Mesa de Vida
Brand Strategy, Identity Design, Packaging, Marketing
Rebranding a health-focused food startup for national retail expansion.
Mesa de Vida creates globally inspired cooking sauces designed to make healthy eating simple, flavorful, and accessible. Made with wholesome ingredients, the sauces are oil-free, gluten-free, vegan, low sodium, and free from added sugars, offering consumers a convenient way to create nutritious meals without sacrificing taste. Rooted in the idea of "Table of Life," the brand celebrates the connection between good food, vibrant health, and bringing people together around the table.
The Challenge
As Mesa de Vida prepared for broader retail expansion, the founder recognized the need for a more cohesive and compelling brand identity. The product was transitioning from a jar to a bottle format to improve usability, creating an opportunity to rethink the packaging from the ground up. The challenge was balancing a significant amount of information—including health benefits, product differentiators, and usage instructions—while still creating a package that felt approachable, premium, and easy to shop.
My Approach
Working closely with the founder, I developed a refreshed brand identity that reflected the heart of the company's mission: vibrant living through food and community. The visual system was built around warmth, inclusivity, and energy, communicating the idea that healthy eating should be joyful and shared. For the packaging, I carefully refined and prioritized content to create a label system that clearly communicated the product's benefits and versatility without overwhelming consumers. Beyond packaging, I extended the brand across social media, print collateral, and trade show materials to create a consistent and recognizable presence across every customer touchpoint.
The Results
The refreshed branding and packaging provided a scalable foundation for growth as Mesa de Vida expanded its retail footprint. Today, the brand can be found in major retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods, Walmart, Kroger, Safeway, and Fresh Thyme. The project successfully transformed the brand's visual identity while helping communicate its unique value proposition to a broader audience, supporting continued growth and increased consumer visibility.
