Yi Mao’s wood pulp packaging concept for Boudin SF is straight-forward, direct, and stunning in its simplicity. The embossed logo on the packaging is a nice touch that elevates the packages-we’ll take two sourdough soup bowls to go, please.
“Boudin SF Plastic Free Food Packaging project is born from ArtCenter College of Design’s first 100% plastic-free packaging course. Students were challenged to rebrand a fast or fast-casual food brand and redesign their packaging system to be fully sustainable, using no plastic or bioplastic. Students also needed to use new and old materials, including biomaterials such as wood pulp, plant cellulose, food waste, grass, algae, and mushrooms that are sustainably sourced, and at the end of their lives, can get composted into bio-mass to regenerate depleted farming soils.
The original brand itself is a bakery and restaurant chain from San Francisco and is known for its sourdough bread. It was established in 1849 by Isidore Boudin, son of a family of master bakers from Burgundy, France, by blending the sourdough prevalent among miners in the Gold Rush with French techniques and longevity. Today, it is famous for its “Bowl of Soup,” which is a sourdough boule with clam chowder inside of it. This rebranding and packaging design is recognizing sustainability as longevity and delivering Boudin SF’s same spirit but with a 21st-century vibe.
