The Meaning Behind J.M. Smucker’s New Logo And Corporate Identity

The J.M. Smucker Co. (SJM) has undergone a corporate identity overhaul as it looks toward the future of its business.

The company, which has built its brand on jams and jellies, has grown from an $800 million operation to a $7 billion multi-product company over the last two decades. J.M. Smucker offers a number of brands in the coffee, pet food, pet snacks, peanut butter, and snack categories, including the Folgers, Jif, Milk-Bone, Café Bustelo, Uncrustables, and Rachael Ray Nutrish brands.

The company said it created a new corporate identity to better reflect the incorporation of these brands into its product family. The new identity will better align J.M. Smucker with its growing portfolio of products and focus on its category expertise and multi-generational appeal, the company said.

“Given our ambitions of continued transformational growth, it is important our identity reflect the company we've grown to become and the one we aspire to be,” Mark Smucker, president and CEO at The J.M. Smucker Co., said in a statement.

Smucker continued: “We have a tremendous portfolio of brands, products that appeal to every generation of consumers and employees who are passionate about operating responsibly. With this new identity, we are able to shine a light on what makes us unique and give people a reason to learn more about how we're using our business to positively impact people and pets.”

With a new logo and brand identity makeup, J.M. Smucker will pay homage to its origins while reinforcing its “growth ambitions.” The new logo uses a strawberry, which acts as its past and will help J.M. Smucker remember its heritage and values it was built on. The berry also acts as an anchor that points to change with the leaf shapes representing its creativity, culture, and growth potential. Finally, the yellow shape is the company’s spark, marking its commitment to innovative thinking and fresh ideas.

“We think it captures the essence of their organization, while giving a nod to their heritage,” Rick Barrack, chief creative officer and co-founder of CBX, the firm selected to partner with J.M. Smucker on the logo and visual system.

Shares of J.M. Smucker were trading at $108.25 as of 11:53 a.m. EDT, down $1.63 or 1.48%.