Illustrating Muffin Break’s favourite muffins from farm to deliciously baked goods, Adriana Picker has been able to convey a movement away from mass-produced and industrialised farming and an emphasis on the human element and high quality of the ingredients.
Adriana’s botanical illustrations ties in well. The connection between the growers of Muffin Break’s wholesome ingredients and association with nature works perfectly.
While now based in New York, she grew up in New South Wales in the coastal town Newcastle and the Blue Mountains. Growing up with an artistic family who nurtured creativity motivated her to continue with her passion to become a commercial artist. Companies she has illustrated for include Mecca Cosmetics, Australian Vogue, Murdoch Books and Quay Restaurant.
Curious to know why Adriana creates Muffin Break’s illustrations so perfectly? Her familiarity of the brand since childhood, cherishing fond memories of her grandfather treating her to muffins at their local store. Adriana says she believes the authenticity of Muffin Break is a major factor in its continued popularity.
Muffin Break began their journey of treating their customers to illustrated packaging back in late 2017 for the launch of their Christmas campaign. From their muffin packaging to coffee cup designs, Muffin Break loved the idea of customers taking away treats for their family that was beautifully wrapped.
This first design focused not on perfection, rather the realness of nature and handcraft, which is perfectly imperfect and unpretentious. The end result is stunning. Adriana’s finely delineated illustrations of coffee plant leaves have a gorgeous competition and texture…and reflect Muffin Break’s award-winning blend. There is also a strong correlation between the leaves of the coffee plant and Christmas holly. It evokes a traditional Christmas, while having an original slant.
From there, Adriana worked on the Mother’s Break campaign, redesigning muffin packaging, takeaway coffee cups and coffee capsules retail packs. The task offered to the illustrator was to showcase the deconstruction of an apple crumble, focusing on the fresh ingredients that form an all-time favourite baker’s recipe. Adriana wanted to illuminate the care and consideration placed into this recipe, not a mass production, rather it is predicted by the skill of a baker in every Muffin Break store. She highlights the most beautiful ingredients possible, through her truly unique style of illustration.
The fresh ingredients she encompassed in the packaging for Muffin Break’s coffee cup design, coffee capsules to our muffins takeaway box subtly implies the ingredients are in the process of being baked. When you take careful notice of the design, you will the ingredients in their natural state including the apple freshly picked from a tree with its leaves still attached, the raspberries and spices. The baking basics were also designed being the eggs, butter and flour. The story that breathes through this illustration connects the ingredients to the final, fresh products baked at Muffin Break daily. Many of the wholesome elements used to create these masterpieces are keeping Aussie farmers in business.
Her next project was the Christmas campaign for 2018 where she wanted to add at least, a small amount of beauty into the customer’s daily routine. It serves a nice surprise when customers are rushing through their busy days. It was a production to release luxe packaging which perfectly reflects the unique aesthetic of an Aussie Christmas. The botanical illustrations put a twist on the leaves of native Australian plants and wildflowers, pulling out luscious pinks and greens to reflect traditional Christmas colours. The design has also been printed onto special edition Muffin Break tea towels and wrapped around the mini pudding to make the perfect wrap.
While she’s busied herself to illustrate Muffin Break’s goodness through customer packaging, she was simultaneously starting to introduce elements of her botanicals in Muffin Break store design, being a trending theme in the market.
More than that, Muffin Break wanted to further communicate that all their products are baked fresh every day on site. That every store has a potion for a dedicated baker to bring to life Muffin Break’s favourite recipes. A NOW BAKING sign was incorporated into the refurbishment of stores as well as new store designs.
Adriana’s idea to demonstrate wheat on the walls of the store encompasses elements of the baking process with these visual cues. A further reminder to customers that we do bake fresh daily.
Adriana’s most current project with Muffin Break is to bring to life new packaging to celebrate their 30th year in business this April 2019.