In the lush, verdant expanse of Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley, where the dense canopy of the North Woods meets the rolling pastoral landscapes of America’s premier dairyland, lies the village of Black Creek. This specific geographic intersection—a place where the ruggedness of the forest meets the structured fertility of the farm—serves as more than just a coordinate on a map; it is the spiritual and physical birthplace of Black Creek® Cheddar. For years, this brand has quietly built a reputation for producing some of the most authentic, bold, and flavor-dense cheeses in the Midwest. However, as part of the Saputo USA portfolio, the brand is no longer content with being a regional secret. To bridge the gap between local artisanal favorite and a national household name, Black Creek has undergone a comprehensive brand transformation, enlisting the expertise of Chase Design Group to reimagine its visual identity for a modern, sophisticated consumer base.
The impetus for this redesign stems from a shift in the competitive landscape of the specialty cheese market. Today’s consumers are increasingly discerning, seeking out products that offer not just superior taste, but a clear sense of provenance and craftsmanship. While Black Creek has always possessed these qualities, its previous packaging and brand presence were rooted in a more traditional, perhaps understated, aesthetic. To compete on a national scale, the brand needed a visual language that could communicate its premium status and Wisconsin heritage instantaneously on a crowded retail shelf. The goal was clear: transition Black Creek from a regional gem into the definitive Midwestern cheddar for the entire United States.
Central to this transformation was the partnership with Chase Design Group, an agency renowned for its ability to marry heritage with contemporary design principles. The challenge presented to the creative team was delicate. They had to modernize the brand’s image to appeal to a broader, national audience without alienating the loyal local following or losing the "handcrafted" essence that defines the product. Lauren Kossar, Creative Director at Chase Design Group, noted that the rebranding process was heavily informed by consumer research. This data confirmed a vital truth about the modern dairy shopper: they place immense value on artisanal roots and small-batch craftsmanship. They want to know where their food comes from, and they want to feel the "dairy pride" that is synonymous with Wisconsin’s cheesemaking culture.
The centerpiece of this visual overhaul is the reimagined brandmark. In its previous iteration, the logo served its purpose but lacked the punch required for national recognition. The new logo has been engineered for enhanced legibility and visual impact. It is accompanied by a custom-designed typeface that was built from the ground up to reflect the brand’s "confident, hard-working spirit." This typography is sturdy yet elegant, mirroring the characteristics of a well-aged cheddar—bold, structured, and full of character. To further ground the brand in its geography, a new tagline, “Crafted in Wisconsin,” was introduced directly beneath the wordmark. This serves as a seal of quality, leveraging Wisconsin’s global reputation as a center of cheesemaking excellence.
Perhaps the most striking element of the new design is the handcrafted illustration that now adorns the packaging. This artwork is not merely decorative; it is a narrative tool. By depicting the iconic barn, the winding creek, and the surrounding forest, the illustration visually transports the consumer to the Fox River Valley. It tells the story of the landscape that influences the cheese’s flavor profile, emphasizing the "intersection of farm and forest" that makes Black Creek unique. This move represents a significant shift in design hierarchy. Previously, the packaging was product-led, focusing primarily on the cheese itself. The new approach is brand-led, prioritizing the story, the place, and the passion behind the product. This shift reflects a broader trend in premium food marketing where the "why" and "where" are just as important as the "what."
Functionality was also a primary driver in the redesign, particularly regarding what industry experts call "shoppability." The cheese aisle can be a chaotic environment, and specialty cheddars are often distinguished by their age and sharpness. Historically, consumers have navigated this category by looking for specific color cues. Chase Design Group honored this tradition while streamlining the visual experience. The core line of aged cheddars maintains the classic yellow, orange, and red color spectrum, with the hues deepening as the cheese’s age increases. However, the designers made the strategic choice to move away from dated gradient vignettes in favor of flat, bold color blocks. This modernization ensures a cleaner look and provides a much sharper distinction between different varieties, allowing a customer to identify their preferred sharpness in a matter of seconds.
The physical architecture of the label was also reconsidered. The new label features a unique shape characterized by distinctive angles and curves at the top and bottom. This silhouette helps the product stand out against the standard rectangular labels of competitors. By simplifying the elements on the label and eliminating unnecessary clutter, the brand has maximized its "billboard effect" on the shelf. The background of the label has been updated to a fresh, light cream color. This choice was intentional; it provides a high-contrast canvas that allows the bold flavor colors and the intricate landscape illustration to pop. For the brand’s more sophisticated cheddar blends, rich and moody color tones were utilized to evoke the maturity and complexity of those specific flavor profiles, appealing to the "foodie" demographic seeking unique culinary experiences.
From the perspective of Saputo USA, this redesign is a critical investment in the brand’s future. Samina Kirchen, Brand Manager for Specialty Cheese at Saputo, expressed that the new identity perfectly captures the craftsmanship and confidence that have always been at the heart of Black Creek. By translating these intangible values into a visual system that feels both authentic and elevated, the brand is now positioned to move beyond its regional confines. While the cheese has traditionally been a staple in the Midwest, the infrastructure is now in place for a national rollout.
The expansion of Black Creek® Cheddar comes at a time when the "premiumization" of the dairy category is at an all-time high. Consumers are moving away from processed options in favor of natural, aged products with clean labels and transparent histories. Black Creek, with its award-winning flavor and deep Wisconsin roots, is perfectly situated to capitalize on this trend. The rebranding effort ensures that the product’s external appearance finally matches the quality of the cheese inside the package.
As Black Creek moves into this new chapter, the village in the Fox River Valley remains the anchor of the brand. The redesign does not change the cheese itself—the milk is still sourced from local farms, and the cheesemakers still follow the time-honored traditions that have earned the brand its accolades. Instead, the redesign acts as a megaphone, amplifying the story of Black Creek to a national audience. It is a celebration of Wisconsin’s dairy heritage, repackaged for a new generation of cheese lovers who value quality, story, and the unmistakable bite of a perfectly aged cheddar. With a revitalized look that commands attention and a strategic focus on national growth, Black Creek® Cheddar is poised to become the standard-bearer for Midwestern artisanal excellence across the United States.