Overview: Cakebread Cellars
Cakebread Cellars is a prestigious, family-owned winery located in Rutherford, Napa Valley. Founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread, the estate has grown from a modest 22-acre property into an internationally distributed brand. Best known for its Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery is widely recognized for its legacy of excellence in both winemaking and hospitality.
Beyond its wines, Cakebread is deeply committed to sustainability. It holds certifications from Napa Green, Bee Friendly Farming, and Fish Friendly Farming—demonstrating environmental leadership across every aspect of production. Visitors to the estate enjoy seated tastings, curated culinary experiences, and immersive vineyard tours, reflecting the winery’s ethos of quality, authenticity, and care.
How We Helped
Facing multiple challenges with their prior supplier—namely quality inconsistencies and missed timelines— as well as an overall desire for a “renewal or refresh” of the branding. Cakebread Cellars partnered with BIG SKY PACKAGING to lead a full rebrand of their wine club member boxes. Our role was to act as Cakebread’s in-house packaging team, aligning structural design, materials, and sustainability with the brand’s legacy and forward-looking ambitions.
Step #1: Understanding the Vision
We began by immersing ourselves in the story and values of Cakebread Cellars—its artisanal winemaking, family heritage, and environmental stewardship. This foundation informed our design direction: create packaging that embodied Napa Valley sophistication, reflected sustainable practices, and upheld the winery’s high-touch member experience.
Step #2: Engineering the Packaging
Leveraging full structural engineering and material evaluations, our team explored multiple packaging formats and decorative options. Every element was scrutinized—from board stock and coatings to closure systems and print techniques. The goal: optimize for both aesthetics and function, while adhering to Cakebread’s environmental goals. Prototyping and sampling allowed us to validate all components for durability, luxury feel, and on-brand presentation.
Step #3: Bringing the Vision to Life
Once the designs were approved, BIG SKY PACKAGING led the complete production process, managing sourcing, quality assurance (QC/QA), and logistics. Our team remained hands-on throughout—providing technical support, resolving any challenges, and ensuring that final components met the precise expectations for performance, craftsmanship, and timeline.
Step #4: Market Impact and Customer Response
The reimagined packaging was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback—from Cakebread’s internal teams to wine club members and trade partners. The elevated packaging not only reinforced the winery’s premium positioning but also amplified its commitment to sustainability. The result: a packaging system that enhanced the unboxing experience and deepened brand loyalty.
Step #5: And We Did It!
Together, we transformed a high-risk supplier transition into a strategic brand opportunity. The outcome exceeded expectations across all dimensions—design fidelity, production reliability, and brand alignment. The new wine club packaging now stands as a visual and tactile extension of Cakebread Cellars’ values: craftsmanship, legacy, and environmental respect.
“Big Sky Packaging took our vision and brought it to life—transforming our concept from scratch with sustainable materials that allow us to stay true to who we are as a winery without ever sacrificing luxury. Their team was incredibly responsive and hands-on at every stage, making us feel fully supported as we navigated the packaging update. I cannot recommend working with them highly enough.”
Jessah Diaz – Director of DTC | Cakebread Cellars
Key Takeaways
· Deep Partnership
BIG SKY PACKAGING served as an integrated extension of the Cakebread team, aligning from vision to delivery.
· Heritage Meets Modernity
Innovative structures and decoration honored tradition while updating the visual language for today’s market.
· Technical Assurance
Sampling, QC protocols, and responsiveness ensured launch readiness and eliminated uncertainty.
· Future-Ready Support
Our team remains on call to support future retail, reserve, or limited-release packaging needs as Cakebread continues to grow.
Contact BIG SKY PACKAGING today and see how our team can help build your brand!
