Because traditional protein sources in the U.S. produce methane and require large amounts of feed, water, and space, the food industry has turned to insects as a sustainable protein alternative. However, while 80% of the world has already introduced insects into their daily diet, this protein source is widely unused and extremely stigmatized in the U.S.

Inago (ee-nah-goh) is a new alternative food source that gives you a savory, yet sweet palette experience. Trying to keep up with the pace of everyday life means we burn out more easily. Our rice grasshopper based snack is the best quick pick-me-up you need to get through each day. We hope to integrate insect-based protein into the future of food, one grasshopper at a time.

The name inago comes from Japan. People throughout Japan used to eat rice grasshoppers before World War II, as it was a rich source of energy. It is eaten today as tsukudani (boiled in soy sauce and sugar and stir fried). Because these insects are considered pests for rice farmers, we thought, why let them be killed and go to waste? Rice grasshoppers are abundant in rice paddy fields and are extremely easy to catch without using pesticides. And moral of the story: they’re highly nutritious, environmentally friendly, and delicious.

The first step in the brand’s logo design was sketching. I wanted the logo to be representative of the product itself and give the consumer an idea of what they were getting into. Quick ideation and pencil sketching allowed me to create various iterations to see what direction I wanted to go in. Generally, I stuck to focusing on the insect itself and how I could design it in a more approachable and reductive way, while still making it recognizable as a critter.

From the initial sketches I liked the most, I started creating digital versions of them that were much more refined. During this part of the process, I also explored different type styles and color palettes.

I decided on using the 3rd design because it communicated a sense of movement, looking "on-the-go" with its upward trajectory. This final logo is a reductive, dynamic, and friendly version of the product itself. I decided on using rounded outlines to give it that soft, approachable feel and included a simple shadow on the underside of the grasshopper to give the logo more dimension. As for the color palette, I chose to use very warm, brown and caramel tones to represent the richness of flavor our product brings.

The first part of the package design process was quickly sketching different ideas for the overall shape. I was inspired by the body shape of the rice grasshopper and wanted the package design to reflect that. The main direction was a bag-style package with a hang tab.

From the various sketches, the next step was rapid prototyping. I took the ideas on paper and started folding different configurations to get to a more refined package design. Most of these prototypes are similar in shape to reflect the original idea of replicating the grasshopper body shape, but in a more angular and geometrical style.

I finally decided on the package design I liked the best and refined the dieline template. I also designed the package exterior to reflect the rest of the brand’s business and marketing materials. The final packaging can be printed on standard 8.5” x 11” letter size paper. The design is two sided and I made marks and lines to signal where to cut and fold the package All parts of the package are glued together to form the final, store-ready product.