The Red Relish Revolution: Bottling a Fan-Favorite Flavor
Brand Strategy, Menu Architecture, Product Innovation, Research, Culinary Engineering, Operations, Packaging, MarketingTo satisfy overwhelming consumer demand, Ajnci partnered with Jersey Mike's to transform their beloved Hot Chopped Pepper Relish from a small in-store condiment into a 16-ounce retail jar. This strategic CPG expansion brought a signature flavor into customers' homes, established a lucrative new revenue stream, and paved the way for future grocery partnerships, all while maintaining the authentic taste fans love.
CHALLENGE
Fans of Jersey Mike's had long clamored to take home the brand's iconic pepper relish, but it was previously only available directly on subs or in tiny two-ounce condiment cups. The primary hurdle was safely transforming a fresh, in-store topping into a profitable, shelf-stable retail product that met high consumer expectations for flavor. The client needed us to navigate R&D, container material selection, legal label compliance, pricing strategy, and seamless in-store integration across thousands of franchises without cannibalizing core restaurant sales.
RESULTS
The retail jars were a massive commercial success, effectively solving the challenge of scaling a fresh condiment into a highly profitable brand extension. By leveraging our deep expertise in CPG development, the product sold out its initial inventory within the first two weeks of launch. The project moved 450,000 jars by November, generating $2.8 million in initial sales, and is on track for $4.5 million in projected sales for 2025 with an estimated 15-20% year-over-year growth. Ultimately, this successful rollout fulfilled customer demand and built substantial brand equity for future grocery retail partnerships.
Jersey Mike's Subs is a rapidly growing, premier fast-casual sandwich franchise with over 3,200 locations across North America. Founded in 1956, the brand has cultivated a fiercely loyal customer base and is famous for its authentic, fresh-sliced, and fresh-grilled submarine sandwiches.
APPROACH
PACKAGING
We crafted the physical packaging and branding by selecting a clear, 16-ounce PET plastic jar with a wide-mouth lid that perfectly replicated the operational feel of the restaurants. Working closely with suppliers like Gielow Foods and Merieux, we iterated through label proofs to maximize visual appeal while meeting rigorous legal and nutritional review standards.
APPROACH
DISPLAY
To guarantee seamless in-store integration without cluttering the counter, we designed a custom "Boardwalk Plan-O-Gram" grab-n-go display rack. This fixture provided highly visible retail placement near the register, organizing the jars elegantly alongside existing dessert offerings, while new POS product look-up keys effortlessly tracked velocities.
APPROACH
RESEARCH
To ensure market viability, we partnered with Media Predict to conduct comprehensive predictive consumer studies. We surveyed over 1,000 respondents to evaluate four distinct label concepts, gauge purchase likelihood, and establish an optimal suggested retail price of $5.95.
APPROACH
MARKETING
We produced a full suite of dynamic marketing assets, capturing lifestyle photography and developing holiday-themed social media campaigns like "Stuff the Stockings with Flavor". To drive immediate awareness, we strategically bundled the jar launch with a Spicy Chicken Italian limited-time offer, positioning the relish as a hero ingredient.
APPROACH
COMMUNICATION
We launched and communicated the project through the internal Innovation portal and newsletters to ensure alignment. Crucially, we gathered and aligned franchisee and crew feedback from trial locations like Blue Lagoon in Miami and Melbourne, FL to refine the rollout strategy and ensure internal buy-in before the national push.