THE FIRST INGREDIENT

Challenge: For FOGO, the first ingredient of every great barbecue is the fire. The brand was known for its premium hardwood lump charcoal and was ready to expand its product line. It needed a packaging system that could hold every new product together and stand out in a category where every bag makes the same promises: 100% natural, made in the USA, great flavor. And on the shelf, those large bags don't stand upright. They lie flat, stacked on top of each other, where most packaging stops making sense. Solution: I started where the buyer does: in the aisle. A market analysis of the best-selling premium brands showed what the category repeats and how bags are actually displayed in store. From there, I built a system designed to be read in seconds, from any angle. Illustrated selling points replace long claims, a consistent structure organizes every bag, and background color tells each product apart at a glance. For the new wood products, the packaging goes one step further: it helps buyers choose.

Market Research | Packaging Design
Role: Market research and packaging design within a branding studio, from analysis to presentation to the client's leadership.
Read from every angle
This is how the bags really live in store: lying flat and often stacked on top of each other. The layout was designed for that moment, so the key information stays visible from the front, the top or the side. On the shelf, lying down is the norm, and the bag is ready for it.
One fire, many products
The Black and Gold bags set the foundation, and the briquets and eucalyptus charcoal joined the family. Each product has its own background color and the same structure behind it, with illustrated selling points that are easy to understand in seconds. However big the family grows, it still looks like one.
Out of the render
The system made it to production. Today, the FOGO line is on the shelves of Home Depot and major supermarkets across the United States.
Know what you need
Chips or chunks? Apple or hickory? Not every buyer is a grill master, and the packaging is designed for them too. Each flavor has its own color, and a window lets the wood speak for itself.
Light the fire
Every great barbecue starts long before the meat hits the grill. It starts with the first ingredient.
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