Graze has abandoned its long-standing ‘natural’ brown appearance after a decade, having spawned countless copycats with similar looks.
Focusing on a palette of brighter colours, the pack revamp is starting to appear in retail across nearly 400 SKUs, with rollout expected to be completed by September. It means goodbye to the rustic brown design the brand pioneered on its launch in 2008.
“For many years, we were very happy with it,” Graze CEO Anthony Fletcher told The Grocer. “It looked original and showed consumers we cared about the recyclable credentials of our product.”
However, the business began to realise a couple of years ago that it wasn’t “quite so distinctive anymore” he added. Many rivals used similar packaging, flooding the better-for-you sector with “natural, wholesome colours”.
While Graze faced increasing competition from both larger suppliers and start-up brands, it had the “highest level of brand recognition” in its category through its name and logo, said Fletcher. “That allows us to do something a little different with our packaging.”
Traditionally, Graze has created all its own branding. But for this change, which began in earnest around nine months ago, the brand sought help from Jones Knowles Ritchie.
The creative agency wanted to help Graze “capture the spirit of imagination and innovation at the centre of the business and place it at the heart of their brand identity” said JKR strategy director Lee Rolston.
“We believe the simplicity, standout and bold nature of the rebrand will act as the perfect platform for the next wave of growth for Graze.”
Set to be backed by a £2m push from September, the new look will be followed by innovation. “We’re interested in what else we can do with oats,” Fletcher said, revealing that a “breakfast proposition” featuring a probiotic yoghurt drizzle would launch imminently.
The brand would also look at using “clean” plant protein, he added. “We’ve got lots of ideas about where we can take that over the next couple of years.”
No comments yet