How Puris Cracked the Code on Plant-Based Eggs
When you’re trying to disrupt one of the most fundamental grocery store staples—eggs—packaging counts for a lot more than wrapping paper.
AcreMade, the first consumer brand launched by Minneapolis-based pea protein manufacturer Puris a year ago, is a plant-based egg substitute that comes in powder form and can be scrambled, cooked, or baked.
The AcreMade team needed a resealable, eco-friendly package to deliver the product to grocery stores. They also had to convince grocers that the product belongs in the breakfast aisle, with cereal and oatmeal, and not in the baking aisle with other types of dry egg substitutes.
Then there’s the biggest challenge: helping consumers understand what AcreMade is and how it can be cooked. “Eggs are a miracle ingredient,” AcreMade executive director Jake Achterhoff acknowledges. Here’s how this startup intends to break through.
1. Logo
“The square is our connection to the farm acre. It came out of asking, “How do we root ourselves in everything we’re doing?”
2. Illustration
“Nobody thinks of peas as sexy,” Achterhoff says. So Puris commissioned photos that would show the natural beauty of the plants; AcreMade used one as inspiration for the drawing on the package.
3. Pouch
“Making great products is only half the battle. You have to think operations, logistics. The pouch is easy to ship, which makes it economical and cuts down on our carbon footprint. It’s also resealable.”
4. Type
The hyphenated text serves a practical purpose as a way to fit a long word on a narrow package. But Achterhoff says it’s also a differentiator. “It helps us stand out and gives it a design flair.”
5. Photo
Because the product is so new, and other egg substitutes have focused on baking, it was critical that AcreMade show consumers that this product is meant for breakfast.
6. Benefits
It was important to highlight that the product is safe for those who suffer from several top allergens.
7. Material
Achterhoff says the kraft paper finish helps consumers connect the product to agriculture.
“We were focused on making a super-innovative, allergen-friendly, versatile product and getting it out to market as quickly as possible.”
—Jake Achterhoff
Scramble cups
The single-serving, just-add-water version of the product that launched in August wasn’t part of AcreMade’s initial business plan. “We needed to differentiate from baking products—this convenient food style makes it clearer where the product should live. Also, it’s how we were eating it!”
