Startup meat snacks brand The Curators has launched in the U.K. with a new brand identity designed by B&B studio (bandb-studio.co.uk). The Curators jerky delivers bold flavor profiles inspired by chefs and world food trends.

The Curators founders Max Rees and Ed Hauck are passionate foodies at heart and sought to collect flavor inspiration from around the world. B&B studio introduced a vibrant brand identity which brings together the concept of curating flavors, as you would art, with the process of curing meat.

Under the name The Curators, the brand speaks to the artistry of the meat curation and flavoring process, celebrating the beauty of meat and the art of flavor. A single brushstroke of paint that resembles the jerky is featured on each pack, representing the creativity at the heart of the brand.

B&B studio has incorporated bold colors that reflect the passion and enthusiasm of the founders, crafting a dynamic identity that stands apart from competing products in the sector, and speaks to foodies seeking complex flavor profiles such as Espresso Kick and Teriyaki Spice. 

To date, mass produced jerky brands referencing strong American traditions of cowboys and cattle have dominated the category and even new challenger entrants have aligned with cliched codes of masculinity. B&B studio’s concept for The Curators focuses instead on inspired flavor combinations and the artistry of the product, with a design that feels more modern, tastier, healthier and gender-neutral.

Stepping away from the tough, chewy products that are synonymous with the category, The Curators has devised an innovative method that retains a more tender meat texture and adds depth of flavor, delivering a new dimension to the jerky sector. This is reflected in the brand language, with a challenging color palette and playful slogans.

A simple graphic border around the brand name adds weight to the on-shelf packaging, and provides flexibility for off-pack branding with punchy straplines and imagery of the high-quality ingredients.

Shaun Bowen, Creative Partner at B&B studio, says: “Jerky has been rising in popularity in line with trends for higher protein diets however both established and challenger brands have stuck to relatively narrow type codes, creating an opportunity for a healthy, flavor-rich product like The Curators to disrupt the sector.

“The Curators’ founders are both passionate foodies fanatical about gathering strong flavors from their travels around the world. Their artistry with flavor profiles inspired our brand concept as the artists of the meat jerky category, reflected in the brushstrokes and flecks of paint across the packaging, playful straplines and vibrant images of the ingredients used.”

Ed Hauck, Co-Founder, The Curators, says: “Through innovations in how our jerky is produced and flavored, and the introduction of daring taste combinations, The Curators jerky is unmatched anywhere else in the sector. In such a high-profile market it was crucial for us to communicate these points of difference to our consumers, and B&B studio’s identity perfectly captures our dedication to high quality ingredients and the artistry of flavor curation.”