Here’s Why Nurri Changed it’s Packaging Design at Costco

Christy’s back at Costco breaking down Nürrí’s bold new packaging and what it says about this fast-rising protein shake brand. Is this rebrand a smart refresh, or just a louder shelf presence?

Description

Fast-growing brands rarely stay static. What works at launch isn’t always what sustains momentum at scale.

This update shows a clear shift in strategy. The original execution leaned heavily into white space and icon-driven cues, signaling nutrition and functionality. It felt clean, but also slightly clinical, closer to kids’ nutrition than adult performance.

The new system flips that balance. Color takes over. Flavor becomes the hero. The fruit is larger, juicier, and far more expressive. That visual intensity matters in a crowded cooler where appetite cues drive trial. The 30g protein callout is still prominent, but now it sits within a more indulgent, craveable frame.

From a Costco packaging design standpoint, this makes sense. Big-box environments reward bold color blocking and clear benefit communication from a distance. The move toward stronger flavor equity mirrors what we see in adjacent categories, even in produce packaging design, where visibility and vibrancy directly influence perception of freshness.

It’s a smart evolution. Same core promise. Stronger shelf presence.

Video Transcript

00:00:00 These strawberries are much more
00:00:02 prominent.
00:00:05 Hey everybody, it's Shopping with
00:00:06 Christie. Today I'm at Costco with my
00:00:08 daughter who's filming me. Thank you,
00:00:10 Beia. And I noticed this new graphic
00:00:13 rollout for Nuri. If anyone's been
00:00:15 following this brand, it's been one of,
00:00:17 if not the fastest growing protein shake
00:00:20 brands on the market. When they
00:00:21 originally launched, and still in most
00:00:24 cases, they look like this. This brand
00:00:25 was rapidly developed by a Coleman and
00:00:28 actually launched at Costco. The brand
00:00:30 they were repping, whatever it was, was
00:00:32 not filling orders well and so they
00:00:34 stepped in with their own brand and here
00:00:36 it is. So they launched it quickly. They
00:00:38 probably learned what worked and didn't
00:00:39 work. And you can see their change in
00:00:41 strategy from old packaging to new. On
00:00:43 the old one looks a little bit more like
00:00:45 nutrition, if you will. A lot of white
00:00:48 almost childlike iconography, um, I
00:00:51 would argue. So it looks a little bit
00:00:52 like a kids nutrition drink. But when
00:00:54 you look over here, what you can see
00:00:56 graphically is the visual, the logo got
00:01:00 a boost on sort of flavor and fun.
00:01:03 There's a much bigger color flood here.
00:01:05 And then even if you zoom in on these
00:01:07 little icons, they still have icons, but
00:01:10 what do you notice? These strawberries
00:01:12 are much more prominent. They're a
00:01:14 little bit I wouldn't say they're
00:01:15 realistic, but they're bigger. And boy,
00:01:16 are they juicy. You can see the liquid
00:01:18 coming off. Whereas over here, I know
00:01:20 it's a different flavor, but you don't
00:01:22 really see. It's fun. It's more almost
00:01:25 tech like, but you don't get that flavor
00:01:27 coming out. You can see a little bit
00:01:29 here. The old cans were mostly white all
00:01:32 the way up and down. It really mirrored
00:01:34 the case pack art, whereas the new cans,
00:01:36 yeah, this is a good one. You can kind
00:01:38 of see it. The bottom is white and
00:01:40 actually the entire top is color. And
00:01:42 you can see that sort of flavor and
00:01:45 almost the juice of the strawberry
00:01:47 coming out there. And a really nice hero
00:01:49 of 30 grams right there. And only one
00:01:51 gram of sugar. Who doesn't love that? So
00:01:53 I think overall a wonderful graphic
00:01:55 update for Nuri. We watch this category
00:01:57 a lot. We work in this category even
00:01:59 more. So excited to see the rest of the
00:02:01 graphics execute. All right. B.

Christy Lebor Partner & Head of Brand Development, SmashBrand

48 Articles

Christy Lebor is a Partner and Head of Brand Development at SmashBrand, a premier brand development agency championing the FMCG space. With two decades of Fortune 500 CPG experience, Christy harnesses her background from industry titans to infuse brands with a growth trajectory that transitions them from category disruptors to legacy brands.

Her portfolio includes:

Brand management roles at global giants: Kraft, PepsiCo, and Unilever.
Launching pivotal products: Axe Body Wash in the US and the original Dove Campaign for Real Beauty at Unilever.
Steering innovative product lines at PepsiCo: Gatorade chews, protein bars, Mio Fit, and Amino Energy.
Pioneering breakfast innovations at KraftHeinz: Just Crack an Egg
Leading the branded business segment and global innovation at JBS, the world's largest meat company in the world.

Prior to her tenure at SmashBrand, Christy's track record spans various senior management and development roles. Each role has honed her expertise in the intricacies of FMCG, enabling her to cultivate category advantages for brands. From SKU rationalization to directing pivotal innovation stage gates, Christy's acute expertise in FMCG has consistently placed her at the forefront of the industry. Her ability to make incisive, strategically sound decisions has been key in propelling brands to market leadership.

Her philosophy pivots on the principle that timely, relevant data, integrated with brand strategy, is the linchpin for brands aspiring to scale and establish market dominance. At SmashBrand, Christy intricately weaves this philosophy, ensuring brands are not just strategically poised but holistically developed.

Educationally, Christy is equipped with a BBA from The University of Michigan Business School, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and additional prowess in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School.

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