Butcher Cuts for Every Pet

Vital Essentials was one of the first to bring freeze-dried, raw pet food to the market. That early start gave them a strong following, but the category grew fast. With more brands flooding the space, their original look and feel no longer stood out. They needed a new identity that matched the quality of their product and made a stronger connection with today’s pet parents.

We started with one question: where do people go for the best cuts of meat? The butcher.

A Fresh Cut

Vital Essentials always had the product. What they didn’t have was the messaging or design to help people see it at a glance. We dug into consumer insights, business goals, and company values, and landed on three key messaging pillars: sourcing, process, and variety. From there, we rebuilt the brand from the ground up.

We looked to the butcher shop for inspiration. The result was a new logo, affectionately called “Tabby,” which nods to those take-a-number tickets. The typography and design system leaned into a clean, premium feel. We wrapped everything in kraft-paper textures and tied it off with simple, honest messaging.

Built for People Who Care About What Their Pets Eat

This is a smart audience. They see their pets as family and know what goes into their food. They’re already sold on raw diets and aren’t afraid to pay more for quality. What they needed was a brand that matched their standards and made the benefits easy to spot.

We designed the packaging system to be flexible, so treat bags, sample packs, and other formats all work within one clear structure.

Turning Heads

We worked with the Vital Essentials team on a full launch plan. The strategy focused on digital-first brand seeding, with a strong showing at retail. At Global Pet Expo, the new booth carried the butcher story forward in a bold, ownable way. It didn’t just stand out, it earned recognition for the design and execution.

This wasn’t just a packaging update. It was a full reintroduction of a brand with something real to say. No stock photos, no gimmicks, no nonsense. Just a clear voice and a strong presence that matches the quality of the product inside every bag.