My co-founder and I launched our K-Nutri Collagen Bars in 2019 because we loved collagen protein and hated the idea of added sugar. Of course, as a new company with zero start-up experience we made our branding and packaging in-house.
Making a bar with collagen protein was an easy choice because I became intolerant to whey protein about 10 years ago; I would get flu like symptoms after consuming it and could no longer eat traditional protein bars. My life and physique were also changed dramatically with a low-sugar diet in university, which led me to decline my acceptance to NYU Dentistry in 2015 and go on to complete a Master of Science studying the impact of sugar on obesity and cancer that same year. Removing sugar became the principle goal of our company.
The product is a collagen snack bar made with natural ingredients. We decided to call it “Energy Bar + Collagen” to highlight the natural ingredients providing energy, and the USP of Collagen protein. Brittany, my fiancé and our co-founder, designed the labels based on some of my input. With limited experience in graphic design, I honestly think they turned out pretty good!
With any company you will always have branding and design evolution. I can think of two big examples in our space: SmartSweets and Quest Bars. Both went through a massive rebrand that really brought out what their brand was all about. In my opinion, their new labels are world class.
At the time, we couldn’t afford a professional designer, and some of the quotes we got from design agencies were astronomical for 1 SKU ($15k+). We decided to work with what we had, which was essentially our own time and skills. It got the job done, and then the hard part began, which was selling as many of these bars as possible and listening to the feedback.
We were lucky to partner with KetoKrate during our launch and 11,000 unique customers got the chance to try our new product. Over 1,000 people left feedback during a post-purchase survey and KetoKrate was kind enough to send us the results. This was critical in us re-evaluating every aspect of the bar. The most important changes were removing the word “Energy” which customers associated with caffeine, making the bar softer in texture, and reducing the number of calories.
Unfortunately, due to a combination of my cancer diagnosis (more on that here) and the pandemic, we decided to halt production in 2020 and spent the next 2 years reformulating and rebranding this bar to be the best tasting healthy snack bar on the market.
Last year, we finally found a designer that we felt was a good fit and could bring our vision to life. We wanted a design that would evoke emotion from a customer seeing it for the first time in a retail setting. We were primarily trying to emulate a feeling of happiness and inspiration through the design. With no brand awareness, it was really important that the product stands out on a shelf and creates a “wow” moment for the customer.
Additionally, the design should reflect what the actual bar is about. The Collagen Bar was the name we decided on because the source of protein really separates this bar from plant-based and whey-based bars on the market. It offers a functional component since collagen has been shown to help improve your hair, skin, nails, and joints. We chose to highlight 3 key features (10g protein, 2g sugar, 5g net carbs with a keto-friendly button). The goal here was to highlight the protein levels and speak to a consumer that was looking to remove sugar from their diet.
1) Know your customer and their pain points and be sure to address these clearly on your label.
2) There are great designers at reasonable prices, and they are worth every penny. Often, you get what you pay for.
3) Just start! Your first packaging will never be perfect. Start selling and don’t be afraid to talk to your customer and pivot.
We had a successful relaunch online with the new Collagen Bar and started sending samples out to retailers. Thanks to the resources provided by Foodbevy, we also secured regional distribution. We have our eyes set on the natural channel with retailers like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Erewhon, Bristol Farms, etcand are excited to see where this year takes us!
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