Vida by Paderno
Taste Life
The gap between Canada’s top-selling kitchen brand, MasterChef, and the premium brand, Paderno, revealed a significant growth opportunity for Canadian Tire.
Brand Development
The project began in March 2020, just as company-wide budget cuts were introduced in response to the pandemic. Despite these constraints, we needed to deliver a complete visual brand language for a brand central to the growth of Canadian Tire’s owned assortment.
As Senior Industrial Designer, I led both the external partnership and the internal design team. I established a hybrid approach: partnering with Bressler Group for the initial creative direction while directing our junior designers to expand the system, design additional assets, and build the brand guide. I also managed the sourcing and selection of the design agency, negotiated quotes, and oversaw day-to-day project management.
The team successfully delivered the project on time, saving $110,000 in development costs, and created the foundation for one of Canadian Tire’s fastest-growing brands.
Launch
The brand was launched to compete with established better-level kitchen brands, including Cuisinart, Black & Decker, The Rock, and Ninja.
The Visual Brand Language was designed to target adults aged 30–50 who enjoy cooking but see the true value in gathering with family and friends around food. Built on an attractive stainless-steel assortment and a timeless aesthetic, the VBL was created to feel at home in any kitchen.
Growing the Assortment
In 2022, I became Manager of Indoor Cooking, leading the team in expanding the assortment to meet the brand’s aggressive financial growth targets.
My role evolved from hands-on product design and development to mentoring and training staff, empowering them to take ownership of designing, sourcing, and developing new products.
Design and Sourcing
Vida has always been built on a balance of designed products and selectively sourced platforms. My team manages both design development and sourcing, working in close collaboration with the brand team, quality assurance, retail buyers, and our Pacific Rim office.
We are responsible not only for the design and aesthetic of the products, but also for delivering against financial targets, reducing quality defect rates, and improving online star ratings. In addition, we support marketing initiatives, packaging design, and manual development to ensure a cohesive brand experience.
Pivot to Colour
For the Fall/Winter 2024 launch, I led a strategic pivot to expand the brand’s reach and capture a younger, underserved audience at Canadian Tire.
Recognizing the growing consumer trend toward personalization, my team refreshed the Visual Brand Language to align with this shift. The update was designed to give new homeowners and renters, often unable to renovate their kitchens, an accessible way to bring individuality and colour into their spaces.
