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Clover Sonoma, a third-generation family-owned dairy in Northern California, had a strong reputation for supporting local farmers and humane animal practices. Yet, they faced declining dairy category sales, competition from dairy alternatives, and internal confusion from operating under multiple brand names. Consumers were uncertain about the brand's identity, especially regarding organic versus non-organic offerings.
Clover needed to unify their brand, rebuild trust, and reassert the value of dairy in modern diets.
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Our first move was to unify all products under a single brand name and mark: Clover Sonoma. We redesigned the logo to honor the brand's legacy while creating room for future innovation. By shifting messaging to focus on sourcing and product quality rather than getting stuck in the organic versus non-organic conversation, we eliminated consumer confusion and strengthened Clover's authenticity.
Packaging architecture was carefully reimagined to compete across diverse categories, from milk to yogurt to ice cream. We retained Clover Sonoma's core brand DNA while tailoring each product line's packaging to align with consumer shopping behaviors and category expectations. Clearer, streamlined communication around health benefits, family farming values, and humane animal care helped drive loyalty and reframe dairy's role in everyday life.
Additionally, we highlighted some of the brand's new offerings, as the dairy category had proven challenging in recent years with milk alternatives. We highlighted lactose-free options and other cultured products that were having a moment, in addition to some of the brand's rich, snacky offerings.
As a result, Clover Sonoma's Cream-on-Top Yogurt grew by 15–20% even as the yogurt category as a whole declined. Ice cream sales rose by 40% following the redesign, and milk products expanded into 300 new stores across three new markets. What started as a much-loved local dairy producer evolved into Northern California's largest dairy brand with $70 million in annual sales, culminating in Clover Sonoma's majority acquisition by Alpina Colombia for an estimated $136 million.
How Clover Sonoma reclaimed the dairy aisle
SERVICES
Brand Strategy
Competitive Audit
Brand Architecture
Brand Identity Design
Packaging Design
Product Innovation
Print Collateral Design
Mechanical Production
Photography Art Direction
Brand Guidelines
Visual Asset Management