Aidells Sausage

San Francisco based design agency The Engine Room redesigned the premium sausage range for the Aidells Sausage Company.

Situation
Aidells Sausage Company is the leading gourmet sausage company in the United States. Since 1983 the company has pioneered the premium sausage category by offering products made from high-quality meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables and spices through an artisan, hand-crafted process. Their reputation for quality of flavor and ingredients made them popular – and it was no surprise that several copycats entered the marketplace. To keep from being lost in a sea of look-alikes, Aidells needed to create a cohesive brand identity that highlighted its breadth of flavor profiles and premium ingredients.

Services
Consumer packaging, print collateral, direct mail, and POP.

Challenge
To maintain its position as “the first and the best” gourmet sausage, Aidells required packaging that highlighted its use of quality ingredients – chunks of meat, fruits, vegetables and spices that can be seen, its chef-created background and its small-batch production. Packaging needed to be consistent enough to solidify the brand, but be flexible enough to highlight product differences and new additions.
Solution

To cement the culinary appeal of Aidells sausages, The Engine Room extended the likeness of founder Chef Bruce Aidells on all packaging. In addition, the packages were brightened and color-coded (orange for mango, blue for chicken apple, etc.), making it easy for customers to choose their favorites. Premium ingredients and “how to prepare” was moved to a more prominent position on the packaging to further ease customer use. To encourage more uses, recipes were placed on the back of every package label.

Result
Aidells continues to grow its presence in grocery and club stores nationwide. Meanwhile, the company has launched several line extensions, including gourmet meatballs and frozen burgers, as well as organic and all-natural, antibiotic-free products – all fitting neatly within the refreshed brand framework.

Check Engine room's other packaging works featured hereZenergize, 479° Popcorn and Bink Wines.