Food Package Design
From grocery aisles to online carts, whether you’re launching in Canada, or expanding across the U.S., we design packaging that doesn’t just look delicious — it sells.
Taste Testing the Market
We dig deep into your target audience, and retail landscape to uncover what will make your brand one-of-a-kind.
Food category research & trends (Canada & U.S.)
Competitor audit
Audience personas & consumer insights
Shelf exploration
Strategic Squeeze
Before we jump into design, we distill your brand’s essence into a clear, flavourful strategy. This is where positioning, storytelling, and visual direction all come together — creating the foundation for packaging that not only stands out, but stands for something.
Brand messaging hierarchy
SKU architecture
Brand story
Visual + verbal strategy alignment
Category differentiation strategy (Canada & U.S.)
Package Design
Package design in Canada and the U.S. is fiercely competitive. We create bold, appetite-stirring concepts that capture your product’s Zest Factor and deliver undeniable shelf impact.
Packaging concept exploration
Material, texture & colour
Typography
Icon design
Product Photography
3D mockups & shelf visualization
Regulatory Compliance
Ensuring your design meets every CFIA, FDA, and bilingual requirement — all while keeping it beautiful.
CFIA & FDA packaging compliance
Nutrition facts
Ingredient formatting
Bilingual packaging requirements
UPC/barcode
Print-ready dielines
Visual Brand Storytelling
Great packaging doesn’t just catch the eye — it captures the heart. It expresses your brand's soul in a language of colour, shape, and emotion.
Every great brand tells a story — the kind you can feel before you even read the label. That’s where visual storytelling comes in. We translate your brand’s purpose, personality, and promise into a visual language that connects instantly.
We craft visual systems that speak—evoking emotion, building trust, and turning casual shoppers into loyal fans. Whether it’s a nostalgic illustration that stirs memory, a bold layout that signals confidence, or quiet restraint that conveys purity, we use design as a narrative tool to express what your brand truly stands for.
Because when people feel something, they remember it. And when they remember it, they buy it — again and again.
Illustration & Design
Custom illustration is how we bring personality and storytelling to the shelf. Crafted to amplify your brand’s tone, ingredients, and emotion
Custom illustration is one of the most powerful ways to infuse personality and storytelling into your brand. It’s how we translate your product’s essence — its ingredients, tone, and emotion — into visuals that instantly connect on shelf.
At Zesty, illustration isn’t decoration. It’s strategy with soul. From hand-drawn fruit textures that spark appetite to whimsical patterns that convey playfulness, we craft artwork that deepens your brand narrative and makes your packaging feel human. Each stroke and line is designed to amplify your story, support your positioning, and create a visual memory customers can’t forget.
Our custom illustrations work seamlessly across packaging, social, and campaigns — adding richness, cohesion, and unmistakable character. Because in a world of stock graphics and sameness, a hand-crafted touch makes your brand feel alive.
Canadian and U.S. regulatory standards
CFIA and FDA requirements for nutrition facts, ingredients, and front-of-pack (FOP) claims
Food packaging design isn’t just about shelf appeal — it’s about precision. Every label we create meets Canadian and U.S. regulatory standards, including CFIA and FDA requirements for nutrition facts, ingredients, and front-of-pack (FOP) claims.
We integrate bilingual content seamlessly, ensuring English and French text meet all type size, placement, and legibility standards. Ingredient lists, allergens, and health claims are verified and formatted correctly, while barcodes and UPCs are designed for flawless printing and scanning. We combine creative design with technical rigor so your packaging is not only beautiful, but fully compliant, retail-ready, and export-approved — giving your brand confidence on shelves across Canada and the U.S.
Product Architecture
We build visual systems that grow with your brand — keeping every SKU, flavour, and format connected under one strong, cohesive identity.
Before we design, we build a framework for how your SKUs relate — ensuring your product family grows cohesively. From sub-brand hierarchy to flavour differentiation, we design systems that scale beautifully as you expand your lineup.
From visual hierarchy to naming conventions and colour systems, we build a roadmap that keeps every new product feeling like part of the same family. Whether you’re adding seasonal flavours, new pack sizes, or entirely new lines, your design system scales beautifully — consistent, recognizable, and future-proofed.
Because when your lineup looks unified and intentional, buyers notice. And when they notice, they buy.
Food Photography
Beautiful packaging deserves beautiful photography — we make sure it gets both.
In our in-house studio, we capture crisp, consistent imagery that makes your brand look polished and professional across retail decks, presentations, and online listings.
When a project calls for something more stylized — think messy table spreads, art-directed lifestyle scenes, or steamy pours — we team up with our go-to food photographer to craft cinematic, mouthwatering visuals.
