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Zestrea Bunicii
Brand strategy, Naming, Brand identity, Packaging
A grandmother's pantry, ready for Europe's shelves.
Research, naming and a multilingual label system for Zestrea Bunicii, ISIS Grup's range of vegetables preserved in brine, built for export.
The challenge
Alongside Nekta, ISIS Grup asked us for a second brand: vegetables preserved in brine, aimed at Romania and at export markets such as Germany, the Netherlands and France. Our research found that most pickles eaten in Romania are still made at home, and that private labels take about half of retail sales. The brand had to earn a place between the two.
The insight
The difference was already in the jar: brine instead of vinegar, told as a recipe handed down.
The approach
Our strategists started with the EU market and the target countries, then our naming team built routes checked against the trademark registers. Our designers created a wrap-around label system, deep green with a cream cross-stitch motif and a grandmother whose headscarf changes colour by product, and a tracker that checks every label against EU rules before anything goes to print.
The project
Research, naming and a multilingual label system for Zestrea Bunicii, ISIS Grup's range of vegetables preserved in brine, built for export.
What we delivered
- Export-market research (DE, NL, FR, BE, ES)
- Naming strategy with trademark pre-checks
- Wrap-around jar label system in seven languages
- EU label compliance check for every product
Discover — Export-market research
EU market size and growth, five target countries, competitors from Râureni to Kühne and Spreewaldhof, and two hypotheses validated: Balkan pickles travel well, and retailers' themed weeks are a real way in.
Export-market research, September 2025
Define — Naming routes
Routes from Danubia and Brinova to ZESTRA, "what is handed down", each with pros, cons and a Google and OSIM/EUIPO check in Nice classes 29, 30 and 35.
Naming routes, cleared in three Nice classes
Design — Label system
A deep-green label with a cream cross-stitch motif and a round badge with the grandmother, whose headscarf changes colour by product. Small label, big window, as the research recommended.
Label iterations, September–October 2026
Deliver — EU label QC
A status sheet for every product: GTIN, net and drained weight, energy values, salt from sodium, QUID percentages and allergens in bold, with each page marked green, amber or red.
Every product checked against EU rules
Results
What it added up to.
The label system is complete and every product is checked for GTIN, weights, nutrition declaration, QUID and allergens before print. Zestrea Bunicii is preparing for launch with labels that work in seven languages, ready for Romanian and export shelves alike.
The outcome
What the work changed.
The label system is complete and every product is checked for GTIN, weights, nutrition declaration, QUID and allergens before print. Zestrea Bunicii is preparing for launch with labels that work in seven languages, ready for Romanian and export shelves alike.
A note from Alex
Alex Codreanu
Founder and design lead
What the client said
Credits
FA Studios: research, naming, label design, label compliance.
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