Visiting the local supermarket is one of our favourite activities while travelling. We’re packaging nerds at the best of times so it’s no surprise that we can get lost for hours exploring the shelves of foreign shops. Our photo collection features new products from familiar brands as well as original offerings from local producers.
Cereals & Treats
Cartoon characters designed to grab kids’ attention have been redacted with white stickers. We also noted the glaring black stop signs on many products alerting consumers to high levels of sugar, fat and calories – talk about a challenge from the packaging-designers’ perspective!
The triangular shape of the Culto chocolate is an instant draw. It’s immediately recognizable as chocolate but stands apart from the crowd. Plus, the stylized cacao illustrations perfectly convey its elevated quality.
Bags of chips are just as loud and attention-seeking as what we’re used to back at home. Hyper-saturated colours promise “larger than life” flavours.
Cervezas
All winners in their own way, these beers share similarities with brands found back home. You can easily spot the craft beers whereas the national cervezas take a much more careful approach. That said, kudos to the Modelo Negra. The metallic bronze and oranges of its minimal package pair nicely along with its stubbier brown bottle.
The Tulum house brand gives off a fresh and light approach for a lager. Just looking at it, you know it could easily accompany a pool session or beach day.
I’m a sucker for fat-bottomed lettering and Carta Clara nails it with its two-colour palette. The diamond badge design could easily be carried over to a collectable t-shirt or tote.
Corn, Seafood & Salsas
It’s hard to beat the primary colours of the small Ortiz box. The package stands out with its effective use of a black drop shadow against the yellow area. Fun Fact: black and yellow are two of the most contrasting colours to our eyes – this is why they’re used for warning tape and road markings.
The El Yucateco bottle holds onto the company’s late 60s stylings and pulls it off well. This Negra version draws out the red and green colours even further.
Bags of Coffee
Market research was definitely present across these coffee brands. No fonts are alike and no colours cross-over, leaving each with a distinct feel. Ultimately, La Finca and Blasón take home the design prize, edging over with slightly more character than the others.
Drink Bottles
Topo Chico can do no wrong. The fun and thick red lettering is something that you might see on a Parisian café sign. But set against the yellow, it becomes more inviting than stuck up. The shape of the label isn’t overpowering. It adds eye-appeal with the circular crest that extends beyond the top of the horizontal cut-off area.
Chaparritas. I have no idea what this drink is but the stubby bottle is a must. Simple. It tells you only what you need. It’s boldly confident with its main red wordmark that draws customers in to its minimal, but memorable, package.
Boxed Drinks, a couple Health Foods & The Wall of Vegetable Oil 😧
Vegetable oils should have their own warning labels. But if you’re going to build a shrine dedicated to them, the 1-2-3 brand delivers the message on its own.
That’s a wrap on this packaging nerd’s exploration of a Mexican supermarket. We can’t wait to do it again in the next country.
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