Art direction and branding design for Upvege, a food brand that upcycles unused vegetables into new food value.

Upvege focuses on vegetables that have been discarded due to irregular shape or size and transforms them into food products through an original powdering technology. While rooted in the issue of food loss, the brand is not positioned as a message-driven or activist initiative. Instead, it is designed to exist naturally within everyday meals, as a product that can be chosen without conscious effort or justification.

The brand logo is based on the initial letter “U,” combining the organic movement of growing vines with an upward, circular arrow symbolizing upcycling. The mark represents the process by which unused vegetables are given new value and reintroduced into circulation, expressed as a concise and non-literal visual symbol rather than an explanatory graphic.

For the packaging design, priority was placed on immediate clarity—allowing consumers to understand at a glance which vegetables are used in each product. Even for those unfamiliar with the concepts of upcycling or food loss, the packaging is structured so that ingredients and usage are visually communicated first. The vegetables themselves are depicted in a clear and iconic manner, ensuring legibility and usability over overt social messaging.

Rather than emphasizing its social significance, the branding aims to establish an appropriate distance between purpose and daily life. The overall presence of the brand is designed to feel natural and quietly integrated into everyday choices.