Sourcing brief · OTH-0142
Swap in progressCherry red, no Red 40
- Product
- Cherry slush concentrate
- Target color
- Bright cherry red
- pH
- 3.2
- Process
- Hot fill, 85°C
- Shelf life
- 12 months ambient
- Volume
- 4,000 lbs / year
- Timeline
- Ship by Q3 2027
OTHER, DESIGN SYSTEM v0.2
Independent reformulation matchmaker
The color, type and components for OTHER, the reformulation matchmaker for brands moving from synthetic dyes and flavors to natural ones.
Logo
The OTHER lockup: a lemon for the O, hand-cut yellow letters, and NATURAL FLAVORS set below with an almond for the O in FLAVORS.
Logo rules
- Use the full lockup wherever there is room. Minimum width 120px. Below that, use the lemon mark.
- Clear space: half the height of the lemon on all four sides.
- On dark backgrounds use the reversed lockup, set directly on the background, never inside a box or card.
- Never retype, recolor, stretch, rotate or outline the logo. The lettering is custom.
- Never place the primary lockup on Leaf Green, Almond, Lemon or a photo.
Favicon
16 PX32 PX48 PX64 PX180 PXOTHER Design SystemThe favicon is the lemon mark alone, on a transparent background.
Color
Every bright is named after a real natural colorant. Neutrals are warm, like paper and peel.
Brand
Lemon
- Hex
- #FDD731
- Role
- Lemon body, Bright button fill, highlights. Text on it: Ink (13.2:1).
- Source
- Logo
Lemon Shade
- Hex
- #FBC421
- Role
- Shaded side of the lemon; hover and pressed state for Lemon fills.
- Source
- Logo
Lemon Gloss
- Hex
- #FCEA94
- Role
- Highlights and soft tints.
- Source
- Logo
Wordmark Yellow
- Hex
- #F8CB20
- Role
- The THER letters in the logo only, not for UI fills.
- Source
- Logo
Leaf Green
- Hex
- #4D8331
- Role
- Primary button fill, brand green, white text on it (4.6:1).
- Source
- Logo
Leaf Light
- Hex
- #6AA543
- Role
- Accents, success icons, chart series; never for text.
- Source
- Logo
Almond
- Hex
- #7A2F00
- Role
- FLAVORS lettering, eyebrow labels, dark accent text (8.9:1 on Cream).
- Source
- Logo
Leaf DeepDerived
- Hex
- #3F6D28
- Role
- Green text and links on Cream, Peel and White (5.8:1 on Cream); hover state of Leaf Green fills.
- Source
- Derived
Leaf Green as text on Cream measures 4.3:1 and fails AA, so green text uses Leaf Deep.
Rule
Brand colors come from the logo. Leaf Green fills carry white text. Lemon fills carry Ink text. Green text on Cream uses Leaf Deep, never Leaf Green.
Colorants
Colorants are for dye tags, status and data. They are never brand surfaces.
Spirulina Blue
- Hex
- #1F6BFF
- Role
- Primary action, links
- Source
- Spirulina / blue algae
Beet Red
- Hex
- #E8264E
- Role
- Alerts, deadlines, synthetic dye tags
- Source
- Beetroot
Turmeric
- Hex
- #FFB800
- Role
- Highlights, mid readiness
- Source
- Turmeric root
Butterfly Pea
- Hex
- #7B3FE4
- Role
- Secondary accent, flavor side
- Source
- Butterfly pea flower
Paprika
- Hex
- #FF6A1F
- Role
- Energy accent, CTAs on dark
- Source
- Paprika
Beet Red Deep
- Hex
- #D41F45 · white 5.1:1
- Role
- Fill for white text (Destructive, Beet Red blocks)
- Source
- Beetroot
White text checks: Spirulina Blue 4.6:1, Butterfly Pea 5.7:1 (both pass AA, no darker fill needed). Beet Red 4.2:1 fails, so white text uses Beet Red Deep.
Neutrals
Ink
#14121F · Primary text, dark sections
Ink Soft
#4A4658 · Secondary text, 4.5:1+ on Cream
Cream
#FFF8EE · Page background
Peel
#FFEFD9 · Sunken areas
Surface
#FFFFFF · Cards
Line
#EADFCD · Borders
Tints on Cream
Spirulina Blue
text #0B3FA8
4.5:1+ AA
Beet Red
text #9E1030
4.5:1+ AA
Turmeric
text #6B4A00
4.5:1+ AA
Butterfly Pea
text #4F1FA3
4.5:1+ AA
Paprika
text #993800
4.5:1+ AA
Lemon 15%
text #7A2F00
8.5:1 AA
Leaf Green 12%
text #3F6D28
5.0:1 AA
Rule
Bright fills carry Ink text, except Spirulina Blue, Beet Red and Butterfly Pea, which carry white.
Type
Bricolage Grotesque for display, Manrope for reading and UI, JetBrains Mono for specs, data and labels.
Logo typefaces: Marykate (THER) and Garet (Natural Flavors). The logo remains the supplied artwork.
Aa
Bricolage Grotesque
Weights 600, 800
Aa
Manrope
Weights 400, 500, 700
Aa
JetBrains Mono
Weights 400, 500
Display
72 / 72 · Bricolage 800
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
H1
48 / 52 · Bricolage 800
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
H2
32 / 38 · Bricolage 800
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
H3
22 / 30 · Bricolage 600
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
Body
17 / 28 · Manrope 400
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
Small
14 / 22 · Manrope 500
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
Caption
12 / 18 · Manrope 400
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
Mono label
12 / 16 · JetBrains Mono 500 · 0.08em
Red 40 out. Beet red in. Same cherry, cleaner label.
Shapes and Elevation
Soft and rounded, like fruit. Depth comes from warm layered shadows, not borders alone.
Cards
24px
Buttons and inputs
14px
Image frames
28px
Chips
Full
Level 1
0 1px 2px rgba(20,18,31,.08)
Level 2
0 2px 4px …/.06, 0 12px 32px …/.10
Level 3
0 4px 8px …/.08, 0 24px 56px …/.16
Juicy (featured only)
0 18px 40px -12px Beet Red 45%
Focus ring
3px Spirulina Blue, 2px offset, on every interactive element. Tab to try.
Focused state
Blobs
Decorative backgrounds only. Turmeric, Butterfly Pea, Paprika.
Backgrounds
Six grounds. Text always sits on a solid area that passes AA.
1 · Cream (default)
Default page ground.
2 · Peel (sunken panels)
For grouped, recessed content.
3 · Fruit Stand hero
Headings sit on solid Cream, never on a blob.
4 · Ink with Lemon glow
Dark sections for weight and proof.
5 · Leaf Green block, white text
One loud moment per page.
6 · Lemon block, Ink text
Bright and warm, straight from the logo.
Navigation
Logo left, four links, one primary action.
Readiness Audit
A static sample of the audit tool.
Reformulation Readiness Audit
Four steps. Step 2 active.
- 1Category
- 2Dyes used
- 3Conditions
- 4Deadline
Your readiness
Not readyModerateNatural ready
- Red 40 to beet / purple sweet potatoModerate swap
- Yellow 5 to turmeric / safflowerWatch light and heat
- Blue 1 to spirulina or galdieria blueHard swap in low pH
Swaps are options to verify with your supplier and regulatory counsel.
Sourcing Brief
A document that a supplier can quote from. Featured with the Juicy Lemon Shade shadow.
Supplier Card
Fictional suppliers for layout only.
Low minimums
Northfield Color Co.
SpirulinaAnthocyanins
- MOQ
- 50 lbs
- Lead time
- 3 weeks
Sample supplier for design only.
Saltmarsh Flavor Works
CitrusBotanicals
- MOQ
- 1 gallon
- Lead time
- 2 weeks
Sample supplier for design only.
Unclaimed profile
Ridgeline Botanicals
TurmericPaprika
- MOQ
- 25 kg
- Lead time
- 4 weeks
Sample supplier for design only.
Deadline Tracker
Public commitments, each with a visible source.
Table
Scrolls inside its card on small screens.
| Company | Commitment | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Heinz | Remove FD&C colors from US portfolio | End of 2027 | Fox Business |
| General Mills | Remove FD&C colors from US portfolio | End of 2027 | Fox Business |
| Hershey | Remove synthetic dyes from candy and snacks | End of 2027 | America First Policy Institute |
| Nestlé USA | Eliminate FD&C colors from US food and beverage | Mid-2026 | America First Policy Institute |
Timeline
Same four commitments, placed by deadline.
Mid-2026
- Nestlé USA
Eliminate FD&C colors from US food and beverage
Source: America First Policy Institute
End of 2027
- Kraft Heinz
Remove FD&C colors from US portfolio
Source: Fox Business
- General Mills
Remove FD&C colors from US portfolio
Source: Fox Business
- Hershey
Remove synthetic dyes from candy and snacks
Source: America First Policy Institute
Regulation card
FD&C Red No. 3 revoked in food and ingested drugs
Final- Date
- Food: Jan 15, 2027.Ingested drugs: Jan 18, 2028.
- What it says
- FDA revoked the authorization on January 15, 2025. A stay triggered by objections was lifted on August 5, 2026, and FDA confirmed both dates unchanged.
- What it means for you
- Reformulate Red 3 before January 15, 2027. The audit's swap options are beet and anthocyanins.
Charts
No big-number tiles. Every chart carries a visible source.
FDA natural color decisions
Horizontal timeline. All three decisions on one date.
May 9, 2025
- Galdieria extract blue approved
- Butterfly pea flower extract expanded
- Calcium phosphate approved
Source: U.S. FDA via ABC News, May 9, 2025
Audits started per week
Sample data for design only.
Sample data
Sample data for design only
Long-form text
Section heading
Sample long-form text for design review. Strong emphasis and external source links stay readable.
Supporting heading
- Sample list item
- Another sample list item
Sample pull quote for design only. Long quotations remain visible in full.
| Field | Sample value |
|---|---|
| Source | Primary source |
| Review | Dated review |
- Field
- Source
- Sample value
- Primary source
- Field
- Review
- Sample value
- Dated review
Quotes
Never truncated, never behind a toggle. Long quotes step down in size.
“We had eight SKUs on Red 40 and no idea where to start. The brief got us three supplier calls in a week.”
“We had eight SKUs on Red 40 and no idea where to start. Our big flavor house wanted a 2,000 lb minimum and a six month queue. The audit showed us which products were easy wins and which ones would fight us on pH and heat. The brief got us three supplier calls in a week, and two of them sent samples before our next production run.”
Alerts and Feedback
Banners, toast, modal and empty state.
Banners
Info, success, attention, error.
InfoNew FDA color decision added to the tracker.
SuccessBrief sent to 3 suppliers.
AttentionBlue 1 is a hard swap in low-pH drinks.
ErrorRetailer deadline in 90 days.
Toast
Bottom-right, 4 seconds, Ink surface.
Profile claimed.
Empty state
Clear next step, no dead ends.
No briefs yet
Run the audit and your first sourcing brief shows up here.
Modal
Confirm before sharing anything with suppliers.
Send this brief?
We'll share your sourcing brief with 3 matched suppliers. Your company name stays private until you approve a match.
Image Styles
Placeholders show framing and art direction. No stock photos, no AI people.
4:3
1:1
16:7
Image rules
Ingredients are the hero: one ingredient per frame, saturated seamless background in a brand bright. Real people only, never AI-generated faces. Product shots on color blocks. Never place text over a photo without a solid Ink overlay at 75% or more. Alt text required.
Fruit and flavor illustrations follow the logo: flat shapes, one darker shade side, soft gloss highlights.
3D accent style
Glossy, soft, slightly dreamy. Use sparingly.