How can a regional brand of honey spread gain national distribution? Position it as a healthful and less-fattening alternative to butter and cream cheese.

That’s what Mel-O Honey Inc., Cannon Falls, MN, has done. It restaged its Mel-O-Crème brand of honey spread by altering the package size and materials, and expanding the package’s available color palette to intensify taste appeal.

“We needed a new brand identity that would not only resonate in today’s market place, but also introduce new peach and raspberry SKUs,” says Curt Riess, Mel-O Honey CEO. “We needed a label that would tell consumers exactly what the product is and why they should buy it.”

Studio One Eleven designed the look of the 7-oz polypropylene tub. The container matches the size of competing low-fat/cholesterol-substitute products and places the honey spread in store coolers. The new design also:

• Uses pressure-sensitive labels to broaden the available color palette and enable one stock lid and tub to be used for all three SKUs in the line. Mel-O Honey avoids locking into specific quantities for each SKU without knowing the relatively popularity of each flavor variety.

• Adds full-color illustrations of a honey dipper, raspberries, and peaches to intensify flavor appeal, distinguish SKUs, and communicate individual flavors.

Jim George, Editor-in-Chief