Page 54 - Packaging News magazine March_April 2023

PACK DESIGN & PRINT
Aussie pasta brand hits shelves with vibrant design
When Roma Foods decided it was time to create an Aussie-made gluten-free pasta brand, it turned to Melbourne-based design studio Disegno for the brand and pack design, with flexible packaging printed by RollsPack.
ROMA FOODS IS perhaps best known for its brands Orgran and Buontempo, and has been pioneering health-
ier, alternative grain foods since 1984 when the Buontempo family acquired the Melbourne business, which first started producing pasta in the 1950s. But while the business has grown and now exports to over 50 countries world- wide, creating future growth required some new thinking.
benefit of gluten free, we needed to express the emotional benefit. The lifestyle, the way you feel after eating it. It needs to
lifestyle imagery on pack “expresses the freedom, fun and enjoyment of and lifestyle while providing Italian authenticity cues”, according to Turner.
Orgran and Buontempo might have pioneered gluten-free brands, but its consumers were largely allergy needs or specific health-based and used to buying in the health food aisle or specialty stores. To grow beyond, Roma Foods needed to be able to access the growing numbers of consumers whose needs are much dif- ferent – a positive lifestyle choice centred around enjoyment and vitality.
Sam Schachna, Roma Foods CEO, says, “Consumer demand for gluten- free products now stretches well beyond the health food aisle. To deliver on our mission of ‘Creating Great Food for Healthier Living’ and meet growing demand, we’ve embarked on a strategy of creating new brands that speak spe- cifically to these consumers’ needs and appeal to their lifestyle.”
“There has never been a better time for local Australian manufacturers to create their own brands and challenge the mainstream,” says Aaron Turner, head of strategy at Disegno, the agency which created the Pasta Roma brand and designed the packaging.
“When it came to brand design, we had to flip conventional thinking on its head. Rather than delivering the functional
take you to a place in your
heart and your mind,” Turner says.
He goes on to explain that the name Pasta Roma is linked to the company’s heritage and name, Roma Foods. It is also a tribute to the traditional bronze extru- sion process used to make the product as well as cueing Roman lifestyle.
“Authenticity is at the heart of success. Bravely being different and telling your story with authenticity is key to breaking through the clutter,” Turner says.
SHELF SHOUT
Commenting on the brand’s shelf pres- ence, Turner refers to the dominant orange colour, which he says provides brand blocking, while accent colours of yellow, blue, red, purple and green colour code each of the five variants making it easier for the consumer to to navigate and find their favourite pasta.
“The vibrant orange colour is a dis- tinctive colour in the category among the typical blue and red, providing great stand-out on shelf and vibrancy,” Turner says, noting that the orange also denotes the brand’s “positive energy”.
Adding to the product’s differentia- tion on shelf, the quirky Italian-inspired
Above: Graphic design elements work together to bring the Past Roma! brand to life on shelf, from the vibrant orange colour contrasted with opaque white, to the quirky Italian lifestyle imagery.
“Riding a scooter or bike, clicking your heels, releasing a balloon into the air or simply a pleasantly surprised expres- sion, all aid in telling a deeper brand story on shelf, but also aid in navigation, especially for repeat purchase.”
The company behind the high quality print execution is Melbourne- based flexible packaging converter and printer RollsPack.
Product visibility is also important. “A window at the base of the pack enables the shopper to not just see the shape of the pasta, but also the quality,” Turner explains. “A secondary window positioned between the logo and gluten free/variant descriptor is slightly more opaque, enabling more product to be seen, making the pack feel lighter and fresher and also containing the descrip- tor ‘Perfect Taste & Texture’, providing reassurance about the major barriers to trial of gluten-free pastas.”
Pasta Roma products are made in small batches using Australian rice, sun-ripened corn and generations of Italian pasta making know-how, with a traditional bronze-die extrusion making every bite “bellissimo”, the company says. ■
54 ❙ MARCH – APRIL 2023
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