ja! Portfolio Relaunch

Design: HAJOK Design
Location: Germany
Project Type: Produced
Client: REWE Group
Product Launch Location: Europe
Packaging Contents: Food
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Paper, cardboard

Design revolution
Germany’s iconic own brand has truly undergone a revolution with HAJOK Design giving more than 800 items in the ja! portfolio a cheerful and high-quality look.

The club of iconic brands is made up of brands whose design language is unmistakable. When you think of ja! you immediately see the dark blue lettering and above all – a lot of white. In 1982 the REWE private label became ja!. It was launched with the aim of offering good quality at a reasonable price, attracting customers who shop as discounters. The aim of the packaging design was “reduce to the max”, giving the entry-level segment a minimalist, uniform design code. This strategy conquered the supermarket shelves and ja! established itself as the most successful and best-known private label in Germany. This iconic own brand has been carefully developed over the past few decades. But the everyday lives of the target group have changed dramatically and it was time to convey today’s consumer needs with the design.

ja! and HAJOK have now enjoyed a successful partnership for the last 7 years. Since the first major relaunch in 2014, HAJOK has proven that a price-conscious approach and a positive shopping experience do not have to be a contradiction. During the first relaunch, the previous rational design was given more emotion – food shots and illustrations visually reflected the good quality of the products. The logo and the product names were placed on a white label, more colour came into play and ja! presented itself as a contemporary yet straightforward, everyday brand. In 2019, HAJOK was commissioned to redesign the ja! brand, embedding it into the era of brand experience.

The result: the German iconic own brand has truly undergone a design revolution! HAJOK Design reduced the typical and unmistakable entry-level on-pack white to just the logo. This freed up much more space, providing an emotional stage for unlimited variety and creativity. Individual designs open up worlds of experience in a colourful, life-affirming way. The clear design architecture helps consumers navigate product categories, proving that good quality and contemporary design need not break the bank!