COA shows off packaging for agricultural products

• By Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter

The Taiwan Design Research Institute and the Council of Agriculture (COA) yesterday in Taipei unveiled the packaging redesigns for 10 agricultural products as part of an initiative to boost their branding on e-commerce platforms.

The institute selected the brands for the project, in its third year, on behalf of the council to help small-scale farmers develop their branding and improve the design of the packaging of their products for sale online.

The launch was held at Not Just a Library, a design resource center inside Xinyi District’s (信義) Songshan Cultural and Creative Park.

One of the brands included in this year’s initiative was Happy Food (幸福千千歲), formed by a group of black soybean milk producers based in Tainan, which collaborated with design agency Sparkly Identity, the council said.

Branding agency Team Circore helped Tainan’s Sinshih District (新市) Farmers’ Association to create Edamaru (三月半), a green soybean brand targeting young consumers, it said.

Branding consultant Sativus worked with Kaohsiung’s Chen Nong Agricultural Production Studio to create Houyi (后羿), a high-end pineapple brand, it added.

In the past, the council primarily focused on the production aspects of the farming industry, including improving quality and ensuring adequate supply, council Deputy Minister Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said at the launch.

Over the past two to three years, it has expanded to ensuring the quality of not just the products farmers produce, but also the items that end up in consumers’ hands, he said.

Emphasizing the importance of a good marketing strategy, he said that a brand, to a certain extent, represents trust to a consumer.

Brands also become successful when consumers can identify with them, he added.

The council hopes that people will be moved by the stories behind each product included in the initiative and their packaging design, he said, adding that brand marketing was the “last mile” in the council’s efforts to support domestic farmers.

Delivering agricultural products directly from online platforms to consumers has become a new shopping experience and trend, the council said.

Branding and design have a significant influence over whether products by small-scale consumers are accepted by consumers, it said, adding that the council and the institute are to continue to help small-scale farmers establish their brands.