Best Packaging Design Consulting Services in Canada

Canada Packaging Design Consultants

Packaging design in Canada is a vibrant, innovation-driven field where creativity meets strategy. From artisanal food brands to large-scale consumer goods companies, businesses across the country are seeking packaging solutions that don’t just look beautiful — they perform, sell, and connect with customers. The right packaging design consultancy can help translate brand identity into a tangible product presence, ensuring market fit, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.

This guide introduces standout packaging design consultants in Canada, spotlighting their specialties, leadership, and the unique qualities that make them trusted partners for brands nationwide.

Methodology: How We Chose These Canada-based Packaging Design Consulting Services

To curate this list, we applied a clear, research-first process:

📊 Research-driven: Each featured company demonstrates verified public results, case studies, or documented frameworks showing measurable impact.

💬 Client-reviewed: Only agencies with genuine client testimonials, proven ROI, or verifiable industry recognition made the cut.

📍 Location-based: We selected companies with active founders and leadership teams rooted in Canada, ensuring they understand local market dynamics.

🌟 Canada Packaging Design Consultants - Provider Spotlight

This Is Marketing

‍What they do
This Is Marketing blends brand strategy with packaging design, creating visually striking and emotionally resonant solutions. They specialize in storytelling-driven design for consumer goods, particularly in food, beverage, and lifestyle sectors.

Who they work with
SMEs, startups, and established consumer brands.

Operating model
A collaborative, strategy-first approach integrating brand research before design execution.

💡 Why they stand out:

🎯 Strategy-led design process ensuring market alignment.

🌱 Experience with sustainable packaging solutions.

🏆 Proven track record in boosting brand recall and shelf presence.

Neil Stephen, Founder & CEO of This Is Marketing

Neil Stephen is a Canadian brand strategist and designer known for helping companies tell authentic stories through packaging. With a background in marketing communications, he has led projects for local and national brands, integrating visual identity with packaging functionality. He’s recognized for his ability to connect brand narrative with consumer psychology, resulting in designs that engage and convert.

Akendi

‍What they do
Akendi is a human-centred design consultancy that integrates UX principles into physical packaging experiences. Their work emphasizes usability, accessibility, and tactile engagement.

Who they work with
Technology companies, health products, and regulated industries.

Operating model
Multi-disciplinary team using research, prototyping, and user testing.

💡 Why they stand out:

🧪 User-testing embedded into packaging design.

📐 Methodical approach blending form, function, and compliance.

🌍 Cross-industry expertise from digital to physical products.

Tedde van Gelderen, Founder & President of Akendi

Tedde van Gelderen is a design researcher and strategist with decades of experience in user-centred design. His leadership at Akendi extends across multiple sectors, with a focus on applying human factors to packaging, ensuring accessibility and intuitive interaction.

Enginuity Consulting Ltd.

‍What they do
Enginuity Consulting delivers engineering-led packaging solutions, often for industrial, food processing, and manufacturing sectors. They focus on packaging that meets both operational and environmental requirements.

Who they work with
Industrial manufacturers, food and beverage producers.

Operating model
Engineering-driven design supported by prototyping and testing.

💡 Why they stand out:

⚙️ Strong integration of engineering and creative design.

🌱 Commitment to sustainable materials and processes.

🔬 Rigorous product testing before deployment.

Alex Osborne, P.Eng., MSc., Founder & Sr. Project Development Manager of Enginuity Consulting Ltd.

Alex Osborne brings a dual background in engineering and product innovation. His leadership has driven Enginuity toward creating packaging that solves logistical, safety, and environmental challenges without sacrificing brand impact.

New Design Group Inc.

‍What they do
Specializes in branding and packaging design for consumer-facing industries, with a strong emphasis on visual impact and retail performance.

Who they work with
FMCG brands, e-commerce sellers, and DTC startups.

Operating model
Brand-first creative studio leveraging data-informed design decisions.

💡 Why they stand out:

📊 Data-driven design choices based on market trends.

🎨 Award-winning creative team.

🛍 Experience in high-competition retail categories.

Dmitri Logounov, Managing Director of New Design Group Inc.

With extensive experience in design and advertising, Dmitri leads with a balance of creativity and market insight. He is known for developing packaging that not only stands out visually but also drives purchasing decisions in competitive markets.

The Workhouse Inc.

‍What they do
A design agency offering branding, packaging, and experiential marketing solutions, with a focus on bold, memorable visuals.

Who they work with
Food, beverage, and lifestyle brands.

Operating model
Creative-led studio collaborating closely with clients to bring ideas to life.

💡 Why they stand out:

🌟 Strong portfolio of visually bold packaging.

🤝 Highly collaborative client relationships.

🖌 Custom, illustration-rich design style.

Michaela Jantoska, Partner & Creative Director of The Workhouse Inc.

Michaela is a designer with a background in visual arts and branding, known for her ability to inject personality and originality into packaging projects.

Strano and Pettigrew Design Associates

‍What they do
Offers premium packaging and brand identity design for luxury and artisanal brands.

Who they work with
Boutique food and beverage producers, artisanal goods companies.

Operating model
High-touch, bespoke creative process.

💡 Why they stand out:

🥂 Specialization in luxury packaging aesthetics.

✍️ Handcrafted, detail-oriented designs.

🖼 Award-winning portfolio in high-end markets.

Albert Strano, Principal & Creative Director of Strano and Pettigrew Design Associates

Albert Strano is a creative leader with deep expertise in premium packaging design, blending artistic craft with strategic branding to produce standout packaging for discerning markets.

W Design Co.

‍What they do
W Design Co. focuses on strategic brand development and packaging design for lifestyle, beauty, and wellness products. Their designs balance clean, modern aesthetics with strong shelf visibility, ensuring each product communicates its brand story instantly.

Who they work with
Boutique beauty brands, natural wellness companies, and high-end lifestyle goods.

Operating model
Offers end-to-end creative direction, from initial concept through production-ready artwork.

💡 Why they stand out:

🌿 Expertise in eco-conscious material sourcing and printing techniques.

💡 Ability to merge minimalism with bold branding for high-impact visuals.

🛒 Proven success in increasing retail sell-through for niche products.

Lesley Warren, CEO & Creative Director of W Design Co.

Lesley Warren brings over a decade of design and marketing experience, with a portfolio spanning boutique and national brands. Known for her refined creative instincts, she leads projects that merge strategic market positioning with aesthetic excellence. Lesley is a hands-on creative, ensuring every packaging project embodies the client’s core values while standing out in competitive retail environments.

Mystique Brand Communications

‍What they do
Mystique Brand Communications is a full-service agency offering brand strategy, packaging design, and integrated marketing. They focus on aligning packaging with brand positioning for maximum recognition and loyalty.

Who they work with
SMEs, food and beverage brands, and lifestyle companies.

Operating model
Uses a brand-first approach with in-house creative and marketing integration.

💡 Why they stand out:

🎯 Deep alignment of packaging with brand messaging.

📈 Demonstrated client growth through strategic design updates.

📚 Experience across both consumer-facing and B2B packaging projects.

Paul Bies, Co- Founder & President of Mystique Brand Communications

Paul Bies is a branding strategist with decades of agency leadership experience. He is known for integrating packaging design into broader marketing ecosystems, ensuring cohesive brand experiences across channels. His leadership style emphasizes measurable results, creativity, and client collaboration.

Carter Hales Design Lab Inc.

‍What they do
Carter Hales Design Lab is an award-winning creative studio specializing in bold, conceptual packaging design that blends artistry with commercial viability.

Who they work with
Premium food and beverage, cosmetics, and artisanal product brands.

Operating model
Concept-driven design process backed by strong visual storytelling.

💡 Why they stand out:

🏆 Consistently recognized in international design competitions.

🎨 Conceptual creativity fused with production-ready deliverables.

🌍 Expertise in multilingual and multicultural packaging projects.

Sean Carter, Founder & Design Director of Carter Hales Design Lab Inc.

Sean Carter is an internationally recognized designer whose work has been featured in top design publications. He is known for pushing creative boundaries while ensuring packaging remains commercially effective. His approach combines bold aesthetics with a strategic understanding of brand positioning and consumer appeal.

Design Rooster

‍What they do
Design Rooster offers creative branding and packaging design with a playful, contemporary style aimed at building strong product personality.

Who they work with
Food startups, beverage brands, and lifestyle products.

Operating model
Boutique design studio offering tailored, hands-on collaboration.

💡 Why they stand out:

🐓 Distinctive, personality-driven design aesthetic.

🚀 Expertise in helping startups launch with strong brand presence.

🎯 Packaging that balances creativity with clear product communication.

Matthew Carusi, Creative Director of Design Rooster

Matthew Carusi is a creative designer and entrepreneur passionate about helping brands stand out. His career spans branding, illustration, and packaging design, with a knack for injecting humor and warmth into visual identities. He has guided numerous startup launches, ensuring their packaging speaks directly to target audiences.

Canada’s Standout Packaging Design Leaders Driving Brand Impact

Canadian packaging design consultancies are helping brands bridge creativity with strategic results, offering services that range from research-led design to engineering-driven innovation. These agencies work across diverse sectors including food and beverage, wellness, retail, and industrial manufacturing, each with a unique approach tailored to client goals. From storytelling-led visuals to premium luxury aesthetics, their work not only enhances shelf presence but also strengthens long-term brand equity. Many integrate sustainability, user experience, and cultural insight into their processes, ensuring relevance in a competitive market. Their combined expertise reflects Canada’s ability to deliver packaging solutions that are as effective in performance as they are in presentation.

At Digital Reference, radical authenticity is the foundation for connecting businesses with verified, high-impact solutions that truly reflect their identity. It ensures that every insight shared is grounded in truth, creating genuine value for decision-makers and their strategies.

Explore more from Digital Reference to access curated resources that help leaders refine their approach and discover opportunities for growth:

• The Full Spectrum of Design Consultants: Who’s Who in the B2B Design Ecosystem
• The Growing List of Design Professions: Every Creative Career You Should Know

The growing demand for packaging that combines function, beauty, and sustainability is reshaping the competitive landscape. Leaders who adapt quickly, integrate consumer insights, and invest in design innovation will be best positioned to thrive. Access to credible, industry-specific knowledge can significantly influence the success of these initiatives. For those ready to elevate their packaging strategies and connect with trusted expertise, there’s no better place to start than Digital Reference.‍