Nestlé USA
Essentia Water:
Visualizing the Future of Hydration
To help Essentia Water explore opportunities for growth and retail expansion, I led the design of packaging concepts for a range of new potential products. These concepts were created for internal innovation exploration and consumer testing—each one designed to retain the brand’s signature clean, bold aesthetic while introducing new formats, functions, and product stories.
This work was part of a broader effort to increase Essentia’s shelf space and relevance in adjacent categories such as performance beverages and convenience formats.
Role: Lead Designer – Concept Development & Packaging Strategy
Packaging Innovation & Strategy
Designed early-stage packaging concepts for several new product formats, including:
Pre-/post-workout beverages
Zero-sugar flavored extensions
Powdered hydration packets
Maintained brand consistency while pushing into new formats—exploring size, shape, color, and layout adaptations
Shelf Impact & System Thinking
Considered on-shelf presence and visual hierarchy to help products stand out in new competitive sets
Created concepts that extended Essentia’s brand architecture while signaling new benefits and use cases
Cross-Functional & Strategic Input
Partnered with marketing and strategy leads to ensure alignment with innovation goals
Prepared concepts for internal testing and stakeholder reviews, including multiple design directions to explore product positioning
Contribution
Impact
Helped spark internal innovation conversations and consumer testing across multiple new product directions
Delivered on-brand, high-impact packaging designs that served as a creative springboard for product development and marketing
Supported Essentia’s broader goal of expanding its footprint across hydration occasions and retailer categories