I love messing around in the white space - finding a product needing to be disrupted - made different. Cooler. Better. A unique point of view is key here…
The inspiration behind hol (pronunciation of the world “whole”...) was truly about building the brand I’d actually want to recommend to friends, family, etc.
The reality is, there’s nothing “fun” or “sexy” about eating simple, whole, unprocessed food…
In fact, in today’s age of all the flashy, trendy, and attention-grabbing marketing of the diet and nutrition industry, some would go as far to say that positive, healthy change isn't going to come from something boring and stale.
In a category that has traditionally only focused on emphasizing the “locally-sourced” “natural,” and “environmental-friendly” aspects of the products, I saw the opportunity to come at it from a different angle…shake things up a bit. Rather than pushing nutritional claims and preaching the benefits like most health-centric brands, I didn’t feel the need to justify or prove the concept, but instead wanted to leverage the allure of being “on-trend” to subtly shift consumer behavior towards local, seasonal, whole foods.
Recognizing that most people are coming from a very disempowered, shameful place as a result of health and wellness brands using such aggressive language around fixing, managing, etc. or wanted to pivot away from this and offer a fresh perspective (pun intended), away from the nutritional claims and instead using fashion and beauty to leverage the allure of being on trend to subtly shift . A bit of a Trojan horse approach some say.
SIMPLICITY THAT TURNS HEADS: Stripping things down to their essentials, without losing impact. Basic, straightforward in a way that still feels bold, confident, and trendy. Simplicity that doesn’t fade into the background or get lost in all the industry’s marketing hype, but instead stands out in a cool, effortless way.
I wanted to create a brand that effectively communicated what hol represents to me. I wanted people to think of hol not just as a nutritional approach or a food brand, but on a deeper level…an attitude… how does this show up in your life? This was a crucial integration.
While food has lived in kitchens, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. for so long, I was determined to bring food into every aspect of life, with a dynamic, “on the move” energy…a brand with all these elements that showed you how living this way fuels and empowers you to go for it, to do the thing, to test the limits…because now you have the energy, brain space, and overall health to do so.
The ultimate goal is not only to change the perceptions around eating this way, but also to create a brand that elevates the entire category, while remaining the leader…so even if it’s not hol, you think of hol.
We’’ll take one of everything xx!