Florida Crystals: Brand Design & Packaging by Murmur Creative

Objectives

As the nation's only vertically integrated organic cane sugar growers, Florida Crystals had a pretty sweet story to tell.

Owning “100% American-grown organic sugar” is a valuable selling proposition. We set out to highlight Florida Crystals’ unique differentiators with compelling branding, copy, and packaging design.

We brought focus to their sustainable practices (i.e. using owls as natural pest control and using all parts of the harvested sugarcane stalk) and emphasized their superior quality control measures (i.e. harvesting cane within 24 hours to avoid contaminants and their use of sugar mills over traditional refineries).

History

The Fanjul family milled their first sugarcane in 1850. In the years since they’ve made it their mission to grow high-quality, sustainable sugarcane by doing things right and proud. Today Florida Crystals takes full control of its entire production process. As passionate innovators, they continue to hone their craft for the good of families and the environment.

Logo Redesign

In addition to adding a modern flair, the new Florida Crystals’ logo needed to reflect their core mission of sustainable sugarcane production.

We created a more stylized sugarcane illustration to replace the former sunburst and incorporated a subtle bird shape as a nod to the symbiotic relationship with native owls and wildlife as natural pest control. We chose to design a customized wordmark to evoke an organic quality that rings true with the quality of the product.

Packaging Redesign

Florida Crystals’ former packaging lacked an organic quality emblematic of their mission. To address this need and add an ownable quality, we designed custom sugarcane illustrations.

We employed strategic system considerations, like product colorways, for brand recognition and used natural jewel tones to ramp up sophistication. As a time-honored product, we kept the existing circular window on the front of the packaging. This continues to give consumers the ability to view the quality and beauty of the raw sugar granules.

From the Client

“The breadth of capabilities that live inside this agency never stops amazing me – if you can dream it, they can bring it to life. Together, we developed a new brand from scratch, redesigned and modernized our family-owned brand while respecting and honoring its legacy, and have continued to work together on ongoing creative needs, they never stop marveling us. On top of the unparalleled quality of their work, working with Murmur means having fun, enjoying the entire creative process, and learning new skills along the way. They are great at communicating the status of projects and keeping track of the budget. I would recommend Murmur in a heartbeat.”

Corina Flushing

Senior Manager of Brand Marketing at ASR Group

Rebrand Results

While competitors struggled against rising inflation, Florida Crystals Organic Sugars revenue and volume increased dramatically after the launch of their rebrand.

“During our discovery phase, we traveled to Florida to tour their mill and sugarcane fields and were blown away by their commitment to sustainability. From crop rotation, to upcycling the sugarcane (bagasse), to power their self-sustaining mill, this is a client that demonstrates the utmost respect for the environment. We are proud to have rebranded this beloved family-owned brand, and appreciate working with a client who truly treats us as a partner.”

Mary Breslin

Exec. Director of Client Services

“My mom, a former Gainesville, FL resident, is a loyal Florida Crystals customer. Even after moving to Ohio, she continued to exclusively buy this brand. It was awesome to have a strong connection to Florida Crystals right off the bat and be a part of their rebrand!”

Tory Cunningham

Senior Designer

Campus Murals

Florida Crystals recently initiated a new venture to enhance their Florida campus with updated wayfinding signage and murals. A key focus of this project was to align with their Regenerative Organic Certification®, while also providing an educational experience for campus visitors.