Mi Rancho
Overview
Based in Northern California, Mi Rancho’s beginnings started as a Mexican grocery store in 1939 and has since grown over four generations to be known for making authentically crafted tortillas, chips, and salsas. By strategizing the brand’s messaging, design aesthetic, and marketing tactics, Honey has worked closely with the Mi Rancho family and team to enrich their brand, create awareness of their product lines, and build value for their retail and wholesale partnerships. Our team also had the opportunity to work with Mi Rancho to launch their latest Simply Nourished and Organic Salsa product lines by developing the product positioning, messaging, and packaging design. Honey continues to be an ongoing strategic marketing & design partner for the Mi Rancho team and we love supporting this family-owned, vibrant brand!
Discovery + Approach
What originally started as a grocery store has grown to a prominent brand within the foodservice and retail spaces, Mi Rancho came to Honey to help strategize the next chapter of expansion. With the COVID-19 pandemic and business closures, Mi Rancho had the opportunity to strategize their brand’s growth from sharing more of the company’s story, building its consumer engagement, and supporting both retail partnerships and direct online sales. To create a strong foundation for Mi Rancho’s next phase of growth, we took them through Honey’s Hex Method Process® to ensure our work together was thoughtful and supported both present and long-term goals.
What originally started as a grocery store has grown to a prominent brand within the foodservice and retail spaces, Mi Rancho came to Honey to help strategize the next chapter of expansion. With the COVID-19 pandemic and business closures, Mi Rancho had the opportunity to strategize their brand’s growth from sharing more of the company’s story, building its consumer engagement, and supporting both retail partnerships and direct online sales. To create a strong foundation for Mi Rancho’s next phase of growth, we took them through Honey’s Hex Method Process® to ensure our work together was thoughtful and supported both present and long-term goals.
Brand + Marketing Strategy
After learning about Mi Rancho’s rich company history and their commitment to their craft, we knew their brand and marketing strategy needed to share their story with their customers. More than ever, consumers want to know what’s happening behind the scenes at the companies they support. We defined their brand tone, brand promise, brand differentiators, and developed a marketing strategy that would connect with their target audience.
Ultimately, we brought Mi Rancho’s dedication to their authentic processes, familial culture, and providing consumer education to the forefront of their messaging.
After learning about Mi Rancho’s rich company history and their commitment to their craft, we knew their brand and marketing strategy needed to share their story with their customers. More than ever, consumers want to know what’s happening behind the scenes at the companies they support. We defined their brand tone, brand promise, brand differentiators, and developed a marketing strategy that would connect with their target audience.
Ultimately, we brought Mi Rancho’s dedication to their authentic processes, familial culture, and providing consumer education to the forefront of their messaging.
Product Positioning + Packaging
When Mi Rancho came to Honey, they were preparing for two new product line launches. Investing in branding and packaging design is essential in today’s competitive market as grocery stores are extremely selective, often making packaging one of the main factors in choosing brands to put on their shelves.
SIMPLY NOURISHED
As Mi Rancho expanded its offerings, providing options for varying diets that don’t compromise on flavor was an important consideration for them. While exploring naming concepts for the yet-to-be-released Simply Nourished product line, we wanted to ensure that the value and benefits of these products are clearly, concisely communicated through the name and packaging design of the overarching line.
The Simply Nourished packaging breathed new life into the Mi Rancho brand. We were inspired by talavera pottery, a uniquely Mexican pottery style, for the decorative illustrations that speak to the bounty and heritage of the Mi Rancho brand and we opted for a cooler color palette to communicate healthy and fresh alternatives. Conveying the proud heritage and authentic process of Mi Rancho products was essential for this new packaging direction for their brand.
When Mi Rancho came to Honey, they were preparing for two new product line launches. Investing in branding and packaging design is essential in today’s competitive market as grocery stores are extremely selective, often making packaging one of the main factors in choosing brands to put on their shelves.
SIMPLY NOURISHED
As Mi Rancho expanded its offerings, providing options for varying diets that don’t compromise on flavor was an important consideration for them. While exploring naming concepts for the yet-to-be-released Simply Nourished product line, we wanted to ensure that the value and benefits of these products are clearly, concisely communicated through the name and packaging design of the overarching line.
The Simply Nourished packaging breathed new life into the Mi Rancho brand. We were inspired by talavera pottery, a uniquely Mexican pottery style, for the decorative illustrations that speak to the bounty and heritage of the Mi Rancho brand and we opted for a cooler color palette to communicate healthy and fresh alternatives. Conveying the proud heritage and authentic process of Mi Rancho products was essential for this new packaging direction for their brand.
Organic Salsas
The next exciting launch, and a new category for Mi Rancho, was their Organic Salsa line. Deeply rooted in their heritage, the recipes for these salsas pay tribute to Mama Ofi, the beloved Berber family matriarch, and Josefina, a longtime family friend and Mi Rancho employee, who crafted the recipes over 40 years ago at the original Oakland grocery store. We learned about this rich history over long conversations with the Berber family and Josefina herself, working with their team on developing the product positioning and messaging.
Organic Salsas
The next exciting launch, and a new category for Mi Rancho, was their Organic Salsa line. Deeply rooted in their heritage, the recipes for these salsas pay tribute to Mama Ofi, the beloved Berber family matriarch, and Josefina, a longtime family friend and Mi Rancho employee, who crafted the recipes over 40 years ago at the original Oakland grocery store. We learned about this rich history over long conversations with the Berber family and Josefina herself, working with their team on developing the product positioning and messaging.
For packaging, we carried the illustrative style we introduced with Simply Nourished packaging to the salsas, evolving the design with new colorful design details to highlight the fresh ingredients and taste. The color palette is inspired by the stories of each salsa flavor, complimenting the vibrant color of each ingredient and its heat level, while also standing out boldly on the shelf against competitors. We dedicated a generous amount of space to the story behind these salsas, evoking interest in consumers to learn more about this proud family-owned company.
For packaging, we carried the illustrative style we introduced with Simply Nourished packaging to the salsas, evolving the design with new colorful design details to highlight the fresh ingredients and taste. The color palette is inspired by the stories of each salsa flavor, complimenting the vibrant color of each ingredient and its heat level, while also standing out boldly on the shelf against competitors. We dedicated a generous amount of space to the story behind these salsas, evoking interest in consumers to learn more about this proud family-owned company.
Photography
The value of quality photography is key to maintaining a beautiful, consistent brand presence. We conducted both in-house photoshoots as well as collaborated with talented photographers to capture both evergreen and seasonally-specific assets to be used across different touchpoints such as social media, retail advertising, and website. This branded photography helped bring an inviting, approachable feeling to Mi Rancho products, showing audiences how to build a meal around Mi Rancho products while celebrating family traditions through home cooked meals.
The value of quality photography is key to maintaining a beautiful, consistent brand presence. We conducted both in-house photoshoots as well as collaborated with talented photographers to capture both evergreen and seasonally-specific assets to be used across different touchpoints such as social media, retail advertising, and website. This branded photography helped bring an inviting, approachable feeling to Mi Rancho products, showing audiences how to build a meal around Mi Rancho products while celebrating family traditions through home cooked meals.
Art Direction
In order to bring the Mi Rancho story to life, bright, bold colors and fresh ingredients were incorporated to not only compliment their packaging, but to also highlight the flavors and uses that Mi Rancho products bring to any dish. Both product photography and lifestyle shots were important to capture the setting of where to eat Mi Rancho foods and also the joy of cooking that comes from sharing a meal together.
In order to bring the Mi Rancho story to life, bright, bold colors and fresh ingredients were incorporated to not only compliment their packaging, but to also highlight the flavors and uses that Mi Rancho products bring to any dish. Both product photography and lifestyle shots were important to capture the setting of where to eat Mi Rancho foods and also the joy of cooking that comes from sharing a meal together.
Content Development
Through content, we’ve helped refine Mi Rancho’s creative style and connect with a larger audience. Fun gifs, Reels, and TikToks showcase their products in use and the new bright photography style added interest to their content to engage their growing following. Through organic and paid content, UGC, and strategic partnerships, we’ve been able to share Mi Rancho’s rich story, their library of hunger-inducing recipes, and delicious products with more people.
Through content, we’ve helped refine Mi Rancho’s creative style and connect with a larger audience. Fun gifs, Reels, and TikToks showcase their products in use and the new bright photography style added interest to their content to engage their growing following. Through organic and paid content, UGC, and strategic partnerships, we’ve been able to share Mi Rancho’s rich story, their library of hunger-inducing recipes, and delicious products with more people.
Website Design
Growing the ecommerce side of their business was a company goal, so creating a streamlined digital shopping experience was an absolute must in today’s economy. We helped Mi Rancho tell their story through colorful and inviting photography and paired it with a soft, clean color palette to add a bright freshness to the website. Keeping the user top of mind, we developed a new filtering system and “add to cart” features to create an easy, pleasant shopping experience upon visiting the website. In addition, we organized the recipe library to showcase delicious meal ideas using Mi Rancho products for users to get inspired and try out in their kitchen!
Growing the ecommerce side of their business was a company goal, so creating a streamlined digital shopping experience was an absolute must in today’s economy. We helped Mi Rancho tell their story through colorful and inviting photography and paired it with a soft, clean color palette to add a bright freshness to the website. Keeping the user top of mind, we developed a new filtering system and “add to cart” features to create an easy, pleasant shopping experience upon visiting the website. In addition, we organized the recipe library to showcase delicious meal ideas using Mi Rancho products for users to get inspired and try out in their kitchen!
Outcome
We’re extremely proud of the work we’ve accomplished to date with the Mi Rancho team. They saw a 64% increase in their e-commerce sales in 2021 compared to 2020, and a 12K + engagement on IG Reel collaboration. As an ongoing partner, we’re excited to continue working on and launching exciting projects along side them.
_____________
Creative Collaborators
Photography – Nicole Morrison, Carolyn Fong
Web Development – Fathom
We’re extremely proud of the work we’ve accomplished to date with the Mi Rancho team. They saw a 64% increase in their e-commerce sales in 2021 compared to 2020, and a 12K + engagement on IG Reel collaboration. As an ongoing partner, we’re excited to continue working on and launching exciting projects along side them.
_____________
Creative Collaborators
Photography – Nicole Morrison, Carolyn Fong
Web Development – Fathom