Background
For years, I have had nut butter with almost all of my meals. One day, I started mixing in other ingredients (granola, toasted coconut flakes, coarsely chopped nuts, etc.) to give the butters a more interesting texture.
In June of 2023, I brought some of my "crunch" butter to a party and the reaction from the guests inspired me to start selling it. A few weeks later, I had my cottage food operator's license, and was selling the butters to friends legally.
Problems
There are no “crunch" butters on the market, at least none that are crunchy enough for me.
There are very few pecan butters on the market. And most of them have a runny texture that is not ideal for spreading.
Goals
Spread the gospel of both pecan butter and "crunch" butter. Do for pecan butter what SunButter did for sunflower butter.
Competitive Analysis
This analysis verified my hunch that I have identified a hole in the market: a reasonably priced pecan butter with a unique texture and good branding.
Developing the Brand Aesthetic
First, I contacted an artist my cousin recommended when we were talking about the look I was going for. The artist's name is Ryan Travis Christian. He primarily draws humorous but highly refined cartoon scenes in exactly the style I envisioned.
“Mr. Chompy” Character Development
I preferred the Mr. Chompy with the shorter butter spill, because I would be able to have it larger on my label. Ryan came up with the butter on bread concept as an idea for the back of the jar, and I thought it was brilliant.
I digitized the drawings in order to control the color.
The graphic above shows my label prior to have Ryan's illustration, the first concept with the illustration, my two most recent designs. To cut costs, I combined the front and back labels.
In my most recent design, I emphasized the text of the flavor for easier identification. This version has not been printed yet, and so is not represented in product shots.
Online Presence
I am currently using a Shopify template for my website. When I have more time, I will customize the shop's design to better reflect my brand.
Next Steps
I am currently working on a branded tent and signage for events like farmers markets. I would also like to design branded clothing ("swag").