A tub of Kemps Salted Caramel Cold Brew ice cream.

A Fresh Take on Tradition

We partnered with DFA to modernize a midwest darling in a frozen case.

Capabilities

PORTFOLIO ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN STRATEGY

PACKAGE DESIGN

BRAND WORLD ASSETS

PHOTOGRAPHY

Several tubs of Kemps craft ice cream varieties, including summer strawberry, heavenly vanilla, brownie cookie dough delight, and mocha mudslide, with some containers open showing the ice cream inside and a spoonful served in a white dish.
A plate of ice cream with vanilla, chocolate, and caramel flavors topped with chocolate syrup and served with a gold spoon on a light blue background.
A woman with curly dark hair smiling and holding a bowl of mint ice cream topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Challenge

Kemps has been bringing “Good Comes Around” to families for more than a century, but it's frozen dessert portfolio had grown into a collection of independently designed product lines with little visual consistency. As consumers gravitated toward more modern, premium brands, Kemps saw an opportunity to rethink its ice cream portfolio with a unified design system that would create stronger shelf presence, improve shopability, and appeal to a younger generation.

At the same time, the Simply Crafted line faced a more pressing challenge. Built around a clean-label, fewer-ingredients proposition, the line was losing relevance as consumers increasingly sought indulgent flavors, premium ingredients, and elevated recipes.

Action Taken

DuPuis partnered with Kemps to develop a broader design strategy for its frozen dessert portfolio. We created a scalable design system that unified the portfolio while allowing each product line to keep its own personality. A clean, modern visual language, featuring illustrations inspired by Kemps’ farming heritage, refined typography, and elevated product photography, gave the portfolio a more cohesive and premium look while making it easier for shoppers to navigate.

The biggest transformation came with the reinvention of Simply Crafted as Kemps Crafted. In response to changing consumer preferences, we repositioned the line around premium craftsmanship and indulgence, introducing a bold new identity centered around a signature golden spoon that became a visual symbol of a more premium ice cream experience.

Results

The refreshed portfolio launched at retail in late 2025, bringing a cohesive, modern identity to the Kemps frozen dessert portfolio. The reinvention of Kemps Crafted helped expand distribution for the premium line, and the portfolio design system was recognized with a 2026 GDUSA American Package Design Award.

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