Duchy Originals to flag provenance in overhaul

The fresh look is aimed at reflecting the company's commitment to sustainably sourced food. The logo will now carry wood-etching-style pictures of Duchy's Home Farm to illustrate the provenance of the products.

The revamp was handled by Four Brand Communications, which was appointed to the brief following a competitive pitch last year.

The rebrand, which will take effect over the course of the year, will be applied first to the Duchy Originals biscuit line from next month. The range is being widened with the addition of Hazelnut & Cranberry, Chocolate with Vanilla All Butter Shortbread, and Sweet Oaten & Heather Honey variants. The products will be supported by press ads, point-of-sale activity and a national PR campaign.

Duchy Originals commercial director John Luck said the revamped look 'will not just talk up our commitment to sustainable food and farming but also highlight the fact that all our profits are donated to charity through the Prince's Charities Foundation'.

The foundation supports charities involved in environmental projects, training young people, restoring heritage buildings and helping those affected by natural disasters.

The products of Duchy Originals, which was founded in 1990, range from grocery staples such as jam, biscuits and chocolate to beauty products, herbal remedies and garden implements.

Last year it also moved into the lunchtime market with a range of premium sandwiches. These were initially sold in selected Waitrose outlets, as well as the food hall in John Lewis' store on London's Oxford Street, ahead of a nationwide roll-out.

Last month Duchy Originals revealed that sales in the year to 31 March 2008 fell from £4.8m to £4m. It has sought to cut costs by reducing the number of staff at its headquarters.

Last year, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay criticised the brand for its products' high salt and sugar content, and described the range as overpriced and boring.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk