Free-from pudding brand Freaks of Nature re-launches as Over The Spoon, a delicious dairy-free dessert range. The playful and inclusive brand, created by strategic branding agency Robot Food aims to take the range from the specialist food aisle to the mainstream chiller to go pot-to-pot with dairy counterparts.

Tim Wild, Managing Director, Over The Spoon, says “Following over three years in market and a substantial amount of investment in the existing brand, the biggest challenge for us was acknowledging that we needed to re-invent ourselves to optimise our appeal to this fast changing consumer landscape. We took the leap and the consumer and retailer feedback has been fantastic. Along with a completely fresh brand identity, we have a whole new line-up of tastier products hitting the shelves. Our aim is to make the benefits of a next generation lifestyle accessible to everyone, without compromise.”

Through a strategic reset, new name, fresh visual identity, and playful packaging and brand world, Robot Food has helped Over The Spoon evolve from a free-from dessert alternative, to a mainstream dairy-free proposition – celebrating everyday flavourful treats for everyone, regardless of dietary needs.

Simon Forster, Founder and ECD, Robot Food says: “Plant-based works for sausages but seemed to jar with what people expect from a dessert. And when we looked at the growth in demand in the adjacent non-dairy milk category, it became clear to us that ‘dairy-free’ was a stronger starting point.”

Soaring out of category

Originally launched in 2017 by Cardium Products Ltd as the UK’s only dedicated manufacturer of free-from puddings, Freaks of Nature was created in response to the growing opportunity in the plant-based and free-from space.

In the years since, plant-based has become increasingly mainstream. But under the label Freaks of Nature, the dessert brand found itself stuck in the minority free-from section of supermarkets, catering to specific dietary needs rather than a growing broader lifestyle.

To better maximise on the commercial potential of the range, Freaks of Nature came to Robot Food to help elevate the brand to new heights.

To this end, Robot Food created a wholly new brand from scratch. Over The Spoon is a fresh, playful take on ‘dairy-free’ desserts that catapults the previously niche pudding range out of the free-from category and into the mainstream as a credible, tasty, everyday treat for everyone to enjoy.

Free Daisy

The transformation of the brand from Freaks of Nature to Over The Spoon started with a complete overhaul of the brand positioning to attract the mainstream consumer.

Forster elaborates: “The ‘dairy-free’ position led to the idea of freeing dairy. What would Daisy the cow be doing if she wasn’t being milked all day?”

This playful line of thinking ultimately led Robot Food to create the new brand name “Over The Spoon” and to craft the leading pack call-out: ‘Dairy Free-d’.

Dairy-free indulgence

The new brand by Robot Food imagines exactly what Daisy the cow might be doing once freed from being milked all day. Through cheerful colours, modern typography, and an accessible, up-beat tone of voice, Over The Spoon invites consumers into a fun brand world with strong underlying cause-driven implications around sustainability and animal welfare.

Pastel colourways invoke classic cues from dairy-based treats – in this way, consumers don’t feel they’re missing out, even while the communication extols the clear benefits over dairy counterparts.

“The brand is now what you want from an everyday treat,” Forster says. “It’s bright and fun, but also showcases appetising product photography, missing from the previous brand, so you know exactly what you’re getting.”

On-pack the identity, illustrated in-house by Robot Food Junior Designer Ryley Devine, changes from product to product, depicting Daisy the cow ticking off her bucket list.

“It’s been amazing to have the opportunity to showcase what I’m made of on such an important project so early on in my design career. I’ve loved creating the illustrations and feel honoured to have helped Daisy live her best life,” says Devine.

The underlying message suggests that Daisy has freed herself from expectation and labels, so Over The Spoon consumers are encouraged to do the same, vegan, veggie, flexi – whoever. These delicious dairy free-d treats are for all to enjoy.

Free from labels

By delivering a total transformation that focuses on what Cardium does best, Robot Food gave Over The Spoon a complete brand toolkit to successfully tear down the barriers and remove the baggage of a free-from label, thereby cementing the brand’s place in the mainstream.

Over The Spoon products are in stores now. The brand by Robot Food is live across all physical and digital touchpoints, and the PR campaign is being brought to life by Nexus PR.