Bart, the long-established Bristol herbs and spices manufacturer, has refreshed its brand with a redesign by a city-based creative agency aimed at the ‘modern foodie’.
The firm, which was founded in 1963 as a family-owned business and is now the UK’s fastest-growing brand in its category, described the move as timed to appeal to Gen Z and Millennials influenced by viral food trends. 
As a result, the firm is now “on a mission to put the joy and romance back into herbs and spices”.
Created by award-winning Bath Road-based The Space Creative, which has also worked with ethical tea firm Pukka, eco-friendly household cleaning products manufacturer Ecover and dairy-free cheese brand Sheese, the redesign also aims to inspire home cooks by delving into the rich history and origins of each ingredient.
The new packaging pays homage to the ingredient’s continent of origin and the specific plants from it hails while tasting notes provided helpful guidance for cooks on their next culinary adventure.
The brand revamp includes Bart’s bestsellers, from fiery paprika – originally used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes – to cinnamon – first imported by Egyptians 4,000 years ago.
Barts’ garlic granules packets refer to the fact that garlic is mentioned in ancient Chinese texts dating back 8,000 years.
Bart head of marketing Matthew Falk said: “Each of the ingredients at Bart carries a story that connects us to different cultures and eras.
“This rebrand is about more than just a fresh look; it’s about reigniting the passion for cooking and discovery by telling those stories.”
He said with more than 60 years of sourcing high-quality ingredients from across the globe, Bart was well positioned to offer this insight to its customers.
“It’s a joy to help them explore and appreciate the rich tapestry of flavours that make every meal an adventure,” he added.
Bart commercial director James Adams said the herbs and spices category had grown by more than £150m since 2019, according to market research company Nielson – and showed no signs of slowing down.
Bart’s sales have increased by more than 61.5% year-on-year over this period.
He added: “With cost pressures easing and viral food trends shaping the way Gen Z and Millennials experiment with food at home, the brand refresh is timed to appeal to the modern foodie and re-engage our existing customers.
“It’s an important milestone which is integral to our future growth and investment opportunities, as well as supporting the category as a whole.”
Bart was launched by husband and wife Reg and Jo Bartlam from their home 61 years ago under the name Bart Prints.
In 2010 it was acquired by private equity firm Langholm Capital and went on to diversify into organic and Fairtrade products.
Four years later it expanded into the pastes and sauces market after acquiring the assets of Berkshire-based OTP Foods in a multi-million pound deal.
In 2017 it was bought by Germany’s Fuchs Gruppe, Europe’s largest privately-owned spice producer, for an undisclosed sum, and in 2021 relocated to a new 167,000 sq ft warehouse development in Severn Beach after outgrowing its factory in Bedminster, where it had been based for 37 years.
