Tesco Finest launched in the UK in 1998 and soon became a mainstay of the nation’s kitchen cupboards. But the lives and tastes of food lovers have changed dramatically since then and Tesco Finest - like most 20 year olds - was grappling with its place in the world.

The time had come for the brand to own its space on shelves once more.

To whet the appetites of modern foodies, Tesco Finest approached us to reimagine its humble tinned fish packaging, ensuring that every little detail expressed the brand’s expertise in an evocative, flavourful way. Our task was to create illustrations that would leap off the tins, bringing the products’ unique stories to life.

Just as Tesco Finest has stories to tell, so too do food categories.

Nowhere is this more true than in the case of tinned fish. A humble kitchen staple, it’s as rich in heritage as it is in flavour. So, to craft our illustrations, we first delved deep into the humble history of sardines and mackerel. Then, we crafted a contemporary take on traditional illustration styles once popular across Europe.

We pored over the details to design illustrations which look (almost) too good to open. Paired with evocative colours to champion flavour cues and detailed touches to convey craftsmanship, each one dramatises the provenance of the fish. And, together, they seamlessly continue a story of craft that begins long before canning.