Lebanese nut brand Castania is breaking out of its regional shell with a new package design geared toward global markets.
Castania reached out to London-based brand design agency bluemarlin in November 2021, with goals to set its brand apart from mass-market competitors and reach into the U.K., European, and U.S. markets, bluemarlin says. The resulting design leans into the brand’s artisan quality and Mediterranean roots, with pressurization added to aid its global expansion.
“Castania now has a ‘wow’ packaging to reflect the ‘wow’ quality of the product,” says Peter Daniel, Castania CEO. “By premiumizing the range and with extended shelf life by virtue of a pressurized compartment, we can offer our brand internationally from retail to on-trade, on cruise ships and airlines, in hotels, bars, and restaurants.”
Material characteristic of the new nut packaging
The brand maintained the same doy-style pouch and can formats as before the redesign, pressurizing the cans for export and using them for its premium selected nut range.
Castania says its pressurized cans have been tested to keep the product fresh for over seven years.bluemarlin
A paper layer wraps around the cans for labelling, supplied by Byblos Printing as they were before the redesign. Both the paper label and metal tins are recyclable.
The labels are digitally printed using various material types to set the packaging apart; these include gold foil, copper foil, velvet touch paper, and gloss effects. They use CMYK printing along with two Pantone colors.
Introducing a refreshed brand identity
bluemarlin reached into Castania’s past to create a design unique to the brand.
“The packaging design tells a 360-degree story, emphasizing the uniqueness, craftsmanship, and passion behind the product,” explains Andrew Eyles, bluemarlin CEO. “It comes together to not only communicate quality but also to narrate the brand’s journey from its roots in Beirut to its global expansion.”
Castania's new logo features elements from the previous iteration, and now ties in the brand's copper roasting drums.bluemarlin
“The nut-shaped logomark was redeveloped to reflect the beautiful swirling copper roasting drums. bluemarlin strategically introduced copper as a design element, weaving it into the fabric of the brand,” says Guy Robertson, bluemarlin’s lead brand designer for the project.
The redesign features a new muted colorway system to simplify customer navigation across the 21-strong product range. Each product variant’s flat, muted color-coding compliments the product’s flavor and contrasts with the master brand copper color.
Product photography was also updated, moving toward artistic imagery to emphasize ingredients and away from the “flat CGI expressions” of the previous design, the release says.
On-pack product photography takes a more artistic approach in the new design.bluemarlin
Also included are recipe numbers and personal statements on each pack, to add a more personal touch for the brand. That’s in a new script as well, to further humanize the design.
“The script, which initially seemed corporate, has been evolved into a more handwritten style to reflect the personal, familial, and traditional aspects of the business,” says Robertson. “The result is a visual story that not only showcases the product but also communicates the passion, tradition, and hands-on craftmanship behind Castania.”
Poised for global markets
Now that Castania’s package design distinguishes the brand from its global competitors, it can begin working toward its expansion goals.
Castania is strong in Arab markets, so the new line will first be introduced in specialty and gourmet stores across that region in 2024. As for Europe, the U.K., and the U.S., the brand “will be looking for distributors” to enter each market, Daniel explains.
