Working together with Anthony Nguyen, I designed a suite of food packaging for The Chia Co, the world largest producer of Chia seeds and Chia products. Founded by fourth-generation farmer John Foss, The Chia Co specializes in the sustainable farming and development of Chia Seed and Chia Products.

The packaging design direction is rooted in The Chia Co’s commitment to clean food, healthy lifestyle, and innovation. We used straight forward typography with bold color distinctions and a clear information hierarchy to let the food speak for itself. The product line includes a range of ready-to-eat Chia Pod Oats and Bircher Muesli, each with a series of flavors.

In addition, we designed a range of non-perishable dried oats with Chia and various fruits, which are sold in 5-pack boxes or as individual pouches from a dispenser.

Why create a custom typeface? Well, I was originally interested in using an existing revival typeface from that period like Brioche by Jessica Hische or Alabaster by Jesse Ragan, but Brioche wasn’t bold enough and Alabaster wasn’t released yet. So rather than compromise, I decided to draw a custom typeface to match exactly what I was looking for. I researched original source material from the turn of the century, drawing inspiration from historical sources and adding details of my own.

Some original sources I looked at are below:

And here are some of my early sketches:

And a specimen of the final design:

Also, an early sketch for the cover:

Here’s the sketch: