Cast Iron Design's packaging for Byte Bars takes us on a psychedelic journey back to the '60s

Byte is a brand of vegan snack bars made with MCT oil, the healthy fat from coconuts that helps burn fat for energy and boost your metabolism. As a new company entering into the oversaturated snack bar market, Byte needed to avoid the stereotypical ‘crunchy granola’ aesthetic. They turned to Boulder-based studio Cast Iron Design to make it happen.

The resulting visual approach represents a cross-generational, free-spirited vibe through psychedelic shapes from the ’60s and an electric colour palette from the ’80s and early ’90s. At the front and centre of the new identity is a series of mouth icons, that when combined with the extensive colour possibilities, give each bar and box their own distinct look. The Byte wordmark is set in Cheee, a funky typeface described as having a ‘stoney’ vibe, and flavours are set in the Hobo-inspired Hobeaux. With both being very expressive typefaces, the more straightforward rounded sans serif Anchor is used for more functional details.

For Byte’s retail boxes, Cast Iron used Neenah Paper’s Folding Board 100 PC White, a 100% PCW recycled stock. For Byte’s t-shirts, they spec’d water-based ink which is a superior choice over conventional plastisol ink both for the environment and for the quality of the print.

Cast Iron Design

Byte