Chuckanut Bay Foods
Chuckanut Bay Foods is a cheesecake and dessert bakery that is based in Blaine, Washington. They focus on creating high-quality desserts that are tailored for individual portions.
Cheesecake Label Redesign
Transfer and Update Cheesecake Labels for New Dieline
Chuckanut Bay Foods Research and Development Team
time frame: 1 year
Project Manager & Graphic Designer
goal: Redesign cheesecake product labels for updated packaging and improve differentiation of specialty flavors.
improvements to make:
Transition original label design to new smaller dieline required for automated label application.
Create cohesive brand look across original and specialty cheesecakes (Gluten Free, No Sugar Added, Plant Based).
Improve visibility of specialty flavors to avoid confusion with original.
solution: To start, the project timeline with milestones was established for completing the packaging redesign and transition. This included target dates for finalizing dieline, concept presentations, approvals, and production testing. Close collaboration occurred with packaging engineers to determine the optimal label size and orientation to meet equipment constraints. Multiple iterations happened before landing on a dieline that preserved branding elements within the required space.
Once confirmed, work transpired with the marketing team to adapt the redesign to our brand style guide. For the original flavor, redesigning took place of the layout, typography, imagery and visual style to fit the new dieline while maintaining shelf presence.
For specialty cheesecakes, I assigned a unique color for each specialty cheesecakes and designed two distinctive elements added with clear indicators and iconography that still followed the brand style. A rounded square placed on the right stated the cheesecake type and the bottom banner color changed to match the assigned flavor color. The company tag line was also adjusted to include the cheesecake type (e.g. Real. Good. Gluten Free. Cheesecake.).
Finally, overseeing happened of printing and production testing to verify performance, making tweaks as needed prior to rollout. The redesign maintained the strong branding while improving efficiency and differentiation. The new labels are now implemented across grocery stores and convenience stores nation wide.
Cheesecake Bites Label Redesign
Update Cheesecake Bites Label to Match Brand Guidelines
Chuckanut Bay Foods Research and Development Team
time frame: 8 months
Project Manager & Graphic Designer
goal: Redesign Chuckanut Bay Foods' Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites product labels to align with their overall brand identity and match their existing cheesecake product labels.
improvements to make:
Bring the Cheesecake Bites labels up to date with Chuckanut's current brand standards in terms of logo, fonts, colors, and imagery.
Create label designs that are cohesive with Chuckanut's cheesecake product labels for shared flavors like chocolate and strawberry.
Ensure labels meet FDA regulations for required information and formatting.
solution: The previously developed Chuckanut Bay Foods brand guidelines were referenced at the start of the project to define the visual design direction, including typography, color palette, logo usage and photographic style. With the 4-pack and 8-pack Cheesecake Bites dielines already complete, these existing mechanicals were used to begin conceptualizing the new label designs.
Exploring a variety of layouts, I conceptualized the primary and secondary informational hierarchies for 11 flavors. For continuity across the Chuckanut product line, I implemented color-coding and stylistic cues from the antecedent cheesecake packaging when designing labels for corresponding flavors.
Once I completed the label system direction, I conducted a thorough FDA label compliance review. Adjustments were made to typographic sizing and positioning of requisite label components like the nutritional facts and ingredient list to align with regulations.
The new labels are now implemented across grocery stores and convenience stores nation wide.
9 pack Variety Box
Logo Design for a coffee and donut shop
Chuckanut Bay Foods Research and Development Team
time frame: 9 months
Product and Graphic Designer
goal: Redesign the Chuckanut Bay Foods variety cheesecake 9 pack box to align with new brand standards, optimize for production packing, and reduce production waste.
improvements to make:
The existing 9 pack box design did not meet Chuckanut Bay's updated brand style guidelines and packaging requirements.
The box shape and materials led to product breakage during shipping and created excess waste.
A new box was needed that could contain the cheesecakes securely with minimal damage, be easy for production staff to pack, and enable efficient palletization.
solution: Working closely with the Research & Development team, I redesigned the 9 pack box focusing on functionality, protection of the cheesecakes, and aligning with Chuckanut Bay's new brand look. The new box dimensions and insert configuration prevent damage and slipping, and an easy-fold box style was selected for simplicity and speed of packing.
When designing the artwork for the redesigned 9-pack cheesecake box, I wanted to create visuals that aligned with Chuckanut Bay's brand identity and highlighted the quality ingredients in their cheesecakes. I decided on a two-color stylish background pattern that would stand out on shelves. The colors chosen complement the Chuckanut Bay logo as well as use the new brand color.
To reinforce the premium ingredients, I included icons of chocolate, vanilla beans, fresh berries, butter, and sugar. These minimal ingredient illustrations are fun and eye-catching. I placed them in an asymmetrical layout interspersed with the background pattern for visual interest.
A photo of the assorted cheesecake flavors provides an appetizing hero image. I opted for a clean, focused design that puts emphasis on the ingredients and product visuals. This artistic direction aims to reinforce the brand positioning of Chuckanut Bay Foods as a maker of quality cheesecakes with premium ingredients.