Food System Stewards
BRANDING
The Project
Food System Stewards helps nonprofits accelerate the shift toward plant-based eating by securing "counterfactual" funding – that is, new revenue they wouldn’t have reached on their own. Recently launched through the Kickstarting For Good incubator, the organization works to diversify income for high-impact groups to ensure long-term stability. They needed a fresh visual identity that stands apart from typical vegan advocacy org branding.
Our Approach
We first guided Food System Stewards through naming and brand strategy to build a rock-solid foundation. From there, we brought their vision to life with a visual identity rooted in the metaphor of stewardship. Leaning into nautical imagery, the result is a brand that feels strategic and intelligent, yet warm enough to ensure clients feel welcomed and supported rather than intimidated.
Primary colors
Logo Design
The logo centers on a sailboat with a leaf in place of a sail, symbolizing the leadership and stewardship Food System Stewards provides to the animal advocacy movement. While the clean, modern mark conveys competence and forward-thinking, the waves beneath represent the tumultuous seas the organization must navigate to succeed. Designed with a strong sense of motion, the logo captures the energy of wind in the sails and the steady momentum of a vessel moving forward.
Color Palette
We explored a few color directions before landing on a “mixed berries” palette that intentionally departs from the cool tones typical of the movement. This palette features inviting raspberry, grape, and blackberry hues, balanced by a contrasting gooseberry green. To ensure the brand feels approachable rather than intense, a soft snowberry tone serves as a grounding neutral to keep the overall aesthetic soothing and professional.
Secondary colors
Custom Icon Set & Illustrations
To enhance the website, we developed a custom set of icons and a hero illustration that transform complex fundraising topics into accessible, engaging content. This playful illustration style provides a creative counterpoint to the website’s crisp lines, softening the overall aesthetic to make the brand feel more approachable and inviting.
