous blog post—you can check it out here. But let’s talk about another kick-ass example of why hiring a pro is so worth it.

The Painterland Sisters is one of the fastest-growing yogurt brands in the U.S., and for good reason. It’s rare to see so much of the founders’ personalities infused into a brand identity. That alone makes it stand out—but it also does something even more powerful: it creates a direct, human-to-human connection between farmer and consumer.

In our hyper-digital, AI-generated world, bringing the people behind the product into a brand’s visual language is going to be key to driving sales. The Painterland Sisters nailed this by showcasing founders Hayley and Stephanie Painter in their element—on the farm, in floral maxi dresses, hanging out on giant tractor wheels, and spending time with their cows. You can feel their presence in every part of the brand identity, from the illustrated logo to the typography and color palette.

People are hardwired to connect with other people. And this brand isn’t just crafting a premium product—it’s delivering a yogurt that’s more nutrient-dense than anything else on the shelf (a major perk of regeneratively farmed foods). Through smart, intentional branding, they’ve turned yogurt into a true farm-to-table experience.

So, while every other yogurt container has variations of the same elements, these sisters took a hard left turn with their visual identity incorporating feminine colors, playful typography, photos of themselves, and folk-art inspired illustrations.

wildfarmed

This is one of my favorite brand designs! Wildfarmed is ultra-bold, in-your-face, yet somehow still playful and hopeful. They make bread and flour sourced from regenerative farms, and their branding reflects that energy. With oversized fonts and a striking lime green that demands attention, it’s impossible to ignore. Maybe that boldness comes from the founder’s musical background? Either way, it creates a sense of urgency and confidently takes up space—fitting for a brand tackling one of our most critical issues.

Everything about this design makes it clear they take their mission seriously. They’ve crafted an experience that feels like an epic British rock band party—one you wouldn’t dare miss. The combination of bold elements and raw photography style speaks directly to customers who take their bread baking seriously.

The ultra-minimal packaging is straight to the point, yet still modern and high-end. By leaning into bold typography and ditching the typical illustrated wheat stalks and rolling hills found on most flour bags, Wildfarmed sets itself apart in the best way possible.

This is a great example of how to do more with less. A bright signature color and bold type treatment can evoke a ton of emotion.

Wildfarmed is only available in the UK as of now.

If any Wildfarmed team members are reading this, pretty please come to the USA 🙏

cheddies

Cheddies Crackers are a high-protein regenerative cracker brand serving up ultra-crunchy cheesy crackers. How does yet another cheese cracker stand out in today’s market? Graphic design of course!

Most cheese cracker packaging utilizes slight variations on the same elements. Colors reminiscent of cheese varieties (cheddar orange, American yellow, and white cheddar off-white). By choosing the color blue, Cheddies’ box immediately grabs your attention because blue and orange are on the opposite ends of the color wheel. Our eyes can’t help but go to the opposite contrasting color.

The other smart decisions they made were to place flavor and texture notes at the top of the information hierarchy. Once you spot the blue package, you first notice the cheese flavors and their dedication to providing a satisfyingly crunchy cracker. Flavor and quality are the top drivers of purchasing decisions so this information should always be readily available to consumers.

The other unique piece of information that stands our first on this packaging is the “made with fresh cheese” claim. Other cheese crackers are made with highly processed or powdered cheeses. Naming fresh cheese is appealing to consumers searching for whole food alternatives to their favorite snacks.

The rest of this brand identity isn’t particularly creative or unique. However, it is still very well designed. Their is a very clear system to the product line that will translate well to other product types if the brand decided to expand. The information hierarchy is the most successful aspect of this brand design. It’s very easy for consumers to spot this box, understand what it is, and why they should care.

Check out Cheddies here.

Once upon a farm

Once Upon a Farm went through a rebrand a few years ago, evolving alongside shifting consumer demands in the baby product space. And that’s the thing—brands grow and change, and it’s totally okay if your brand identity needs to evolve, too.

Once Upon a Farm is all about providing cold-pressed baby food with zero added sugar, sourced from regenerative farms. Their mission is simple but powerful: when kids have access to highly nutritious foods early in life, they’re better prepared for a lifetime of health and happiness. Every element of their rebrand was designed to better reflect these values and key differentiators.

Their illustration suite highlights flavor profiles and farmer stories, adding depth and personality to the brand. They even introduced a brand character inspired by co-founder Jennifer Garner—a clever way to maximize the impact of a celebrity spokesperson while keeping the brand warm and relatable.

The design itself isn’t overly baby-ish. It’s colorful and playful enough to engage the little ones eating it but still refined enough to resonate with the parents making the purchase. The messaging speaks directly to parents who prioritize minimally processed fruits and veggies but also care about convenience—positioning the brand to compete with less expensive options while standing out as the better-for-you choice.

Everything about this brand’s design feels like a warm embrace. It’s as if they’re telling parents, “Hey, we’re part of your village.”

Check out Once Upon a Farm here.