CLIENT

Mauna Loa was founded in 1976 in the shadow of the mountain that is the brand’s namesake. In the 40+ years since then, Mauna Loa has grown to become the #1 brand of macadamia nut. Beloved in Hawaiʻi, given regularly in Asia, and enjoyed with nostalgia in the lower 48, Mauna Loa is one of Hawaiʻi’s most iconic brands.

CHALLENGE

Macadamia nuts offer many of the benefits that today’s health-conscious consumers are hungry for. For starters, they’re low in carbs, high in fiber, and have an outstanding ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s. What’s more, they’re vegan, non-GMO, gluten–free, and keto and paleo friendly. What’s not to love, right? Still, most consumers considered them a special treat rather than an everyday snack.

We were tasked with helping to change that, reimagining Mauna Loa’s branding and website to invite new consumers—and new product lines—into the brand without alienating current consumers who cherish the brand’s rich heritage.

As Mauna Loa looked to expand their array of offerings, dairy-free macadamia milk-based ice cream screamed “effortless fit” within the brand’s portfolio. The only problem? Profits began to melt away as inflated shipping costs overtook sales of the frozen dessert. Mauna Loa needed to find a way to create an intuitive website experience that would allow their new product to reach customers and find success—not only in store, but also online.

SOLUTION

Hawaiʻi is a brand of its own. For decades, it has earned a reputation as a destination for active and enlightened individuals alike, seeking wellness of mind, body, and spirit. The reimagined brand, packaging, and website were designed to bring that raw “force of nature” to consumers around the world. Our work began with the articulation of a new brand voice and story—one that captured the spirit of Hawaiʻi and invited consumers to find that spirit anywhere, creating the “macadamia–powered paradise” they most longed to find. The new website features vibrant illustrations of landscapes throughout the Hawaiian Islands, which put Hawaiʻi’s natural wonder front and center and help to invoke the “force of nature” at the heart of the brand. These (along with evolved, more natural colorways) helped to better convey the products’ simple, plant-based power. Mauna Loa’s new look and feel transferred seamlessly from salted snacks to frozen desserts with the brand’s introduction of macadamia milk-based “ice creams.” With the exciting introduction of macadamia nut ice cream to the website, Moxie Sozo poised a solution to Mauna Loa’s icy shipping challenge by selling in exclusively packs of six cartons. This ice cream bundler allowed consumers to mix and match new and bold flavors in a personalized paradise pack—while still proving profitable. Mauna Loa’s evolved website now embodies Hawaiʻi’s essence of paradise and the brand’s beloved personality in every step of each consumer’s journey—from voyage to macadamia insights to path to purchase.

RESULTS

Consumers’ deep adoration of Mauna Loa’s innovative products and iconic brand has spread overseas to the mainland, gaining shelf space on hundreds of new store shelves on both the natural and conventional level. Last year, the nation’s affinity for Mauna Loa was further solidified when its rebrand was recognized by NOSH as the Best Packaging of 2021— also bringing home first place in the Web Excellence Awards for the Food & Beverage category.

Upon rollout of the Mauna Loa Ice Cream bundler, they nearly sold out of all their dairy-free ice cream macadamia nut milk-based frozen treat within the first week of the launch.

Moxie’s fresh branding increased sales by +20.4%. With the redesign, we aspired to win over consumers with our evocative packaging intimating the vibrant nature of Hawaiʻi, while also positing that our Mauna Loa’s nutty snacks fit effortlessly into consumers’ wellness journeys. With double-digit growth like this, it looks like we succeeded.