East Rock
Gisborne-based fishery East Rock was founded by brothers from Stromboli, Italy in 1926. After four generations of fishing the East Coast, the Zame family still follows the sustainable fishing methods they have always practiced — using small boats on short, regular trips to ensure the freshness of their catch. A key point of difference is the product’s ocean-to-plate transparency, with every fish traceable to the boat and location it was caught. East Rock wanted to tell the story of their heritage and sustainable practices while appealing to local customers and the Asian export market, who love the quality and freshness of New Zealand fish. To speak to a culturally diverse market, we drew inspiration from Asian art forms such as Gyotaku – where a real fish is layered with ink and a print is taken directly from the skin. The logo design uses Hanko signature stamps, which are hallmark stamps that signal quality across cultures. We produced a custom sleeve to show as much of the product as possible — a balance between form and function. This fits East Rock’s commitment to transparency, as well as using 50% less material in line with their value of sustainability.
Black and white photos, fishing coordinates and encyclopaedic illustrations of each boat reflect the expertise that comes with almost 100 years of fishing New Zealand’s east coast.
