Overview

While working at my family’s local olive oil and vinegar shop, I redesigned and maintained a system of printed fusti tags— display labels used to present product information at the point of sale. These tags were a key part of the customer experience, helping visitors browse and compare olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and specialty infusions with ease.

The final system included color-coded categories, structured pricing tiers, tasting notes, and lab-tested quality metrics — all designed to balance brand character with clarity and professionalism.

Problem / Solution

The original tags were inconsistent and difficult to update, making the store feel cluttered and the products harder to understand. Important details — like flavor intensity, country of origin, and chemical data (e.g. FFA, PPP, DAGS) — were either missing or presented unclearly.

A new tag system was designed and maintained to:

• Organize essential information into a clean, legible hierarchy

• Introduce color-coded borders to distinguish between olive oils, vinegars, and specialty oils

• Display lab-tested metrics in an accessible way without overwhelming the layout

• Standardize label dimensions and formatting for consistent printing and quick updates

• Support seasonal changes in inventory while maintaining brand clarity

Design CONSIDERATIONS

Information hierarchy: Prioritized tasting notes, harvest dates, and region, while secondary data (biophenols, peroxide, FFA, etc.) was grouped into a compact stats block.

Visual clarity: Used consistent typography, spacing, and alignment to improve scanability for in-store browsing.

Color-coded categories: Applied distinct visual themes for different product types, aiding in quick differentiation.

Print-ready system: Designed all tags in Adobe InDesign using reusable paragraph and character styles for easy maintenance.

Customer education: Structured content to help first-time shoppers understand quality indicators and tasting profiles.