Boise Co-op Market

A brand that evolves with its community while staying true to its values.

Our Role

Brand Strategy

Market Research

Creative Strategy

Visual Identity

Package Design

Production

For over 50 years, Boise Co-op has connected communities through local food and shared values. But as it grew, so did the challenge—how does a legacy co-op evolve while staying true to what makes it unique?

Against partnered with Boise Co-op to build a brand that honors its roots while adapting to its expanding footprint, ensuring it resonates across its diverse communities.

The Opportunity

Rooted in legacy. Ready for growth.

Boise Co-op Market built its reputation on quality, integrity, and local roots. But with shifting expectations and a growing footprint, it needed a brand that could honor its history while preparing for the future.

As BCM expanded, its audience diversified. The Boise store catered to young, progressive shoppers, while the Meridian location served families seeking quality and convenience. Creating a cohesive brand required balancing these differences to resonate across communities.

Our discovery revealed a well-loved but misunderstood brand. Customers appreciated BCM’s values but often focused on price, overlooking the broader impact of supporting local businesses. Members were passionate but lacked clear messaging to articulate the benefits, and the brand’s tone had strayed from its roots.

We saw an opportunity to reposition BCM as more than a grocery store: an intentional shopping experience that brought purpose and quality to the forefront. This meant clarifying messaging, refreshing visuals, and creating a system that connected with both loyalists and newcomers.

Boise Co-op had a history of integrity and quality; we turned it into a brand ready for expansion.

The Solution

Branding conscious living.

Boise Co-op had a strong foundation but needed a clearer way to communicate its value. Customers loved the idea of shopping locally and ethically, but the brand wasn’t making those choices feel personal or impactful. Our challenge was to turn the Co-op’s values into something visible, actionable, and consistent—an experience that made every customer feel like part of the bigger story.

This meant building a system where the Co-op’s purpose was clear at every touchpoint.

The Foundation

A brand rooted in place.

Boise Co-op’s identity needed to reflect both its legacy and its evolution. We built a brand system that honored its roots while creating space for growth—one that feels familiar to longtime members and inviting to new communities.

  • Logo: A modernized throwback to a previous design, connecting the past with the present.

  • Fonts: A mix of typefaces balancing variety with a handcrafted feel, inspired by classic store signage.

  • Colors: A palette drawn from Idaho’s landscapes—earthy tones and vibrant accents that reinforce a sense of place.

The Voice

Speaking to what matters.

Boise Co-op’s messaging needed to move beyond price perceptions and make its impact clear. We crafted a voice that reflects its mission—transparent, community-driven, and purpose-led—helping customers see every purchase as a meaningful choice.

The Photography

A story in three stages.

Photography played a key role in making the Co-op’s mission feel real. We built an approach that captured the full journey of food, reinforcing the connection between farmers, makers, and customers.

  • Grow: Highlighting farms, producers, and the origins of fresh ingredients.

  • Craft: Showcasing food in the process of becoming a meal.

  • Enjoy: Celebrating the moments when food brings people together.

Farmer harvesting greens, a salad being prepared, and a person eating — labeled ‘Grow,’ ‘Craft,’ and ‘Enjoy’ to show the Boise Co-op food journey.
  • Two farmers walking through a field of marigolds on a sunny day.
  • Close-up of red and green tomatoes growing on the vine.
  • Person inspecting rows of tomato plants inside a greenhouse.
  • Hands holding a box filled with freshly harvested mushrooms.
  • Boise Co-op employee smiling while making a sandwich behind the deli counter.
  • Boise Co-op team member preparing a sandwich and pouring green sauce in the kitchen.
  • Boise Co-op worker tossing pizza dough in the air inside a bakery prep area.
  • Boise Co-op cashier bagging groceries and placing a bottle of glass milk in a reusable tote.
  • Person holding a large fish at a seafood counter.
  • A man cooking with a spatula in a kitchen, with a young girl smiling nearby. Slices of bread and a wrapped stick of butter are on the counter.
  • Two children cracking an egg into a mixing bowl while cooking in a kitchen, with a carton of eggs and measuring cups on the counter.
  • Person holding a green coffee bag labeled 'Backcountry Blend' and packing it into an orange reusable shopping bag.
  • Person cooking in a kitchen, smiling while using tongs to handle a piece of meat in a red pan. The kitchen features wooden cabinets and a coffee maker in the background.
  • A person adding seasoning to a colorful mixed salad with greens, feta cheese, roasted beets, and pomegranate seeds in an orange bowl, using wooden salad tongs. In the background, there is a plate with burrata cheese and a roasting tray with more vegetables.
  • A person with long, curly hair smiles while sitting at a dining table. They are wearing a blue shirt and have a tattoo on their arm. On the table are a wine bottle, a glass of red wine, and a plate of food, including greens.
  • Person in blue shirt eating a salad with a steak, holding food with their hand, and a glass of red wine on the table.

Brought to Life

From system to experience.

A brand is more than visuals—it’s how people experience it every day. We applied the new system across the Co-op’s physical and digital spaces, creating a seamless and engaging customer journey.

  • Store Design: Updated signage, wayfinding, and environmental branding for a unified in-store experience.

  • Digital & Print: A cohesive system across web, social, packaging, and marketing materials.

Measured by meaning.

Reclaimed Purpose

A brand realigned with its mission, making values clear and tangible.

Deepening Loyalty

Strengthening customer commitment through purpose-driven design.

Unified Experience

A more cohesive brand creating consistency for staff and customers alike.

Boise Co-op reintroduced itself to a growing community, creating a brand that reflects its values and builds trust at every step. With clear messaging and purposeful design, the Co-op reestablished itself as a trusted leader in conscious living.