McCain Foods: packaging investigation and portfolio brand architecture

The brief

Stratcom ran a packaging investigation for McCain Foods in South Africa, then built a new portfolio architecture: one family purpose, clear prep tiers and occasions, and every SKU from frozen peas to stir-fries mapped to how different cooks actually shop.

Stratcom job #100724. The architecture file is Phase 6. Phase 4 is a visual audit. The job titles that follow are packaging concept and creation against that architecture. Billing records are titled Packaging Strategy – Architecture Creation – Concept and Packaging Investigation Architecture.

The market in the files is South Africa. Local range names such as Morogo and slap chips point to the South African range. Nothing in the files shows a multi-country rollout.

What the architecture set

Purpose: an umbrella brand purpose, Growing Thriving Families, under a Quick, Easy & Healthy proposition.

The hierarchy runs Category, Brand, Purpose, Segment, Sub-segment, Occasion, reason to believe, then SKUs, with a convenience-semiotic layer.

Segments: Frozen and Chilled; Vegetables, Vegetarian, Potatoes, Fruit and smoothies, Food service, Noodles and Appetisers.

Preparation tiers: Essentials (unprepared), Semi-prepared, and Ready to eat.

Occasions: Everyday Nutrition, Fun Food, On-the-go, and Something Special.

The consumer typology the architecture answers to: Creative, Practical, Routine, Impressor and Determined cooks.

How the range was mapped

Vegetable singles, including Garden Peas, Baby Carrots and Broccoli Florets. Smalls, including Country Crop and Morogo Veg Mix. Chunky mixes. Stir fry in Asian, Hawaiian, French and Mexican. Roast veg in Classic and Mediterranean. Oven chips in Steakhouse and Crinkle cut. Seasoned wedges. Fry chips and slap chips. Veggie burgers and fingers. Sweet potato fries. Smoothie packs. A food-service line.

What this page does not claim

The files do not show sales results, a global McCain programme, or the final packs as shipped. Gail's later stir-fry finished art sits outside this Stratcom job and is not part of this case study. No McCain pack images are published here.