Challenging Category Conventions
Client: Lapin Maria
Sector: Sauces / Condiments
Market: Finland
Scope: Packaging design
Lapin Maria, well known in Finland for its berry smoothies, faced a decisive moment when the company had entered Suomalainen Menestysresepti, the Finnish version of Aldi’s Next Big Thing, with a new product concept Villipesto / Wild Pesto. While the jury praised the flavour and originality, the packaging was considered below the standard required for retail. In the midst of the competition, Lapin Maria turned to us for help. With only a few weeks to act, we created a new packaging concept that captured both the jury’s attention and consumers’ interest.
From Nordic Forests to Mediterranean Flavours
Villipesto combines the fresh, untamed flavours of Finnish nature with the classic pesto traditions of the Mediterranean. It brings the forest to the city, offering urban consumers a new taste experience grounded in local ingredients. Targeted at busy, conscious urban audience with a high appreciation for quality and natural products, the packaging needed to be modern, bold, and instantly appealing.
Breaking the Mould
The pesto category, often conservative and rooted in Italian heritage cues, offered space for innovation. We wanted Villipesto to challenge that norm. The design introduces bright, custom-shaped labels inspired by the product’s key ingredients — nettle and spruce sprout — resulting in a strong, distinctive shelf presence. The packaging communicates freshness and inspires creativity while maintaining a natural, premium feel. It stands apart in a traditionally dark green-and-gold category by celebrating authenticity and character.
Cultural Context: Wild flavours of the North
Foraging is deeply rooted in Finnish food culture. The country’s vast forests provide an abundance of wild herbs, berries and mushrooms that have been part of everyday cooking for generations. Ingredients such as nettle and spruce sprout — once traditional, now rediscovered — reflect a growing appreciation for pure, local flavours. Villipesto draws directly from this heritage, combining the authenticity of the North with a contemporary culinary expression that resonates with today’s health-conscious and quality-driven consumers.
Results
Lapin Maria’s Villipesto secured second place in Suomalainen Menestysresepti. More importantly, the company multiplied their turnover and Villipesto became one of the few competition products to achieve sustained national success. The design not only elevated the brand from the category clutter but also helped Lapin Maria expand from smoothies into a broader, more ambitious product portfolio.