Packaging
Case Study: How Fern & Table Rebuilt Its Brand in 12 Weeks
A specialty grocer with fourteen colours on the moodboard, three on the shelf, and a 40% increase in repeat purchases.
Fern & Table is a specialty grocer operating two retail locations and a subscription box service. The business approached us because it had outgrown its visual identity — the shops were well-designed, the brand was not.
This case study documents the twelve-week engagement, the decisions made, and the results achieved.
The Client
Business Profile
Category: Specialty food retail
Locations: Two retail sites, plus subscription service
Team size: 18
Founded: 2016
The Trigger for the Project
Founder Mira Hale described it precisely: "We look like a lovely shop with no idea what it is."
The Problem
Symptoms
Fourteen colours in active use
Inconsistent typography across touchpoints
Packaging that changed with each season
New customers admired the shelves but could not recall the name
The Underlying Issue
The brand lacked a strategic foundation. Decisions had been made incrementally, by different people, at different times.
The Engagement
Weeks 1–2: Discovery
Interviews with staff, regular customers, and lapsed customers.
The Key Finding
Customers came for the shopkeeper's taste, not for groceries in the abstract.
Weeks 3–4: Strategy
A single positioning sentence: For people who want to eat as though someone with excellent taste is doing their shopping.
Explicit Refusals
No discount language
No stock photography
No cluttered merchandising
Weeks 5–8: Identity
Three colours drawn from the shop itself.
The Palette
Bottle green (from the door)
Cream (from the paper bags)
Red ribbon (tied around every purchase)
Typography and Voice
A single typeface and a warm, plain-spoken voice.
Weeks 9–12: Packaging and Rollout
Labels across the range
New bags
Window graphics
Revised website
One-page guide for the team
The Results
Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
Repeat purchase rate | Baseline | +40% |
Stockists approaching unprompted | 0 | 2 |
Colours in active use | 14 | 3 |
Staff retention | Baseline | Improved |
Qualitative Outcomes
Staff could reference the brand with confidence
Customers recognised products without the logo
The identity survived seasonal variation
What This Project Demonstrates
The brand already existed inside the shop. The work was to observe it, articulate it, and apply it consistently.
Mira's summary is more effective than ours:
"The hardest part of choosing was leaving good colours out. It became easier after the first three."
— MIRA HALE, CO-FOUNDER
Considering a Similar Project?
If your physical environment is stronger than your packaging, get in touch. We would be glad to examine what is already present.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did the Fern & Table rebrand take?
Twelve weeks from discovery to handover. Rollout continued for a further 90 days.
What was the total investment?
The engagement was scoped as a full branding project with packaging application. Investment is available on request.
How was success measured?
Repeat purchase rate, unprompted stockist approaches, and internal consistency of application.
What was the most difficult decision?
Reducing the palette from fourteen colours to three. The founder described it as "leaving good colours out."
Can this approach work for other retailers?
Yes. The methodology — deriving identity from the physical environment — applies to any business with a strong physical presence.