22 Best Packaging Designs That Are Unmissable On The Shelves

22 Best Packaging Designs That Are Unmissable On The Shelves
Article by DesignRush DesignRush
Last Updated: July 31, 2023

They say looks aren’t everything. But when it comes to product packaging design, it mostly is. As much as 72% of US consumers say that it influences their buying decisions.

Simply put, product packaging should never be an afterthought for any business, which is why packaging design companies take much into consideration to influence business outcomes for years to come. 

In this article, we list the best packaging designs that entice consumers, obliterate the competition, and conquer retail shelves.

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1. The Harmonist By The Graphic Brands

[Source: The Harmonist]

Standout features:

  • A contemporary bottle shape
  • Distinctive label colors
  • Classic typography

The Harmonist is a brand of multiflavored gin alcoholic beverages whose remarkable package design is the work of Graphic Brands. The client approached the agency to get their premium brand in touch with the current market and their target audience’s expectations.

To achieve this, the agency worked live with the client through a series of “live amends” during which they incorporated suggestions to give the bottle its final shape. According to the Graphic Brands team, “This ensured feedback was acted on immediately, which helped the client visualize various design options during the online meeting.”

The agency used its vast knowledge of the retail food and beverages market to formulate a concept for a premium label that works within an affordable price range.

The final design is a sleek yet sturdy bottle with a wide base and a short neck, featuring a label with plenty of hand-drawn illustrations of flowers, herbs, and plants. These illustrations – as well as a distinctive label color – depict the gin’s specific flavors and ingredients.

The highly stylized and flamboyant typography doesn’t break away from the tradition of gin drinks’ fonts, keeping the welcome familiarity and historical continuity with this particular product throughout the decades.

The letter “A” in “harmonist” with its two elongated wings portrayed harmony and equilibrium to bring together a brand name that complements the flavor’s exquisite balance.

2. Pure Nosh By Slice Design

[Source: Pure Nosh]

Standout features:

  • Unpredictable, surreal designs
  • Absurd character collages
  • On-brand messaging

Pure Nosh is a British brand of multi-flavored, handmade tofu chips. Slice Design branding company is behind this product’s package design whose aim was to convey its “tantalizing range of snacks.”

The agency used the brand’s slogan “Don’t take life too seriously.” to create packaging that reflects the brand’s cheeky nature. Each packaging design corresponds to four individual flavors with its own personality and use of zany collages that “mirrors the surprising combination of tofu and snacking.”

The four different designs feature four distinct central characters reminiscent of Terry Gilliam’s work in Monty Python – an iconic and quintessentially British TV series famous for its absurd and unexpected humor.

These characters have faces of different people and/or creatures pasted crudely onto a body of something or someone radically different.

The background is a collage of sorts — various elements irreverently presented in different styles. The flavors also have distinct colors while the brand name stands atop in unique, script-like typography.

Pure Nosh package design is deliberately “noisy” to go against the wave of current minimalist trends.

3. Azeka’s Sauce By SCI Creations

[Source: Azeka's Sauce]

Standout features:

  • Visual cues from Hawaii’s cultural heritage
  • A distinguishing bottle neckline
  • Mutually contrasting colors for each flavor

Azeka’s Sauce is a Hawaiian food brand with a longstanding tradition and reputation. Interestingly enough, it was a Kickstarter campaign that resuscitated this locally famous name. Their rebranding and package design efforts were aided by SCI Creations design agency that would emphasize the sauces' diverse applications in a variety of cuisines.

As per the agency’s admission, the “goal was to create a cohesive brand that was united in its look and appearance.” This effectively translates into the same layout for each bottle with certain distinctive elements that stand out in order to show off the unique character of each flavor. On top of that, the agency also wanted to imprint a recognizable Hawaiian identity upon the packaging.

From the very shape of the bottle featuring a distinguishing neckline to the color of each sauce giving the bottle its character, Azeka’s Sauce package design is much more than just a label – it is a synergy of the product, the shape of the container and the intricate design elements.

As is custom, each flavor comes with a distinctive color that is prevalent on the label. Geometrical patterns akin to the natives of these isles reveal the identity that is deeply rooted within greater areas of the Pacific since such patterns can be found in Micronesian and Polynesian cultures.

The brand name in electric yellow stands quite vividly against the label’s negative space. The rest of the lettering uses a very legible sans serif typography, also in white, to contrast the vibrant label color.

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4. Proper Oats By Brash Creative

[Source: Proper Oats]

Standout features:

  • Easy-to-use container
  • Simple messaging
  • Eye-catching design

Proper Oats is a popular brand of ready-to-eat oatmeal from the UK whose market rise was facilitated by the endorsement of entrepreneur Deborah Meaden and its appearance on the BBC’s The One Show. Its package design is a creation of Brash Creative agency.

They set out to create an “eye-catching packaging that provides ample amounts of shelf standout” to compete in the brand’s saturated space and yet reflects the product accurately. They also aimed to educate the consumers on the concept of overnight oats and communicate the fun and healthy flavors through the choice of colors.

The result is a very contemporary-looking design with instantly recognizable flavor profiles and a “ready to eat” message highlighted on the packaging. The messaging rejects the scientific jargon, making the entire concept universally comprehensible to a wider audience.

Each flavor features its own signature color all over the packaging, with little to no white surfaces that would break the wholeness of the solid color palette. Different, darker shades of each color – pink for raspberry and green for apples – are featured on the wording and other visual elements for legibility.

5. Cá Bay Chocolate By Brand Intheblack

[Source: Cá Bay Chocolate]

Standout features:

  • Emphatic brand identity
  • Striking on-brand colors
  • A symbolic logo

Cá Bay is a bar of gourmet chocolate manufactured in Binh Thuan, Vietnam. Its brand identity and package design were formulated, developed, and delivered by Brand Intheblack.

The visual design approach explores all facets of the brand’s presence, the diversity of chocolate flavors, the meaning behind its concept, and the desired messaging. The logo, the colors, and the typography all play their role in presenting this chocolate experience as unmatched on the local market and ready to take on the world.

The brand name that means “carp jumping over the dragon gate” is placed prominently in custom rounded fonts. This symbolic depiction communicates the significance of “powerful transformation and moving forward” in sacred Asian traditions.

Cá Bay package design took this guiding principle in the packaging’s visual cornerstone. Simplified and enlarged on the packaging, these elements make the chocolate flavor stand out and provide a connection to the brand story and origins.

These elements result in striking packaging that lends a popping effect to a product that usually stands beside dozens of others on retail shelves. The thematic storyline connects with the producer’s cultural heritage, making it instantly understandable to the chocolate’s primary market.

6. Kombucha Cocktails By Campbell Creative

[Source: Kombucha Cocktails]

Standout features:

  • Neon color accents
  • Cut-through etchings
  • Hand-drawn illustrations for each flavor

Kombucha Cocktails is an all-natural and organic beverage aimed at health-conscious consumers. Campbell Creative has designed product packaging that is impactful on the shelf and true to the brand’s original mission and vision.

The idea for Kombucha Cocktails’ package design originates from the agency’s desire to “stop a consumer’s scan, make them pick up a can, and ultimately toss it into their shopping cart.”

This mission of creating a beverage can that consumers will not resist picking up and putting in their shopping cart resulted in a striking matte black can with neon accent colors. This is combined with custom drawings paired according to individual flavors that were cut through the label to reveal the metallic can beneath.

The illustrations depict a different natural setting for each flavor - each scene contains a symbolic link to the drink’s effect it has on the drinker’s health and well-being.

The agency tried out several different illustration styles and decided on the hand-drawn aesthetics that come to life through the etchings on the matte label.

The “U” in the logo mark represents the tab on the can, colored to match the logo. It is designed to be bold with subtle organic edges within the typeface.

7. World Chef By PKG

[Source: PKG]

Standout features:

  • A design that embraces international varieties
  • A unique font throughout
  • Palette focusing on two colors only

World Chef is a food and beverage brand whose branding and packaging design is the work of PKG agency. The end goal was to "capture a growing consumer desire for new international and ethnic flavors." The resulting packaging conveys World Chef's devotion to respecting the authenticity of international cuisine.

To depict this encounter with different cultures and encourage consumers to indulge in them, the agency created a design that relies on famous landmarks of different nations. A different package was designed for each new food pairing, as the "brand’s engraved iconography and shopworn feel allows the bright, colorful ingredients to pop" in order to highlight the quality of the ingredients.

A delightfully delicious image of a dish is featured prominently on the front of the bag, with a single serif font of varying sizes communicating the dish's name, ingredients, and other consumer info of note.

More succulent imagery and in-depth content that elaborates the messaging on the front are found on the back of the packaging. A shade of beige is the primary color for the bag, with accents — depending on the type of food inside — coming in various colors.

The Thanksgiving edition of the packaging uses a unique and interesting take on an illustration of a Turkey with colorful lines in the background, limiting the palette to brown, blue, yellow, and green.

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8. Minnamame By Yindee Design

Minnamane package design by Yinda Design
[Source: Minnamame]

Standout features:

  • Minimal design and use of colors
  • Fun juxtaposition of the elements
  • The brand name takes a backseat

Minnamame is a Japanese manufacturer of organic soybean with over a decade of experience in the food market. Yindee Design, a Thai agency behind its product packaging, kept the organic thread going with a remarkably simplistic and uplifting design.

The agency tied minimalism to the brand's natural methods of food production to convey the sense of purity and feel-good effect of organic food. The packaging comes in two color versions, green and white, but both are strictly restricted to these hues in varying combinations.

However, the defining element of this design is the juxtaposition of a soybean pod and two tiny slits above it. Together, they make a wide and bright smile that complements the brand's slogan "Eat Green, Stay Simple."

The name of the brand, in English and Thai, is written in a very small, light grey font, almost gaining a secondary role to the popping, green "smile" that radiates off the retail shelves.

The packaging is square-shaped with a very simple opening mechanism that lets the consumer reseal it in order to preserve the freshness of the contents. 

The back of the packaging contains a scannable QR code that leads the consumer to a web page outlining the philosophy of the brand as being devoted to growing the ingredients on healthy soil and nurtured by their Earth Care Family.

9. Flying Honey By Andres Guerrero

[Source: Flying Honey]

Standout features:

  • A super minimal label layout
  • Spreadable "wings" on a label
  • A great play on the brand's name

Flying Honey (Abeeja) is a small honey producer from Murcia, Spain, whose product has a distinctive citrusy taste thanks to the unique climate and natural conditions of their estate. The delightfully whimsical package design for this brand is the work of Andres Guerrero.

The name of the brand sparked an original thought in the minds of the agency's designers who wanted to create a flying jar of honey - quite (or at least almost) literally! 

Through a simple cut on the label's sides, the packaging can spread its wings, displaying the characteristic silhouette of a bee — even the short, stubby jar aids to that purpose. The economical solution takes advantage of the client's available resources to the fullest and allows the product to stand out visibly from the rest.

The packaging itself, minus the wings, is spectacularly simple: an all-yellow label with black, lowercase serif fonts for the brand and producer's name. Of course, the yellow/black combo is another homage to bees. 

Even without the wings unfolded, the jar can easily stand against all the others on a retail shelf. Once the consumer buys, they can have all the fun with it by gently peeling the wings so they spread out while the jar is kept in their pantries.

10. Dom Pérignon Andy Warhol Limited Edition By The Design Laboratory

[Source: Dom Pérignon]

Standout features:

  • An homage to iconic pop artist
  • Consistent use of colors typical for Warhol
  • Minimal, extra luxurious feel

Dom Pérignon as a brand needs no particular introduction. One of the world's most elite champagnes, founded in the 17th century, has gotten itself a new attire inspired by none other than the greatest pop artist of all time: Andy Warhol.

The new-look bottle idealized by The Design Laboratory bears all the quintessential elements of Warhol's art: symmetrical, multicolor halves, unconventional representation of icons, and playful use of the codes. The unique collection consists of three exclusive bottles launched globally.

This symbol of French winemaking and joie de vivre has thus acquired a new kind of reinterpreted boldness and timeless style. The distinctly black bottles have vibrant labels that retained the classic "shield" shape, traditional to this luxury brand.

Each bottle comes in specially designed cardboard packaging as well. Black background and images of bottles with Warhol's traditional colors are complemented by one of the iconic and humorous quotes by the artist himself, also touching upon this particular brand of Champagne.

11. Sabra Hummus By S2 Design Group

Standout features:

  • Lush imagery and colors
  • Flavor-dependent details
  • Well-incorporated logo

The S2 Design Group's package design for Sabra's brand of hummus revolves around the limited-edition flavors that "blend familiarity and novelty." 

The four distinct flavors of this chickpea-based spread hailing from the Middle East all come with their respective lush packaging. Quite contrary to the minimalistic tendencies in contemporary package design, these retail store boxes go for a more maximalist approach.

Sabra's logo is located at the top half of the packaging, with its playful font and a Sun illustration that both introduce a laid-back, friendly feel to the product. The flavor description and pictures of ingredients against a table background occupy the middle part while the bottom half displays the actual hummus at its most succulent.

The red frame of the packaging's lid gives it another unique trait that makes it both stand out while complementing the rest of the visual elements and colors. The packaging itself is sufficiently deep (or tall) to repeat some of the crucial elements from the lid, such as the name of the flavor and its imagery.

12. Chocolates With Attitude By Bessermachen

[Source: Chocolates With Attitude]

Standout features:

  • Pin-up girls-style packaging
  • Representation of the 12 types of (brand) archetypes
  • Fun messaging

The sexy and somewhat unexpected packaging design for Chocolates With Attitude by Bessermachen is unique for two reasons: it brings back the classic pin-up aesthetics and ideals of female attractiveness of the 1950s and combines it with 12 archetypes by Carl Jung, often used in modern-day branding.

12 different packages represent 12 different human/brand natures, from Adventurer and Rebel to Hero and Entertainer. Each archetype is depicted as a stunning, scantily clad young woman, faithful to the style and imagery of the aforementioned golden era of pin-up. Models were styled, photographed, and illustrated by the artist Niels Ditlev.

Classic, old-timey tin boxes all come in their distinctive colors, to lend the element of recognition to each type of chocolate/archetype. The use of fonts is consistent throughout. Each archetype name has its own typography and so does the rest of the copy.

There are a lot of messages, but it works because they add to the playful vibe that's in line with the visual concept of the packaging.

13. Edem by Yonas

Edem by Yonas package design
[Source: Yonas]

Standout features:

  • A playful branding
  • Composition and juxtaposition of actual products to form an image
  • Color coded packaging

Edem food products were in need of a complete brand overhaul. For this, they turned to Yonas, a Greek branding agency, whose mission was to "find a new concept for the entire range, reflecting the values and the quality of the brand".

The agency has employed the idea of playful images via a common theme or concept for each specific product. The different products - ranging from olives, jams, and canned food - have their own color codes that distinguish them easily from a group of similar products on a shelf.

The packaging consists of a minimalistic drawing of a face and a composition of products instead of hair. The end result was 45 distinct characters for as many products that take on a new, lightweight, and pure-hearted approach to food and beverage marketing.

14. Tender is the Night Vermouth by Poesis Creative

Tender is the Night Vermouth package design
[Source: Casa Carmen Wines]

Standout features:

  • Off-white, textural label
  • Creative incorporation of a poem in the liquor's copy and illustration
  • Good coordination of different fonts

Poesis Creative agency is the driving force behind the simple yet classy packaging design for Tender is the Night Vermouth - one of the liquor products by Casa Carmen Wines company. Inspired by the poem "Ode to a Nightingale" by John Keats, the packaging incorporates an illustration of an anthropomorphic illustration of a bull on the front label.

The mainly off-white label, with only the name of the product in italic fonts and several red details, complements the elegant shape of the black bottle. The back label, in the same textured look, features a typewriter kind of font with suggestions for drinking and a creative copy of the drink's ingredients.

15. Blaze Pizza by Geared Advertising

Blaze Pizza package design
[Source: Geared Advertising]

Standout features:

  • Italian flag colors incorporated into the design
  • Modern typography
  • Vibrant imagery

Geared Advertising's package design for Blaze Pizza, the build-your-own-pizza place, took into consideration that the brand has grown exponentially in a short period of time - even being the fastest-growing US food chain of all time!

The colorful, vibrant, and fun packaging embodies the very nature of this globally popular dish, often associated with leisure and good times. Bold, modern lettering contrast the main color in a way that always forms the tricolor of the Italian flag: green, white, and red.

Accompanying collateral for this food chain, which was also a part of the agency's task, takes into account this package design with subtle nods to its defining elements.

16. Sweet by Nature by Gurgaon Branding

[Source: Gurgaon Branding]

Standout Features:

  • Bright and sunny colors
  • Informative packaging
  • Made from eco-friendly materials

Inspired by Gajak, an Indian delicacy, Gurgaon Branding's work for Sweet by Nature embraces tradition and current styles.

The packaging uses bright and sunny colors to mirror India's culture, instantly attracting customers. The packaging also features essential product details like nutritional benefits.

The packaging design shows the brand's dedication to protecting the environment as the designers used eco-friendly materials. This move resonates with today's consumers and their willingness to care for the environment. Ultimately, the design strengthens the brand's reputation as a green choice.

17. Katie's Kombucha by Clare Lynch Creative

[Source: Clare Lynch Creative]

Standout Features:

  • Female silhouette
  • Easy-to-recycle glass bottle packaging
  • Tamper-proof seal

Design agency Clare Lynch Creative has effectively combined form and function in their packaging design for Katie's Kombucha. The paint splatter detail and female silhouette on the packaging add an artistic and unique touch. This makes it a standout on grocery shelves.

The glass bottle is aesthetically pleasing and practical, preserving the kombucha's quality while giving a clear view of the product inside. The packaging ensures freshness and quality through the metal cap. This overall contributes to a holistic design that's visually appealing and consumer-friendly.

18. Denelys Cosmetics by Studio Verzal

[Source: Studio Verzal]

Standout Features:

  • Watercolor illustration
  • Minimalist label
  • Sophisticated packaging

Denelys Cosmetics' packaging design by Studio Verzal exudes a luxurious feel even from afar. The watercolor design adds a creative touch, giving each product a unique and eye-catching appearance.

The minimalist label design contributes to a clean and sophisticated aesthetic that doesn't overpower the illustration. Overall, the packaging is high-quality and elegant, positioning Denelys Cosmetics as a premium brand.

19. Driftwood Spirits by Hired Guns Creative

[Source: Hired Guns Creative]

Standout Features:

  • Textured bottle surface
  • Tapered shape
  • Custom glass bottle design

For Driftwood Spirits, design agency Hired Guns Creative has meticulously developed a captivating packaging design. It features a custom glass bottle design with unique details at the bottom punt.

The bottle's tapered shape contributes to an elegant and distinctive silhouette, making it stand out on any shelf. Capping off this clever packaging design is its complex and futuristic label that's eye-catching.

20. The Beachcomber by Gosia Kraszewska

[Source: Gosia Kraszewska]

Standout Features:

  • Frosted packaging
  • Easy-open canister
  • Tropical illustration

Gosia Kraszewska's design for The Beachcomber boasts an easy-open can, like the usual beer and soda cans, offering convenience to consumers.

The tropical-inspired artwork contributes to a sleek and modern aesthetic that enhances the product's look. This design combines simplicity, functionality, and aesthetic appeal, highlighting the brand's values and distinguishing it in the market.

21. Cape Saint Blaize Distillery by Bravo Design

[Source: Bravo Design]

Standout Features:

  • Historical design roots
  • Ceramic and porcelain bottle
  • Wooden stopper

Design agency Bravo Design created this stunning packaging design for Cape Saint Blaize Distillery, taking inspiration from Cape Saint Blaize lighthouse's historical roots.

The ceramic and porcelain bottle exudes elegance inspired by the historic landmark. At the same time, the wooden stopper adds a rustic charm, reinforcing the brand's connection to tradition. This combination of elements results in a solid and appealing brand image.

22. Slicc by almst studio

[Source: almst studio]

Standout Features:

  • Classic bottle packaging
  • Fully covered bottle
  • Tightly sealed cap

For the oat drink brand Slicc, almst studio developed a packaging design that merges tradition with modern practicality. The old-school bottle packaging brings a touch of the past, appealing to older audiences.

The bottle's full brand label design is an excellent consumer magnet. The inviting colors are compelling standout features! Lastly, the bottle features a tightly closed cap, which keeps the product fresh and prevents leakages.

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