Realfoods by Organico is a pioneering organic, sustainable food brand on a mission to provide tasty, high quality foods that are good for the planet and people. They are committed to bringing the joy of real food, from farm to fork, to help support planet-positive food sourcing, protect soils and water supplies. All this, while reducing waste and pollution to enhance natural biodiversity and ecosystems around the world.
Organico have been a staple brand rooting for organic, sustainable foods since 1990, and in 2023 they decided it was time for a brand refresh. Discover how Organico looked to Orca Scan and QR codes powered by GS1 to future-proof the brand and connect with customers after they’ve left the shops👇
The Challenge
In 2023, Founder, Charles Redfern, and his team decided they needed to rebrand their Organico range. This change would not only future-proof the brand, but allow them to embrace new technologies and ways to share their story and engage with their customers.
The team redesigned the packaging to spark a joyful, engaging experience with new and existing customers, plus the new design provided additional label space for them to add QR codes powered by GS1 to enhance traceability and deepen customer engagement. And…we obviously love the yellow 😉
We are a company that always has a lot to say. So one of the biggest reasons for our rebrand was to be able to say more. We needed to find new ways to put more information on packLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
In a world that is quick to follow the follow the latest trends, Organico always felt the need to justify why they are so passionate about organic produce; how their brands support sustainability, and why these products are so great for both the environment and people’s health.
So, the rebrand was more than just redesigning the boxes; it was a huge opportunity to share more than just an ingredients and nutritional list. With new QR codes powered by GS1, they can share cooking instructions, recipe ideas, certification information, recycling options, the product’s sourcing story, its ecological rating via planet score, and SO much more.
As a brand we are constantly reminding people of how organic is great for the environment. We want to show how organic isn’t just a trend, it does help, and here’s howLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
A little bit of context
We spoke with Head of Sales & Marketing, Lee Switzer-Woolf, who oversaw Digital Link’s integration into Organico’s redesign. The design brief was simple; spark joy. A vibrant new look and messaging was created to do just that, to introduce consumers to the joy of real food.
Lee told us that QR codes on Organico packaging isn’t a new thing. Before the rebrand they had used a random generator to create QR codes for products (before he discovered Orca Scan 👀), to give customers the opportunity to scan and find more information. However, these simple QR codes did not provide Lee with as much customisation and personalisation as he desired.
When Charles & Lee came across our Digital Link Solution and new interactive QR codes powered by GS1, they were delighted with the options by giving them the control they were always looking for, whilst future proofing their barcodes on pack.
We were having to reevaluate the packaging for every single product in our range, so if were ever going to try something like this, it was the perfect timeLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
It was important for Organico to give customers the choice to find more information about the foods they were consuming, in an easy and digestible way. Giving people that really do care, the ability to dig a little deeper and find much more information about their products with one simple scan.
The Solution
Since 2023, Organico have rolled out QR codes powered by GS1 onto 92 products 👏 which means Lee has used Orca Scan’s GS1 Digital Link solution to create a unique-landing page for each item which directs customers to a web page FULL of information, including (but not limited to!) 👇
🍅 Nutritional information - customers can find additional information before making a purchase. Plus, the QR code provides an accessibility advantage to some shoppers
🛒 Buying options - if customers have already purchased a product, they can find out how to re- buy it once they’re finished
♻️ Recycling - guiding consumers to recycle packaging correctly
🌎 Planet Score - Organico was the first UK brand to adopt this is new environmental label, which is now used across Europe to show eco-transparency between brand and consumer
🔋 Sustainability information - allowing customers to learn how the products are sourced
🧑🍳 Cooking instructions and recipe ideas - how to use the product and get the most out of it
The great thing about sharing this wealth of information via a digital QR code, is that the landing pages are always editable, meaning they can be easily updated with product, sourcing, image or even design changes🤝
Once you’ve bought your pasta, you can scan the QR code and find out more about it, like a recipe suggestion or its eco credentials. There’s room for all of these things on the QR codesLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
As Organico Realfoods develop as a brand, the commitment to our Digital Link solution is obvious as Lee explained the QR code is now part of their packaging requirements. They’ve identified its importance in communicating as much information with customers as possible and to build brand awareness.
There’s a really interesting future use for Digital LinkLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
Has the solution been successful?
Lee is the sole user of our Digital Link Solution at Organico, and has been working closely with our Partnerships Manager, Tim, to ensure a smooth transition from old barcodes to new QR codes powered by GS1, and we’re glad to say it’s been a straightforward and successful process 🎉
I find Orca Scan very easy to use, and if I’ve had an issue, Tim and the team have been incredibly quick to fix itLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
It’s only been a year since Organico have launched a full product line using QR codes powered by GS1, so it’s too early to see if they have generated any customer impact yet. However, this isn’t the only way Lee has used our technology. He has been using our Digital Link Solution as a great unique selling point when discussing future trade opportunities for the brand, as well as for networking and presentations about Organico Realfoods.
It’s part of our brand identityLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
As a solution to receiving feedback, every six months Lee creates a customer survey to send out and collect information about their products and online shop, so he informed us that he’ll be adding questions about using QR codes powered by GS1 to this, to see what their thoughts are. So stay tuned for results 👀
If you’re going to use new QR codes and Orca’s solution, I’d say go for it! But plan how you’re going to do it and what information you want to present, you’ve got this space and this ability to speak to peopleLee Switzer-WoolfHead of Sales & MarketingOrganico Realfoods
Thank you
A big thank you, and congratulations, to Lee and his team for implementing Orca Scan across Organico’s new product line and packaging designs. We are pretty sure that 92 products with GS1 QR codes is a current world record 👏 So we’re super excited to see how we can grow together 👏 Are you a retail brand that wants to upgrade to the newest barcode technology? Get in touch, and we’ll happily help you set it up.
