The Mediterranean region has an almost 200-year history of canning the sardines, mackerel and other fish plentiful in and around the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, many household brands of canned fish are rich in Spanish and Portuguese iconography.

Our brief was to reference this tradition while making canned fish relevant to modern audiences, who get their meal inspiration from top chefs in the media. Canned fish has experienced a major resurgence among food world influencers. It’s now appearing on dishes ranging from crostinis to tartines and even upgraded avocado toast.

Our packaging design and writing makes a big theme of the product’s wild, sustainable and health attributes. Meanwhile, our original illustrations derive their warm, lustrous colours from traditional Mediterranean crafts such as pottery and textiles.

Shelf presence is a major point for any food packaging design. Very few products are unique in their category and the same is true of premium canned fish. The colours, illustrations and other graphics on The Stock Merchant Provisions were designed to be boldly different to the competition. This helps them stand out in the crowded retail setting. The product also aligns loosely with its parent brand, The Stock Merchant. 

We also presented several options that each proposed a different visual hierarchy, ensuring we considered every possible buying decision. This design was the clear winner, putting an emphasis on the product category. Our graphics are supported by messaging about the sustainable fishing methods, and certified organic extra-virgin olive oil. 

Being a sensational product that we can truly vouch for, we’re delighted we could help bring this one to market with our design and writing.