BOOK FREE CONSULT

You built a business with purpose.
We build the brand it deserves.

Shelf is a boutique design studio for founders building something bigger than a business.

Whether you’re launching your first product or stewarding a brand that's been around for years, you need partners with the experience to help you grow.

We know what makes people connect with brands, what makes products sell, and what separates a good brand from a great one.
Let’s collaborate

WORK

Take a look at our portfolio of eco-conscious, better-for-you, and health-driven brands. You’ll see why brands with purpose love partnering with us.
Explore all projects
Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.

You’ve built the business.
Now let’s build the brand around it.

Here’s our process.

gren strategy icon, a knight chess piece illustration

Develop Your Brand Strategy

You already know your business and where you want to go. We translate that business strategy into a brand strategy, then turn it into the messaging and visual direction your team needs to communicate it consistently.

Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
green typewriter illustration

Tell the Story That Matters

We look beyond what your product does to uncover why it matters–the emotional reward your customers really buy. Then we shape that deeper idea into a story that connects, inspires, and turns buyers into believers.

Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
green id icon

Name Your Brand, Product,
or Service

Your name is the most honest representation of your brand positioning. It should be easy to say, impossible to forget, and built to grow with you. We find the right name, then help you trademark it.

green lit lightbulb icon

Design Your Logo

The strongest marks are recognizable on their own. You see them and know who they belong to, even without the name, packaging, or context. We design distinctive identities built to be remembered.

Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
green milk carton icon

Create the Full Package

Your packaging is where your brand, product, and consumer meet. We make sure it goes well. For nearly two decades, Shelf has created engaging packaging across food, beverage, wellness, beauty, family, pet, and home goods.

Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
green computer screen icon

Build Your Online Presence

Your brand needs to feel like your brand everywhere—not just on the shelf. We translate your identity, story, and strategy into digital experiences that carry across web, social, ads, and newsletters.

green icon of holding hands

Test with Customers Along the Way

Consumer testing takes the guesswork out of launching or rebranding. It’s the shift from “we like it” to “they connect with it.” We put your ideas in front of real customers to validate that your strategy, naming, packaging, and design actually resonate and compel them to choose you.

Grid of six company statistics: 25+ nationally-recognized brands, 40+ brands launched from scratch, 150 clients over 12 years in business, #1 dog-loving studio, 10+ years of the core team working together, and 1000+ meetings derailed by laughter.

What Changed for Our Clients

Shelf has been an amazing decade long branding partner, working with us since our launch in 2010.During the decade that NurturMe spent on shelves, we grew the brand into a multi million dollar business, expanded into 1,000 plus stores nationwide, developed 20 plus SKUs within the product family, and received numerous awards and accolades. The branding that began at Shelf contributed to all of those accomplishments. We always received compliments on our branding from retailers, customers, and investors alike. As we have grown into a nationally distributed brand, they have supported us in all brand maintenance, including naming, logo and packaging design, launching over 20 products, web design, expo booth design, marketing, print materials, and much more. Their creativity and style are top notch.

Co Founders, NurturMe

Shelf did an incredible job bringing TigerMamas to life in a way that truly honored the name and gave the brand a unique, inspiring presence in the CPG space. They created a vibe that felt bold, warm, and memorable, and the jungle inspired direction made the brand stand out in such a fresh way. Their process was highly collaborative from start to finish. The team was thoughtful, strategic, and genuinely easy to work with. I believe the final result was so strong because they took the time to understand the TigerMamas meaning and translate it into every creative decision. Alison also played a major role in setting the tone for a very successful photo shoot. She is incredibly talented, and I would absolutely recommend her to any brand looking for distinctive, strategic, and beautifully executed branding.

Founder of TigerMamas
Fatco logo

I have nothing but good things to say about my experience working with Shelf. Alison and her team were such a joy to work with. The naming process was easy. The new name FATCO was short, succinct, and memorable, allowing it to be welcomed by retailers and easily adopted. Going from Fatface Skincare to FATCO didn't pigeonhole us into the skincare category, but rather allowed us to grow into other areas. A complete brand kit is a highly valuable asset, and I believe it added a tremendous amount of value to the company sale in 2024. The branding made my job as a self-sustaining business owner easier by allowing me to manage the brand without staff. The brand look and feel, and everything that came with it, was a huge reason our buyer moved forward with acquiring FATCO. Throughout our 10 years in business, from launch to sale, we received nothing but positive feedback about the brand name, the colors, and the overall brand look and feel.

Founder & CEO, FATCO
Equip logo

The team at SHELF was instrumental in taking a small side project that had assets all over the place and guiding it through a complex rebrand while fully illustrating what we stood for. Not only does the packaging now stand out, they provided us with such excellent guidance that we’ve been able to maintain a top notch and tight brand presentation ever since. This has allowed us to scale with ease. The best part is that they aren’t a huge agency, so you get a massive amount of attention and dedication. They have also provided a ton of support and are always impressively connected in CPG. I would work with SHELF 10 out of 10 times again.

Founder of Equip Foods
Cece's Veggie Co. logo

Working with SHELF Studio is like working with a co-founder, someone who believes in the brand's success as much as I do. SHELF guided our brand's voice and design from the initial launch of our playfully quirky Veggie Noodle Co. packaging to becoming a more household name with Cece's Veggie Co. Throughout each evolution, our iconic white packaging with punny copy caught the attention of veggie lovers on shelf, and more importantly, it kept us on shelf due to retailer and buyer enthusiasm for a stand-out pack. Being a veggie nerd, SHELF captured the essence of me and the essence of Cece's.Simple but Twisted®, from our family to yours.

Founder of Cece's Veggie Co.
Unite logo

We came to SHELF Studio thinking we were hiring a branding company. What we actually got was a true brand partner who would care for the brand as if it was their own. From innovative, hand carved designs that are truly pieces of art, to strategic brand consultation, the team at SHELF has become an indispensable part of the thought leadership behind every aspect of UNiTE Food. Just as important as the beautiful work, the team was extremely accommodating and collaborative, and to our delight, every aspect was on time and on budget. If you’re looking for true partners for your brand who can push the design farther than you can imagine and deliver everything on time, then SHELF is your team.

Founder & CEO, UNiTE Food
AGame logo

Shelf Studio helped us create a new name, new brand identity, and new packaging look for our backyard sports brand, A-Game. The result was well received by our customers. Since then, we’ve expanded and added many products to the brand.We chose Shelf Studio, a boutique shop, because we wanted direct dialogue around our needs and to avoid the big agency bureaucracy. The process was much more efficient, and we achieved excellent results faster than we would have going through a large agency. Shelf shared our passion for creating the best outdoor sports game experience.

Packaging Design Manager
Academy Sports + Outdoors
NativePath logo

From the start, we had highly effective meetings where Alison asked us about our brand values, our customer, and their problems. She would help us find new fonts, colors, and imagery that speak to our brand. She also helped make our content more concise and clear. Creating with her in real time was so much fun for our team. We updated our labels, website, social media, emails, text, photos, videos, product naming, and more. Everything received an upgrade and became more beautiful. Suddenly, our products had a higher perceived value and authority in the marketplace. This helped our customers trust the buying experience more, resulting in increased sales and better margins, and enabling us to scale our business. We could not have done this without Alison's work. Alison makes everything shine in a way that gets customers’ attention while staying aligned with your business. I can’t recommend her enough. Your business, your team, and your customers will thank you.

Co-Founder NativePath
full circle logo

I highly recommend Alison for anyone looking to either kickstart a new brand or revitalize an existing one.She excels at demystifying the branding process, offering clear, upfront pricing and flexible scopes of work that align perfectly with your budgetary needs. Alison and her team bring a collaborative style to every project, ensuring that all voices are heard and thoughtfully integrated into the final product. Her strategic and research driven approach truly shines through in the work, especially evident in the team’s aptitude for naming, packaging, and crafting unforgettable brand experiences. You’re in excellent hands with Shelf, as they transform complex ideas into beautiful, tangible results.

Marketing Director Full Circle
Austlen logo

We are continually complimented on how thoughtful and mature our brand feels. We couldn’t ask for a better creative partner. Alison and her team developed the Austlen brand from the ground up. They explored how our brand could be experienced, from traditional brand development such as packaging, web, and collateral to product styling details like materials, fabrics, and colors that convey the Austlen feel. Their holistic approach created a strong brand foundation that’s lasted a decade. Our product launch took place in 2014 at the largest baby products trade show in North America. The lifestyle video and trade show booth design were instrumental in securing “Best in Show,” our industry’s highest award. The brand presence drove immediate retailer confidence and resulted in orders from nearly every specialty retailer in the U.S. during the event.

CEO & Co-Founder
Austlen Baby Co.
Slide left
Slide right
Full Circle Cece's Veggie Co Lunchskins Ladybird Equip Catalina UpSpring Made In Buc-ee's Live Full Circle Cece's Veggie Co Lunchskins Ladybird Equip Catalina UpSpring Made In Buc-ee's Live Full Circle Cece's Veggie Co Lunchskins Ladybird Equip Catalina UpSpring Made In Buc-ee's Live

Stand Out From The Pack, the blog.

Here's where we share all things branding, packaging, and design—from what's working in the market to the products we're obsessed with and the insights we've picked up along the way.

4 Things You Should Be Doing Now For Expo West
It's the most wonderful time of the year- Expo West booth prep. Seriously, we get pretty giddy in December as we begin crafting and working with our clients to build expo experiences for the big show in March. One common
Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
6 Styling Tips For Delicious Food Photos
Learn some tips and tricks for styling food for photoshoots.
Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
Accelerating Your Brand
We recently had the opportunity to sit alongside some incredibly innovative entrepreneurs as part of SKU's Track 7 Accelerator class.
Black arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right on a white background.
See All Articles

Ready to stand out from the pack?

Tell us about your project.

We love partnering with collaborative teams who care about creating great brand experiences for their customers. If this sounds like you, let’s chat.

Get In Touch