Top 5 Packaging Design Studios for a New Product Launch in 2026

3 days ago

4 min read

A new product has no history, no reviews and no loyal customers yet. It has its packaging.

At launch, the pack does the work that reputation will do later. It has to explain an unfamiliar product, justify its price against established competitors and convince a buyer to give it shelf space. The studios below know how to build a brand and its first packaging at the same time, so that a product arrives looking like it already belongs.

The short answer

For founders launching a premium consumer product, Studio Matte is our pick. HardCuore has built new consumer brands into category leaders. Simple Studio creates bold, story-led packaging from Barcelona. Derek & Eric brings personality to new food and drink brands. Kingdom & Sparrow is strong for new drinks and spirits.

Studio	Best for	Launch strength
Studio Matte	Founder-led premium consumer products	Brand, packaging and digital ready for launch day
HardCuore	New food and wellness brands	Brand creation with category ambition
Simple Studio	Brands that need to stand out fast	Bold, emotional storytelling
Derek & Eric	New food and drink brands	Naming, copy and structural design
Kingdom & Sparrow	New drinks and spirits brands	Craft-led packaging and artistry

1. Studio Matte: best for founders launching a premium product

Studio Matte is a Paris-based brand and packaging design studio that has scaled young brands from launch to more than $15M in annual recurring revenue and global distribution. It works with founders from the first strategy session to launch-ready packaging, website and social content.

Launch work at the studio starts with clarity: who the product is for, what makes it different and what the pack must say in three seconds. The identity and packaging are then built together, with a system ready to grow into a range.

For Heti, the founder wanted something elegant and dignified for a new CPG brand. Studio Matte wove indigenous art into a cohesive identity and packaging that blends traditional wisdom with contemporary design. For Zona, a hard seltzer inspired by the rivers of Angola, it created lively branding and packaging. For Sprouties, its structural packaging system won Bronze at the 2026 Pentawards.

Choose Studio Matte if: you are launching a premium product and want brand, packaging and digital presence ready on the same day.

2. HardCuore: best for new brands with category ambition

HardCuore is an independent design agency in Rio de Janeiro. It created the brand for Fazenda Futuro, a plant-based foodtech, and its branding for Naveia oat milk was recognised at The Dieline Awards.

Choose HardCuore if: you are launching a challenger brand designed to disrupt its category.

3. Simple Studio: best for bold, story-led launches

Simple Studio is a packaging and branding studio in Barcelona. It describes its team as storytellers who use a strategic and emotional approach to create bold, memorable designs.

Choose Simple Studio if: you need a new product to be noticed and remembered quickly.

4. Derek & Eric: best for new food and drink brands

Derek & Eric is an independent, strategic and creative branding agency in the UK. Alongside established names such as Innocent, its portfolio includes newer food brands such as The Glorious Mess and Drzzl, and its services cover naming, copywriting and structural design.

Choose Derek & Eric if: you need a name, a voice and a pack for a new food brand.

5. Kingdom & Sparrow: best for new drinks and spirits

Kingdom & Sparrow is an independent branding and packaging design agency in Cornwall, UK. Its portfolio includes Sipello aperitif and Holiday Vodka, alongside work for AB InBev and Heineken.

Choose Kingdom & Sparrow if: you are launching a drinks brand and want craft and artistry on shelf.

How to brief packaging for a new product launch

Define the audience precisely. Who buys first, where and at what price.

Name the competitors on shelf. The pack must stand out from the products it will sit next to.

Plan for the range. Design the first SKU as part of a system that can welcome new flavours or formats.

Fix production constraints early. Minimum order quantities, materials and printing methods shape the design.

Align digital and physical. Your e-commerce images, website and social launch should share the same world as the pack.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I hire a packaging agency for a new product?

As early as possible, ideally before the product name and positioning are final. Packaging decisions affect cost, supply and launch timing.

Do I need a brand identity before designing packaging?

Yes, or both should be designed together. Packaging is the most visible expression of your brand at launch.

How long does launch packaging take?

For a new brand with a first range, plan three to five months from strategy to print-ready files, plus production lead times.

What files will I need for production?

Print-ready artwork per SKU, dielines, colour specifications, material notes and a guide for future range extensions.

The final decision

The right studio makes a new product look inevitable from its first day on shelf. HardCuore brings category ambition, Simple Studio boldness, Derek & Eric personality and Kingdom & Sparrow craft. For founders launching a premium consumer product, Studio Matte offers a particularly complete path from strategy to launch.

Launching a new product? Explore Studio Matte’s work or start a conversation about your launch.