Founder and Creative Director at Truly Creative, a San Francisco Bay Area based strategic brand and package design firm specializing in building consumer brands that stand out on-shelf, connect emotionally, and leave a lasting impression.

Clients have included Williams-Sonoma, Traditional Medicinals, Eggland's Best, Jovial Foods, Ajinomoto Frozen Foods, Annie Chun's, ConAgra Foods, Alexia Foods, Mommy's Bliss, So Delicious, Kalmbach Feeds, and Alex's Awesome Sourdough.

Specialties: 
-Brand Development (Strategy & Positioning, Naming, Identity) 
-Package Design (Structural Design, Package Design, Brand Extensions)
-Marketing Materials (Promotional Materials, Corporate Collateral, Product Literature)
-Environmental Design (Point of Purchase, Trade Shows, Signage)

Carrie Dufour

Next week I’m heading to the Annual Meat Conference and I can’t wait.

I’m especially excited to see our client Farmer Focus debut three new fully cooked, fully awesome products:

🌶️ Harissa & Honey Sausage
🍃 Parmesan & Herb Meatballs
🧀 Southwestern Style Cheddar Sausage

Seeing our designs come to life is always rewarding. Getting to sample the finished product is a nice bonus!

I love meeting LinkedIn connections in real life, so if you’ll be at AMC, send me a message and let’s “meat” up (had to be done). 

And definitely stop by booth # 825 to be among the first to try these deliciously bold new flavors.

#MeatConference #MeatIndustry #2026AMC #PowerofMeat #Protein

Congrats to our friends at Farmer Focus 🎉

Out of 1,000+ innovative products entered, their Parmesan & Herb Chicken Meatballs were one of just 40 winners selected for a 2026 NEXTY Award.

I had the chance to see the team earlier this week at the Annual Meat Conference and experience some of their newest products first hand. It’s exciting to see them expanding in ways that help consumers get a high-quality dinner on the table even faster. 

Our Truly Creative team is proud to have played a small part in bringing this product to life. Huge congratulations to the entire Farmer Focus team, and congrats to all of the NEXTY Award winners and finalists pushing the natural products industry forward. 👏

Check out all the winners here:
https://lnkd.in/gsRuKM4r

#naturalproducts #nextyawards #expowest New Hope Network

Feeling pretty lucky that this counts as work.

Tomorrow I’m heading to Future Food-Tech in San Francisco for 2 days of digging into what's shaping the next wave of food trends and innovations.

I’m especially curious to see...

✺ how AI is actually being used to develop products from concept to shelf.

✺ how brands are simplifying ingredients and moving away from ultra-processed foods.

✺ how functional foods, GLP-1s, and wellness trends are shaping what we eat next.

From a branding lens, I’m also interested in how companies are translating all of this complexity into products people understand and trust.

If you’ll be there, let’s connect!

#FutureFoodTech #CPG #FoodInnovation #BrandStrategy #FutureOfFood

From the land of meat, tallow… and hot dog hats, here are a few takeaways from this year’s Annual Meat Conference.

1️⃣ Grocery and restaurants are mixing

The cost gap between eating out and cooking at home keeps widening, so more people are cooking at home. But they’re tired, short on time, and cooking fatigue is real.

Brands and retailers are responding with pre-marinated or fully cooked items, meal kits, and in-store quick-serve concepts like H-E-B’s BBQ counters.

Consumers want restaurant convenience… at grocery prices.

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2️⃣ Value doesn't always mean low price

For Gen Z and Millennials, “lower cost” actually comes after quality and appearance.

Value is increasingly tied to the experience: flavor, cooking confidence, meal inspiration, and lifestyle fit.

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3️⃣ Production matters

Younger consumers care deeply about how food is produced:

• Animal welfare
• Raised in the U.S.
• Grass-fed
• Regenerative agriculture
• Environmental impact

What happens before the meat hits the shelf matters more than ever.

------------------------

4️⃣ Blending is trending

Consumers love the best of both worlds.

One example: Crossover Meats protein blends like chicken + beef that combine the flavor and iron of beef with the lower fat and environmental footprint of chicken.

Another: The Better Meat Co.’s mycoprotein (fungi) ingredients blend with beef, boosting umami while lowering environmental impact.

I think we’ll see more hybrid products that balance nutrition, flavor, sustainability, and affordability.

------------------------

5️⃣ Hispanic flavors keep gaining ground

Chorizo. Birria. Carnitas. Tacos.

As consumers recreate restaurant experiences at home, Hispanic cuisine continues to lead the way with bold flavor, familiarity, and versatility across proteins.

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These themes extend well beyond the meat category. It’s about protein, convenience, transparency, flavor exploration, and helping people cook better meals at home. Hot dog hats optional. 🌭


Farmer Focus Konopelski Meats Gleezy Dog Tender Belly Rastelli Foods Group, Inc. Snake River Farms #MeatConference #MeatIndustry #2026AMC #PowerofMeat #Protein

This is what I love about our industry. Success, then generosity.

When I first started, Expo West and big trade shows felt impossible.

Not because I didn’t want it badly enough to be in the room with potential buyers. 

But because early on, everything is a trade-off.

You’re choosing between:

Paying for inventory
Keeping the lights on
Or flying across the country to meet one buyer
…hoping that one conversation changes everything.

Sometimes it does.

Sometimes one conversation rewrites the next five years.

Back then, I couldn’t justify the cost, the risk, or the optics.

Now, I finally can.

My business partner Zelka Ridjosic Traikos  and I have a few Expo West passes to give away (≈ $4,000 value each), and I want to pay it forward.

If you’re building something —

quietly, imperfectly, with more doubt than certainty —comment below! 👇

what you’re working on
and why being in that room would matter

No pitch deck.
No polish.
Just honesty.

We will pick a few founders and help get you in the room. 🤍👊


#ExpoWest #Founders #CPG #BuildInPublic #PayItForward

Will you be at AMC next week? Let’s meat!

I’ll be walking the show scouting trends and innovations in sustainable packaging, product formats, flavor, and of course branding and design.

If you’ve got something new and noteworthy (or just want to say 👋), tell me where to find you. I’d love to stop by.

#MeatConference #MeatIndustry #2026AMC #PowerofMeat #Protein

Valentina Vicent

Clients: LVMH, Amex, Vita Coco, Califia Farms, Frieze, Remezcla, Walmart.

Since 2017, I've managed projects to develop innovation-driven packaging designs for clients, create visual assets for marketing campaigns, and mature and grow established brands.

Some of my contributions include:

• Partnered with leadership to brainstorm, conceptualize, and execute creative brand initiatives.

• Created original branding and packaging designs for Sundaze fermented citrus cocktails.

• Planned and executed a Product Design sprint to optimize the AMEX Bluebird card website.

• Designed illustrations for various Califia Farms products and marketing campaigns.

• Ensured alignment with brand standards (tone, style, voice) in all creative designs.

• Established foundational processes, policies, and systems to guide clients’ creative efforts.

Art Director

Kendo Brands, Inc.

At Kendo Brands, LVMH's beauty accelerator, I've collaborated with Fenty Beauty and Ole Henriksen teams to develop innovative packaging designs, create compelling visual assets, and drive growth for these iconic brands.

Key achievements include:

•  Contributed creative art direction and design for Fenty's Summer '25 and Holiday '26 collections

•  Developed packaging concepts and design solutions for multiple new product launches

•  Created innovative structural packaging solutions aligned with brand sustainability goals

•  Established design systems and guidelines for packaging development

•  Collaborated with production teams to optimize packaging designs for manufacturing efficiency

Scale Media

As Design Director, I was tasked with leading a multi-disciplinary team of 12 designers and external partners to manage a suite of creative projects (including packaging and UX/UI design) for a multinational consumer goods company specializing in personal health, beauty, food, and beverage products.

Some of my key contributions include:

• Managed and efficiently allocated project resources to enhance deliverables quality and streamline project cycles.

• Developed project processes that are standardized, scalable, and informed by industry best practices.

• Established a foundational design framework to guide and inform product/brand design efforts.

• Developed an Onboarding Hub to integrate new hires and streamline time-to-productivity metrics.

• Deployed an AI-powered Digital Asset Management solution to manage 5K+ digital assets, reduce costs, and supplement marketing efforts. 

• Led the development of Brand Books and Design Systems to manage and continually evolve brand identities. 

• Established principles and guidelines governing the production of traditional photography, video, and realistic 3D renders.

• Provided strategic guidance to facilitate commercially successful new product/brand launches.

• Promoted multiple team members internally to incentivize and inspire high performance.

• Served as Interim Creative Director for 6 months to manage the 23-member video and influencer teams.

• Divided the video team into Production and Post-Production for improved efficiency and overall productivity.

• Launched a dedicated group for social media projects to better support the influencer team.

Design Director

Vita Coco

Between 2015 and 2017, I led a multi-disciplinary team of 3 designers and external vendors to manage integrated creative projects.

Some of my key contributions include:

• Provided guidance and creative insights to ensure successful new product/brand rollouts. 

• Developed experiential marketing concepts and campaigns to effectively differentiate the brand from competitive peers. 

• Reorganized digital asset libraries for improved productivity and project efficiency. 

• Built mentor-mentee relationships with team members.

• Upheld brand guidelines in all design activities.

• In-housed previously outsourced photo-video design work to deliver significant cost savings.

Insight-driven, solution-oriented, design leader with a proven track record of collaborating with renowned consumer brands such as LVMH, Amex, Califia Farms, Chopt, and Vita Coco. Adept at leveraging data-driven strategies and industry best practices to drive profitability, enhance content visibility, and foster brand growth with over a decade of experience. Builds, trains, and leads high-performing teams to manage end-to-end design, video, and photography projects.

🦜 I am a creative, resourceful, and versatile professional with a seasoned design management background, a history of producing impactful, story-driven marketing content, and a talent for aligning creative teams around common goals. I combine over 10 years of experience providing design leadership, vision, and artistic direction for multiple high-profile organizations; producing on-brand print/packaging designs and creative assets that raise the bar in innovation; leading a suite of process improvement initiatives to streamline project cycles; and carefully shaping the processes and policies that sustain an efficient, productive, and highly competitive organization.

🏓 I am a supportive team leader with a strong ability to take charge of projects, train and empower others, and motivate those around me to do their best work. I believe a leader’s primary duty is to cultivate, professionally develop, and grow confidence in her team. I have the ability, expertise, and coaching skills to drive my team to success.

🎧 I have the communication skills to clearly articulate my vision, persuade people to take action and get the ball rolling in the right direction. Whether I’m sending out emails, communicating with a partner, presenting to a crowd, or anything in between; I communicate quickly, accurately, and effectively.

🏄🏼‍♂️ I am an agile thinker who is highly adaptable and quick on her feet. In today’s highly dynamic business environment, what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. I have the experience and the dexterity to stay one step ahead of change, shift gears when the context calls for it, respond effectively to evolving industry trends, and drive my organization to success.

🥭 Key Skills:

✦ Design Systems & Guidelines
✦ Digital Asset Management
✦ Print & Packaging Design
✦ Marketing Content Creation
✦ Team Leadership & Development
✦ Project & Resource Management
✦ Brand Marketing Leader
✦ Mentor/Coach/Facilitator
✦ Top-Tier Communication Skills
✦ Brand & Culture Building 
✦ Product Launch Strategist
✦ Video & Photo Art Direction

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Carrie Dufour

Valentina Vicent

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Valentina Vicent

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