by Melissa Simmerman | May 27, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Color, Conference Recap, CPG Trends, Innovation, Inspiration, Material and Finish, Melissa Simmerman, Packaging Design, Prototyping, Structural Design, Thought Leadership
May 28, 2026 We may have left Las Vegas, but the memories of the packaging at Sweets and Snacks Expo 2026 didn’t leave us. Here are the creative and innovative products, booths, and packaging stars that made us stop and take notice, even in a somewhat delirious...
by Melissa Simmerman | May 7, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Industrial Design, Innovation, Material and Finish, Melissa Simmerman, Packaging Design, Structural Design, Thought Leadership
May 12, 2026 It genuinely seems like every category is crowded these days. Even baking staples and household paper products are being reinvented and disrupted, but a few categories in particular have been exploding: condiments, water, supplements, better-for-you...
by Anna Kniesly | Mar 9, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Conference Recap, CPG Trends, Inspiration, Packaging Design, Thought Leadership
What Expo West 2026 Told Us About the Future of CPG Packaging Our team spent the week walking the floor at Expo West, and several signals stood out about where food & beverage, and the brands behind it, are heading. Beyond individual products, the Expo West...
by Melissa Simmerman | Feb 25, 2026 | Innovation, Packaging Design, Prototyping, Structural Design, Sustainability, Thought Leadership
Why the Best CPG Innovation Teams Invest in Early Stage Product Prototyping The world is full of great product ideas. But even the best ones, the ones that have the potential to solve real consumer problems, stay stuck in “The Land of What Might’ve...
by Kaleidoscope Chicago | Jan 24, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Kaleidoscope, Packaging Design, Thought Leadership
January 24, 2026 There’s a pattern that shows up in CPG packaging projects more often than it should. A brand begins losing momentum in the market, sales soften, shelf presence feels weaker than it once did, and internal conversations eventually arrive at the...