Fruits don’t exactly require packaging — they have their own, naturally — but done correctly it can make a noticeable difference. Nendo was called in to design packaging for Shiawase Banana, and they took the brand’s ethics and the given “packaging” of the fruit itself to make fun and interactive experience for the buyer.
“When we were asked to design the packaging, we didn’t want to just come up with something extravagant because of its high quality: that would be totally inappropriate for an environmentally friendly banana. And so we decided to steer clear of boxes or packing material, and apply stickers on the surface of the banana peel. The sticker is double layered, with the first layer faithfully reproducing the textural feel and colours of the banana peel, even down to the lifelike bruises and discolouration. A segment of the sticker is partially peeled. When this is peeled off, the second sticker that indicates a message with an image of the flesh of the banana in the background emerges. Rather than just imposing some information about the banana, we created an atmosphere where you are compelled to read the story behind it.”
“Adhering to the requirement to use only organic fertilizers and the strict restriction on the use of pesticides, they became the first bananas to be awarded with an impressive 2 Stars at the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) Superior Taste Awards in Belgium. The name ‘Shiawase Banana’ was derived simply from the fact the fruit makes all banana growers happy, drawing on the word ‘shiawase’ which means ‘happiness’ in Japanese.”
