You might know the purple cracker box. Or maybe the gluten free pizza in your freezer. But what about the name Milton’s?
Exactly.
That brand disconnect is exactly what Milton’s set out to fix. I sat down with John Reaves, CEO of Milton’s, to dig into why they rebranded, how they made it happen, and what other brands can learn from the process.
From Bread to Bites: A Quick History of Milton’s
John’s been at Milton’s for 17 years, 13 of those as CEO. Originally, Milton’s was a sliced bread company (founded in 1996), but the brand had to pivot when that category shifted. The result? A bold move into gluten free territory with crackers in 2014, and frozen cauliflower crust pizzas in 2018. Most recently, they’ve added high-protein crackers and pizza snack bites to the mix.
“We’re all about innovative, better-for-you food,” John said. “And it just so happens to be gluten free.”
(Milton’s high-protein crackers, by the way? Chef’s kiss. I have them in my pantry and can confirm: they do not taste like cardboard pretending to be protein.)
The Problem: People Loved the Products, But Didn’t Know the Brand
Even in their own backyard, John says, people didn’t recognize the name Milton’s. They’d see the crackers or the pizza, maybe recognize the packaging, but when someone mentioned “Milton’s,” it didn’t click.
So the team asked themselves:
- How can we help people connect the dots across all of our products?
- How do we unify everything—from the crackers to the pizzas to the new snack bites—under one recognizable brand?
The answer? A full-on rebrand.
The Strategy Behind the Rebrand
The rebrand wasn’t just about looking more modern—it was about owning brand recognition.
✔️ Stronger emphasis on the Milton’s name
✔️ Letting go of “Craft Bakers” (a nod to their old bread biz that no longer served the brand)
✔️ Unified packaging across all products to visually say, “Yep, this is all Milton’s.”
They also made a bold design choice: downplaying the big “gluten free” shoutouts and leaning into delicious imagery instead.
“Consumers don’t read, they recognize,” John said. “We needed to show off the brand, not just the attributes.”
One of the biggest internal challenges? Letting go of legacy elements like “Craft Bakers.” John admitted that some long-time team members were hesitant. But with plenty of testing, team collaboration, and consumer feedback, the entire team got behind the change.
They also prioritized retaining their gluten free loyalists, making sure that even as the packaging evolved, it still felt familiar. The goal wasn’t to alienate their current fans—it was to invite more people to the (cracker-filled) table.
The rebrand has already started to pay off.
People who knew Milton’s crackers are now discovering their pizza—and vice versa. And customers are starting to recognize the name Milton’s, not just the purple box.
That’s what we call brand alignment!
Lessons for Other Brands Thinking About a Rebrand
John’s advice?
“Really understand what your consumers already connect with. What are they recognizing, even unconsciously? And don’t change everything just for the sake of change. Keep the good stuff—and then build on it.”
From my perspective? One of the biggest takeaways here is the importance of visual consistency. A lot of brands end up with what I call “Frankenstein branding”—where every product, service, or offer looks like it came from a different company. But as Milton’s shows, when everything looks like it belongs in the same family, you don’t just look more professional—you build trust faster. And trust = conversions.
Also, don’t underestimate how much clarity fuels growth. If people don’t immediately get who you are and what you do, they won’t stick around to figure it out. This is why strategy matters just as much as design. Pretty packaging (or a pretty website) won’t save you if people can’t remember your name—or worse, don’t even know you exist.
Milton’s didn’t just slap on a new label—they built a clearer bridge between products, modernized the brand, and made it easier for people to recognize (and remember) who they are.
This is what a smart, strategic rebrand looks like.
👉 Ready to explore your own brand clarity? Let’s make your website work harder for you.
