Packaging Graphic Design Firm Mark Oliver Takes Stahmann's to New Levels

When specialty food retailer Stahmann's set their sights on the gourmet market, they enlisted branding and packaging graphic design firm Mark Oliver Inc. to pave the way.

"The road from New Mexico family ranch to Nieman Marcus is not an easy one to walk. No matter how rich the tradition or how sweet the pecan brittle, no company moves their product into select stores without the 'look,'" explained Mark Oliver, CEO of Mark Oliver Inc.

Begun over seventy years ago, Stahmann's (the largest privately-owned pecan producer in the world) had established a successful catalog business and country store, but wanted to expand into fashionable gourmet retailers nationwide. The problem, however, was stale packaging that failed to reflect the quality of the product. Awash with muted beiges and featuring Texas-style western fonts, the look was pioneer - but decidedly not gourmet.

"When we asked Mark Oliver Inc. to reposition and brand our product line, we had two focus points: our heritage, and appealing to a high-end customer base. Incorporating both was the challenge," reflects Stahmann's General Manager, Beverly Hart.

With this in mind, staff members traveled to New Mexico gaining access to the family, ranch, employees, and landscape. Privy to tales covering seven decades and to photographs of annual ranch events like a mock b