Assorted cookies in a decorative basket and a ceramic vase in the background.
Black and white illustration with stylized text reading 'sometimes I forget to be a human' arranged in a handwritten style, surrounded by a decorative wavy border.

SDC Empanadas
Authentic Chilean flavours

SDC Empanadas was born from two Chileans who missed the flavours of home. Today, they bring authentic Chilean recipes to the table—from empanadas and pastel de choclo to completos—made with care, quality, and respect for tradition. Their food is rooted in the flavours they grew up with, creating something familiar, authentic, and easy to trust.

The Challenge

SDC Empanadas set out to evolve its brand while preserving the equity it had already built through its recognizable logo and signature orange color. The goal was to create a refreshed identity that reflected the next chapter of the business—the launch of its food truck in 2026.

A stylized logo featuring a green checkmark with a black background.

To support this evolution, we refined the existing logo with softer, more approachable forms while maintaining its familiarity. We introduced a brighter orange alongside a complementary color palette to create a more distinctive visual identity. A new typographic system established consistency across every brand touchpoint.

At the heart of the identity is a custom collection of hand-drawn doodle-style illustrations that celebrate the craft behind every product. Their playful, imperfect quality evokes the feeling of food made by hand and the warmth of sharing a homemade meal. Combined with a vibrant colour palette and tactile textures, these elements create a welcoming visual language that helps the brand build genuine connections with communities across Calgary, Canmore, and Banff—making SDC Empanadas feel approachable, memorable, and unmistakably authentic.

Logo with circular text around a sun illustration, reading 'Welcome to the Chicagoland Flavors' in brown, and an orange chili pepper in the center.
Text logo with orange flame design and white text for 'Syrup Empanadas.' Circular brown text surrounds the logo, listing various location names.
Orange text saying 'The Sopranos' on a black background, with a stylized orange and white illustration of a convertible car with a person inside above it.
White cursive text spelling "tacos" with a yellow taco illustration to the right, set against a black background.
Cheddar cheese with Melinda's empanadas logo and orange border
Cheddar cheese with Melinda's empanadas logo and orange border
A bright orange and white graphic design featuring bold text that reads 'Special Em nasadas' inside a cloud-shaped outline.
Illustration of a cookie with the text 'sugar,' 'cookie,' and 'bakery' in orange, outlined in orange.
White chalk drawing of a brain with the words 'mental health' inside it, on a black background.
Logo with orange pumpkin illustration and black text reading "What Thanksgiving Flavors are in your tummy?"
Illustration of a clenched hand holding a wheat stalk with leaves, symbolizing agriculture or farming.
A sausage in a bun with toppings, served on a plate. The sausage is topped with mustard and possibly onions or other condiments.
Stylized orange and white fingerprint icon on a black background.
A cartoon illustration of a chocolate-colored bagel with a swirl of cinnamon inside.
Close-up of a stylized taco with orange dotted pattern, white base, and orange outline, featuring cheese, lettuce, and tomato slices.
A minimalist illustration of a toaster with bread slices inside, depicted with simple shapes and a bright orange outline.
A stylized illustration of an orange and white segmented citrus fruit, such as an orange or grapefruit.
Close-up of a digital illustration of a taco with an orange background.
Cartoon illustration of a hand with a finger pointing, highlighted with orange and brown outlines.
Illustration of a piece of pumpkin pie decorated with whipped cream and surrounded by pumpkin seeds.
Graphic of a football, orange with black stripes, designed in a stylized, abstract manner.
Cross-section illustration of a tree trunk showing growth rings and the inner core.

To complete the system, we developed a flexible suite of logo variations, graphic elements, and composition guidelines that adapt seamlessly across packaging, signage, merchandise, digital platforms, and the food truck itself.

Services

Packaging Design

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Art Direction

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BTL Marketing

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Merchandise Design

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Digital Assets for Social Media

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Packaging Design • Art Direction • BTL Marketing • Merchandise Design • Digital Assets for Social Media •

A stylized checkmark mark in teal color layered on a black background.
A stylized checkmark mark in teal color layered on a black background.

Industry
Food & Beverage

Image of assorted desserts including a cheesecake topped with berries, a panna cotta with caramel, and a basket of profiteroles dusted with powdered sugar.
Image of assorted desserts including a cheesecake topped with berries, a panna cotta with caramel, and a basket of profiteroles dusted with powdered sugar.
A person opening a box of empanadas with the logo 'SDC Empanadas' on the inside lid, featuring a hand with dark skin and black sleeve. The empanadas are golden brown and placed inside the box on a reflective metallic surface, with a blurred gray background and shadows.
A sandwich with beef, guacamole, tomato, mayonnaise, and a sandwich bun on branded paper, next to a glass of lemon soda with ice.
A white paper bag with orange illustrations and black text, sitting on a dark countertop near a window, with a blurred background.
A white paper bag with a logo reading 'sdc empanadas' and the text 'Authentic Chilean Flavours, Canmore, Banff, Calgary' printed on it. An empanada with a golden-brown crust and crimped edge is sticking out of the bag, set against an orange background.

Sweet Pastries

Creamy & Powdered

Baked goods

Original seasonings

Fried & Crispy

Dulce de Leche

Butter

Close-up of a dessert menu on an orange table, featuring images and descriptions of Colombian-style desserts like alfajores, cachitos, tres leches, and mote con huesillo.
Close-up of two business cards for Sad Empanadas on a person's arm. The cards are orange and white with the company's logo and contact information.
Signboard advertising empanadas with a list of Argentine regions. The text reads "Authentic Chilean Flavours," "sd empanadas," and includes the Instagram handle @sdempanadas. The signboard is outdoors on a paved area with a blurred background of trees and building structures.
A food truck named 'sdc empanadas' serving various types of empanadas at an outdoor event in a city. The truck has a sign advertising authentic Chilean flavors and a menu listing empanadas with different fillings. There are people ordering and standing nearby, with tents and tall buildings in the background.
Group of people enjoying eating pizza outdoors on a sunny day.
People enjoying empanadas in front of a food truck called SD Empanadas at an outdoor event, with the truck offering authentic Chilean flavors and various menu options. The scene includes a diverse group of customers eating and interacting, with the food truck decorated with orange and white graphics, and surrounded by trees and other tents.
Outdoor market with food trucks and tents set up in an urban plaza surrounded by tall buildings. A food truck labeled "sdC empanadas" serves Chilean-style empanadas, and there are many people shopping and socializing.
A round sign on a wall advertising empanadas with a logo and the words 'Authentic Chilean Flavours,' along with the locations 'Canmore, Banff, Calgary'.
Person wearing a white t-shirt with orange food cartoon illustrations and text, standing in a kitchen. The illustrations include a burger, a chicken drumstick, and a slice of meat, along with wheat and a fork.
A woman wearing a black dress with orange straps, carrying a white tote bag with orange text and design, standing outdoors on a gray pavement.
A chef wearing a beige hat and white apron with orange text prepares food in a commercial kitchen.
An orange hoodie with a logo on the front reading 'sdC empanadas' resting on a concrete floor next to a metal tray with a baked empanada and a glass of tea with fruit.
View of a bakery or cafe through a window with a sign that reads 'sdc empanadas here', showing a counter with baked goods and warm lighting inside.
A bright orange restaurant sign advertising authentic Chilean empanadas, featuring illustrations of empanadas, bread, and a fork, with the text 'sd empanadas' and the Instagram handle '@SDCEMPANADAS'.
Close-up of a cheesecake topped with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries with edible flower decorations, with some fruit and pastry illustrations overlayed.
Flyer for Canmore Mountain Market, every Thursday at Elevation Place from May 21 to October 1, 10AM to 6PM, with illustrations of a burger, slice of cake, carrot, and a Swiss roll.
Close-up of an empanada with a crispy golden-brown crust, showing a meat and vegetable filling inside, placed on a wooden surface with additional empanadas and a small dish in the background. Text overlays reading 'Featured Menu' and 'Empanadas' in orange and white.
Flyer for every Saturday Calgary Farmers & Makers Market at SPACE, Marda Loop, from May 23 to October 17, 10am to 2pm, featuring illustrations of hot dogs, tacos, cake, and cookies.
Assorted alfajores, including layered cookies with caramel filling, coconut-covered cookies with jam, and powdered sugar-covered cookies with jam notes, arranged on a table.
Logo for SDC empanadas with the text 'Authentic Chilean Flavours' and locations listed as Canmore, Banff, Calgary on a beige background with orange and yellow abstract shapes.
A logo for sdc empanadas, a Chilean empanada business, with text around it listing Calgary locations, set against a brown and orange abstract background.
Stylized illustration of various foods including cake, pie, sandwich, burger, tortilla chips, and ingredients like wheat and a whisk, with text 'SDC empanadas' and mention of Calgary and other locations, highlighting authentic Chilean flavors.
Orange background with a logo for 'sdc empanadas' in the center, surrounded by the text 'Authentic Chilean Flavours' and names of locations: Canmore, Banff, Calgary, with abstract design elements in black, yellow, and orange at the bottom.

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