Tōpa's Rise: Shaping the Future of Stonefruit Brands

The client

Introducing Tōpa Fruit

Tōpa are premium Australian nectarines. Grown with care and passion, ensuring every bite is a joy.

More About the Client

Summerfruit Australia (SEDA) launches new stonefruit brand into Asian markets

Tōpa are premium Australian nectarines. They are grown with care and passion, ensuring every bite is a joy. Tōpa represents the burst of joy that you get in every happy family moment. Each mouthful reminds you of the sun on your face, the beach and fun-filled memories.

The problem

Developing an International Stonefruit Brand

Unite a disparate grower group and resonate internationally

Collaborating with Summer Fruit Australia

Summerfruit Australia, the governing body for all Australian Stonefruit and cherry growers, engaged Soto Group in November of 2020. They wanted to develop a stonefruit brand series that could be used long term for a collection of varieties of Stonefruit IP. To develop the brand they knew a significant research project with their target consumer in Asia needed to be executed. They needed a brand and creative partner that could perform both the research, and the creative behind the new brand. They came to Soto Group due to Cofounder Matthew Crouch’s long standing history in their industry. Soto Group was highly recommended for the project.

The Project

Meticulous Research, Planning & Execution

Qual & Quant Research

The entire project was research led by the Soto Group. From the 500 participant qualitative workshops in ShangHai in Jan & Feb of 2021, to the 3000-recipient quantitative survey in June. We tested every aspect of the brand name and visual concepts across 31 different languages, with a primary focus on how it will be received in Chinese and Vietnamese markets. The project had regular presentations to the stakeholder group, including 40 growers in the membership cohort. Collaboration and education were key at every step of the project.

Understanding the Results

Despite initial thoughts that the audience would lean towards high quality, or sweetness as the driver for the brand, there was a strong resonance between the joy of an Australian Summer and the fruit being associated with summer. To bring both a luxurious element to the brand with the playfulness of summer, the parent brand became ‘Natural Jewels’ and the first child brand ‘Tōpa Fruit’.

Brand Name to Visual Design

With the name agreed upon, Soto Group developed 12 creative moodboards and 4 of these were taken to a workshop with the intended audience. There was a clear winner with the bright fresh palette and imagery representing ‘Modern Australian Summertime’. The Tōpa brand was developed into a detailed brand guideline and brand strategy.

Stonefruit Packaging Design

The packaging design needed to be simple yet striking, so that it was quick and cost effective for the larger grower group to produce in time for stonefruit season. We used the vibrant orange in the brand palette as the baseline for all designs, and used monochrome designs meaning a single colour print.

Stonefruit Website Design

In line with the brand’s vibrant personality, we crafted a visually captivating website that not only provides seamless navigation for customers but also radiates the joy inherent in the Tōpa brand.

Through innovative design elements and intuitive functionality, the website serves as a true reflection of Topa’s essence, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in a world of delight and freshness.Brand Digital presence established through Website, and domestic social channels

Launch Campaign

The launch campaign was a 12 month roll out of brand assets, digital assets, launch events and partnership creation. Tōpa Fact Sheets and Customer documents were designed and created for different audiences in both English and Chinese.

The digital presence was launched on WeChat and through Chinese social media channels using a local partner. We also researched and presented compelling PR opportunities, potential collaborations, and engaging industry events.

The Results

Successful Global Launch

Tōpa Fruit’s impressive launch into China and Vietnam

Recognising Project Triumph

Despite stonefruit growers facing challenges within the season, where unfortunately some planned campaigns and events had to be cancelled and postponed, the Soto Group team persevered and achieved significant milestones. Despite these setbacks, we managed to establish a strong foundation of collateral and creative assets that can be leveraged in future seasons.

Our dedication to excellence and adaptability allowed us to overcome obstacles, ensuring that valuable resources were created to support Topa’s continued success and growth in the seasons to come.

150,000 online engagements in year 1
Consumer Brand Awareness increased 25%
Grower Brand Adoption (choosing to license their fruit under the Topa Brand) increased from 43% to 85%

Take a Look for Yourself

Visit the new Tōpa Fruit website today, take a look at the interactive elements, bespoke background effects and easy call-to-actions right across the website.

Crafting a Foundation for Stonefruit Brand Tōpa