Toni Glass Collection

Challenge

Toni Glass had a genuinely good product. Premium iced tea in a distinctive black glass bottle. The problem: the label design wasn't carrying its weight.

South African retail shelves in the beverage aisle are aggressive. Saturated fruit photography, loud discount callouts, brands competing on volume. The original packaging read as mid-market. For a brand positioned at the top end, that gap between product and packaging was costing them at the point of purchase.

Approach

In a category where everyone is shouting, quiet confidence is the most disruptive thing you can do.

I developed a minimalist label that leaned into the black glass bottle rather than fighting it. Each flavour got its own accent colour drawn from the ingredient palette. Clean type, structured layout, negative space to let the label breathe. A subtle Johannesburg skyline motif and flavour-specific illustrated elements added local character without cluttering the design.

For the sugar-free range, I shifted to white bottles with the same label system. Clear visual distinction between the two lines while keeping the family look intact.

Result

The finished packaging gave Toni Glass a visual identity that matched the quality of the product inside. The black bottle range and white sugar-free range now read as a proper premium tier. The minimalist label holds up well in photography, in-store display, and across digital channels.

For a boutique brand competing in a crowded beverage category, that shelf presence is what makes retail viable.