karhadad

[karhadad]

Half-way done with the Wix site. Things left to do: - add graphic elements throughout the site - update product and contact us pages - contact Wix and figure out why my image quality isn’t as high as the files I’m uploading - cost + production analysis

[karhadad]

Updated version of the package duo mockup to reflect the ‘nut free’ label.

[karhadad]

Screenshot of the homepage of my website (still under construction).

For the about us section, I wrote a whole ‘our story and mission’ which I’ve pasted below. This way, people will truly understand the story behind [sense], how the idea spurred and how it can change their lives for the better :)

OUR STORY AND MISSION

Back in 2011, my 14-year-old self was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (aka BS). I grew up eating a healthy Mediterranean diet where my mom would cook everything from scratch (clean, right?). Yet internally, my body wasn’t functioning properly and to this day, I have yet to figure out what is going on inside my personal temple. But I’m getting there.

In the past few years, I took control of my symptoms and how I was feeling from simply changing the way I ate. No gluten, no dairy, no soy, more veggies, more protein, more fiber…less symptoms! I learned the impact of food and how in simplest terms, it truly is medicine. The right food will fuel your body, give you energy and make you feel good, which in turn will help you be the happiest version of yourself. So that involved me cooking everything myself, reading nutrition facts, only buying clean ingredient products and focusing on wholesome labels. But unfortunately, it also involved me eating the same things, not being able to enjoy foods that I once loved, and having to be that friend who had to bring their own food to social gatherings. 

Through my journey, I learned that whatever I feed myself, I want it to add value into my life and my health. But I also don’t want to deprive myself from enjoying new flavors as well as existing ones, or be self-conscious of what I’m eating in front of others. I learned that I want to be able to eat foods without feeling guilty, while also fueling my body and being able to enjoy every bite.

That’s when I realized that I wish there was a snack that tasted like all of those delicious foods I typically crave, but in a healthier, snack form. One that wasn’t sweet, that wasn’t a chip or cracker and would actually keep me full.

Enter [SENSE]!

It is the first organic savory energy bite snack that bridges the gap between traditional flavors we all love, with functional ingredients that fuel our bodies, in a form that is ideal for the busy lifestyle we all live in.

It’s time to get back to what really nourishes us and our souls - food that adds value into our lives, that makes sense with our lifestyles and provides us with health benefits. With SENSE, you will be able to eat sensibly and live sensibly - and be the healthiest YOU there ever was.

[karhadad]

INSTAGRAM IS UP AND GOING

I created this instagram page in the fall when I first started my idea, but now that I’ve rebranded my product, have a more precise strategy on what I want my brand to represent and the type of imagery to convey that message, I’ve created some content and have begun posting! 

hopefully i can gain a large following so that if I choose to launch this, I’ll have some potential first customers (wishful thinking)

[karhadad]

mailing box trio

[karhadad]

Mock up of shipping packaging for the ‘everything but the bagel’ flavor. Super simple, clean and minimal - exactly what I want my brand to represent.

The cover art and border will also be on my website to create a cohesive brand that’s both ‘offline’ and ‘online’. The ‘eat sensibily’ is also on the back of the packaging and will be used as a hashtag on my Instagram page.

Super stoked about all of this - currently working on creating the boxing for the rest of the flavors, deciding what pages to include on my site and writing the copy that’ll go on those pages. I also have to condense all of the mockups into one general imagery that includes all of the flavors (similar to the ones I found for my inspo).

[karhadad]

Branding Palette & Package Designs.

[karhadad]

FIRST MOCK UP DONE!!!

this is my finalized branding - a revamped, cleaner, modern version of what I had created in the summer.

pretty proud of it. love the name, the ‘sprinkle’ details based on the color scheme of the flavor.. it makes sense :) 

after looking through my mood board and branding inspiration, after walking through whole foods and other natural markets and see what was on the shelves, i noticed myself only enticed to minimalistic packaging with product information on the front. although there are really cool brands out there with intricate designs and elaborate details, i came to a realization that their style was simply not me. 

my mission is to create a snack brand that is functional and clean, and this packaging resembles exactly that. the resealable packing makes it ideal for those who want to snack on SENSE throughout the day, while the minimal color scheme and design will make people want to have it on their desks or in their bags.

now onto the next flavors and back panel...

[karhadad]

These are the original package designs I created back in August. Back then, I wanted my snack to make sense. I wanted it to be made from clean ingredients, have high nutritional values, have interesting and yummy flavors, have a simple design and also look cool.

However, the more I look at my packaging design and compare it to other branding/packaging I’ve come across in the past month, I realized that it’s a little too boring... but I still love it??? I’m going to try to create new designs and see where my heart lies - whether it’s something more funky or a different logo/font... we shall see

The second picture is the ideal nutrition facts (based on a recipe I’ve already made including the ingredients to the right). Lots of protein, fiber and low in sugar!!! 

The first recipe I created was a few months ago and it tasted pretty good, but the consistency was a little off. So for the next month I’m going to try to nail the recipe down, choose flavors and hopefully maintain the same nutrition values.  

SO right now I’m working on rebranding SENSE and making the recipe taste amazing :)

[karhadad]

Here are some screenshots of my midterm presentation! These include the problem I’ve seen, my audience research, my concept, my mission and my vision.

After presenting, I noticed myself getting really excited about my idea and as I work more towards this project, I realize that I keep going back to my initial product idea: a savory energy bite. 

[karhadad]

here’s a link to my survey :)

day 4 and I already have 78 responses, ranging from students, young people working in offices, middle aged moms and even retired individuals!

my questions focused on 3 key themes:

what is snacking to you? why do you snack? how do you snack?

—

the goal for my survey was to really understand the sentiments behind snacking. i was curious to understand how often they snacked, what triggered them to do so, how they felt after snacking, if they’re trying to live a more healthy and mindful lifestyle and what their current favorite snacks are. by learning the different angles of snacking, i can get a broad understanding of this action that we all partake in and gear my brand strategy towards a message that resonates with all.

over the next few days, i’m going to analyze all of the results and come up with generalizations. however, after looking through the results so far, i have to say that i’m both surprised, confused and happy about the response i received! i’m excited to see how this can change, affect or help my idea :)

[karhadad]

Project Milestone

February 21st — Critique 1/Midterm

Analyze survey results Audience research Brand name, mission, strategy

March 28th — Critique 2

Product offering, ingredient list, mock recipe Package mock ups stage 1 Website design stage 2 Create Instagram account + begin post content

May 2nd — Last Day of Class

User testing Finalized package mock up Finalized website Kickstarter?  Continue posting on Instagram account

By finals week

Physical product Ready to sell at Fordham

[karhadad]

audience research

10+ people i want to speak to:

1. someone who works at whole foods/westerly - find out what customers typically ask for when walking into their store, most popular products

2. someone who works in an office and doesn’t have time to take a lunch and snacks throughout the day

3. someone who travels often and likes bringing their own snaks

4. student who is on the go

5. someone who lives an active lifestyle (works out 4-7x a week)

6. health/fitness influencer

7. dairy/gluten free individual

8. someone who suffers from gut issues (IBS, Chrohn’s etc) who has to really watch what their eating

9. department store shopper (someone who shops at expensive stores or lives a luxurious lifestyle)

10. rumble, barry’s, physique 57 customer who’s clearly passionate about wellness  

11. whole foods/westerly customer 

[karhadad]

competitive analysis

each product either has a similar offering, similar strategy or ingredient list, yet they’re all unique and different in their own way based off of their mission statements.  

what i’ve learned

after doing this exercise, i noticed a gap in the market.

while all products have clean ingredients, the only ‘luxury’ style product offers sweet flavors (siren, magic dates, watermelon road) or isn’t in a form of an energy bite (dada). while these snacks may be delicious and healthy, they don’t provide as strong of nutritional benefits as they could. veggie pops has a similar product offering that i have in mind, but their branding and packaging targets a younger demographic and their flavor offerings aren’t enticing.

i realized that what i want to create is a luxurious snack offering - a mixture of salty and sweet - but with truly unique flavors and high nutritional value. i want to make my price point fairly inexpensive, to show that living a luxurious lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be the most expensive, but instead means that it’s a high quality life where you’re savoring every moment.

snacking shouldn’t just be another thing to do during your day, it should be a moment you’re excited for and that benefits your well being. 

things i liked

“accidentally” gluten free, vegan verbiage. a new take on labeling.

mindful bites mission statement: transform snacking forever, from on-the-go grazing to intentional eating behaviors and choices that nourish every aspect of your wellbeing.

smpl packaging that lists all of the ingredients on the front 

dada font, packaging, website

[karhadad]

Concept Sketching

1. In a separate blog post, post 3 possible variations of your thesis idea. The difference between them can be specific details or broad and major, as you wish. Each variation should have a clearly summarized list of key points that an outside reader or critic can compare. Text descriptions are adequate at this point, but you are free to use images and diagrams too. 

 
 The overall product will be energy bite snacks. They will be made of wholesome, organic, natural, vegan, gluten/dairy free ingredients and will be high in protein, fiber and healthy fats. The variations below will mostly be based on the flavor offering or brand strategy.

Savory

Product — savory energy balls; package will contain 5 bites; ingredients will be a mixture of nuts, beans, oats, superfoods and dried vegetables and each flavor will have the same base ingredients but different seasonings 

Flavors — flavors will be based on all the unhealthy food we love, but in a healthy, snack version (everything but the bagel, taco flavored, Mac and cheese)

Mission — eat all of your favorite savory foods in snack form while also providing health benefits and satisfaction 

Messaging/branding — will focus on being able to eat all of your favorite unhealthy foods in a snack form; eating sensibly and purposefully without feeling guilty; minimalistic and modern packaging 

Luxury

Product — savory and sweet energy balls; package will contain 5 bites; ingredients will be a mixture of nuts, oats, superfoods and fruits; each flavor will be made with different ingredients and have different nutritional values

Flavors — flavors will be more detailed and luxurious (spicy almond cacao, macadamia matcha, turmeric chili lime) and focused on a unique flavor mixture; options people have never seen before

Mission — create a luxury snack with unique flavors that make every snacking experience feel as though you’re at a 5 star restaurant or bring you to a place you’ve never been before

Messaging — mature messaging; focused on the luxury of snacking; minimalistic branding with a luxurious component; packaging will be in a unique shape/form

Sweet

Product — sweet energy balls; package will contain 5 bites; ingredients will be a mixture of nuts, oats, superfoods and fruits; low in sugar and high in fiber/protein

Flavors — flavors will be similar to those already on the market, but with a unique twist (salted tahini caramel, coconut macadamia crunch)

Mission — sweet snacks should fulfill your craving, but shouldn’t be solely high in sugar. The goal is to create a sweet snack that also is high in fiber and protein and is ideal for when you need a bite of something sweet after a meal or throughout the day

Messaging — packaging will have a more of a modern feminine feel rather than minimalistic

2. When you have finished your 3 variations, make a summary list or table of the pros and cons of each. 

After creating my 3 variations, I realized that in the beginning of this exercise, my product idea was quite different than what I’ve chosen to pursue. A luxury snack that’s also affordable is the most different product idea than what is already out there, and it is the route I want to choose. The pros of the savory option is that it doesn’t have many competitors, making it easier to stand out in the market. The sweet option has a positive mission and more fun messaging strategy, but it would be hard to stand out in the market since there are many competitors who are doing more or less the same thing. The luxury idea, however, is unique, unheard of and is something that represents me as a person— if I’m going to have something, whether it be food or clothes or furniture, I want the best and I want it to be unique. In my life, I try to make each moment count and make each experience a memorable one. I want my product to represent that - I want everyone’s snacking experience to be memorable, to be exciting and to be guilt-free.  

[karhadad]

Concept

1. Define you idea more. Write a paragraph. What is your pitch? If you meet an investor in the elevator how would you describe your project in 2 mins. (It doesn’t have to be perfect, I want you to start narrowing it down)


Now a days, every savory snack on the market is either a chip, a cracker or has no nutritional benefits, while energy bars are one of the most popular snack products, you have to finish the entire snack right away. I find it frustrating when I want something flavorful, has nutritional benefits, is easy for on the go and something that I can have a bite of rather than finishing a whole bar or package. My product is going to be a luxurious (yet affordable) energy bite snack with various flavors, where each bag will be made from minimal and wholesome ingredients that are high in protein, fiber and healthy fats.

A problem I’ve come across is that snacking has always had a bad connotation. We eat snacks when no one is looking, hide it in our desks, feel guilty when eating so close to our next meal and generally view snacking as a negative action. It is something we do to get from one moment to another. Through my brand, I want to send out the message that snacking should be flavorful, should be fun, should make you feel good and should provide health benefits, and I will do that through the dialogue strategy and through the ingredients I use. I also want my product to be free of labels: although it’ll be dairy, gluten, soy free and vegan, I don’t want the labels to overpower the whole product idea.

2. Think about how to inspire your users/viewers. If you're having trouble coming up with more specific ideas, come up with a narrative about what it would look like if your idea worked (even without knowing what it is yet), what would the result be?

I imagine people eating my snacks wherever they are, and feeling good while doing so. I imagine people enjoying every bite, saving some for later, raving about it to their friends, and repurchasing since they see the value in having my product in their pantry. I want people to change their mindset about snacking - it’s not supposed to make you last from one meal to another, it’s supposed to satisfy your cravings and give you the nutrients you need in your life. It’s supposed to be flavorful, delicious and enjoying moment in your day. Lastly, I want my product to change the way people view a healthy lifestyle - snacking sensibly is another aspect of being the healthiest version of yourself.

3. Describe 3-4 people who would care about your project. 
Who is your audience? Be specific. Who will use your product? Who will view it?

People who are passionate about living a healthy lifestyle, who are actively partaking in health and wellness trends, who are constantly on the go and who value trendy/millenial brands. They love trying new foods and flavors, invest in quality ingredients and food products (organic, non-GMO etc). They are people who workout, travel, are social and have a passion for living a life where they feel good and content. The type of person varies, since it can range from a corporate businessman to a fitness trainer to a fashion model and so forth. The common denominator, however, is someone who is passionate about eating foods that’ll satisfy their cravings and make them feel good. 


4. Write a list of people you want to interview. (For example: I need to speak with people who have a business background)

Corporate lifestyle (work in an office) Freelance lifestyle Students Those in both urban and suburban settings People who are always on the go People who live an active lifestyle Dairy/Gluten/Vegan individuals People who follow the latest health/wellness trends People who shop at high-end grocery stores (Whole Foods, Erewhon, The Fresh Market, Westerly) 
 5. Competitive analysis and audit. Are there any products out their that are similar? What do you like about them? Don’t like about them?
 There are several similar products, yet only a few of them have strong nutritional values derived from simple, wholesome ingredients. Also, they are not considered luxury snacks, specifically through their branding and messaging.

RXBar like: the flavors and ingredients, social media content, packaging, website dislike: how it’s a bar and you need to eat the whole thing, only sweet flavors

Made In Nature Veggie Pops like: ingredients dislike: texture, packaging and branding, flavor options

SIREN Snacks like: purpose/mission, product offering dislike: (some of) ingredient list, social media content

SMPL superfoods like: branding/packaging, ingredients dislike: nutritional value, price point

The GFB like: concept of bites, flavors dislike: nutritional value (caloric), ingredient list, website

RAW Bliss Balls like: packaging, ingredient list dislike: caloric and nutritional value, website, price

DADAlife

like: brand strategy, social media content, flavor offerings, ingredients

dislike: price point, nutritional value

[karhadad]

mood board