ChatGPT answers, unedited

• ALX Creatives - 420 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654
• Dupuis Group - 440 N Wells St, Ste 510, Chicago, IL 60654
• Dupuis Group - 62 W Huron St #2A, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Equator Design / Packaging Design Agency - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 2200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Kuzma& - 430 W Erie St #505, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Fresh Design Studio - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza Suit 1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Flashlight Studio - 62 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Potluck Creative - 325 N Hoyne Ave c404, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Avenue3 Studios - 333 N Oakley Blvd Ste 106, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SO Dsgn - 1719 S Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• The Food Group - 1114 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Studio Malt - 1806 W Cuyler Ave #3h, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• The Motion Agency - 325 N La Salle Dr Ste 550, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Yes. I’d narrow this to a handful rather than a generic list of Chicago web agencies. For a small food/CPG brand, you want the overlap of brand strategy + packaging + Shopify + actual food photography.

Best matches

1. ALX Creatives — River North, 420 W Huron St

• Probably the closest match to your full brief.
• Does branding, web development, Shopify/e-commerce, photography, video and content.
• Their work includes consumer-goods/e-commerce brands, including a case where they built a brand and Shopify store and handled photography.
• Best for: an emerging food brand that wants one relatively nimble team to take it from identity → Shopify → content.
• This would be my first call.
• Dupuis Group — River North, 62 W Huron St

• Much stronger on CPG brand strategy, identity and packaging than a typical Shopify shop.
• They specifically work with food/beverage brands and emerging CPG companies.
• They collaborate with Dupuis Group / Flashlight Studio-type production capabilities for photography and motion.
• Caveat: I'd ask whether they'll actually own/build the Shopify implementation or bring in a development partner.
• Best for: if the packaging/brand system is the most important piece and Shopify is the next layer.
• Equator Design / Packaging Design Agency — Downtown Chicago

• Excellent fit if you're serious about food packaging: brand strategy, packaging, CPG design and an integrated photo studio/prep kitchen.
• More sophisticated/CPG-agency territory than a typical small-business branding studio.
• Caveat: Shopify isn't their obvious core competency, so I'd expect a partner for the commerce build.
• Kuzma& — River North, 430 W Erie St

• Full-service creative agency with a strong CPG/food & beverage orientation.
• Worth talking to if you want a more traditional agency relationship covering brand, creative and retail-facing work.
• Caveat: Shopify isn't as clearly established in their offering as it is for ALX.
• Fresh Design Studio — Merchandise Mart

• Stronger on Shopify/e-commerce + brand identity.
• Their offering explicitly includes Shopify/WooCommerce development, branding and digital creative.
• Caveat: I wouldn't pick them over ALX if high-end food photography/packaging photography is a major requirement.

The photography wildcard

If the agency you choose doesn't have the photography quality you want, Flashlight Studio is unusually convenient because it's literally in River North and specializes in food/beverage photography for packaging, digital and print. They have a food-production studio/kitchen and extensive CPG packaging work. Flashlight Studio Flashlight Studio

That's actually an attractive pairing with Dupuis: brand + packaging with Dupuis, photography with Flashlight, Shopify with a commerce partner.

Another strong food-photography option is Lisamarie Cerny, whose Chicago studio does CPG packaging photography, food styling, video and stop motion—but she's in Avondale rather than River North. Lisamarie Cerny Photography

My shortlist for your specific brief

If it were my project, I'd interview ALX, Dupuis, and Kuzma& first. ALX looks like the best one-stop solution; Dupuis looks strongest if the brand/packaging needs to feel genuinely CPG-caliber.

One other interesting option: Potluck Creative is outside River North but has a strong food-production/content orientation, including photography + video + food styling + packaging photography.

If you tell me roughly what kind of food product (snacks, sauce, frozen, beverage, bakery, etc.) and your approximate branding + Shopify budget, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and show you the most relevant food-brand work from each.

Yes — there are a few Chicago options that look unusually well matched to small food/CPG brands needing brand strategy + packaging + Shopify + photography, and River North narrows the field considerably.

My shortlist

1. DuPuis Group — probably the most interesting River North lead

DuPuis Group is actually in River North at 62 W Huron and specializes in CPG, food and beverage. Their capabilities cover strategy, branding, packaging, structural packaging, digital/social and product innovation. www.flashlightstudio.com

The particularly interesting part for your brief is the relationship with Flashlight Studio, which is at the same 62 W Huron address. Flashlight specializes in food/beverage photography specifically for packaging, digital and print, including CPG product photography. www.flashlightstudio.comwww.flashlightstudio.com

So I'd ask DuPuis directly:

“Can you take a small food brand from positioning/identity through packaging, Shopify, and a coordinated food/product shoot, or would you recommend a Shopify development partner?”

That's probably the closest match to your River North + food + packaging criteria.

2. Path Creative — strongest “one vendor” option

Path Creative is less geographically convenient, but the service combination is unusually on-point. They explicitly list website design/development, retail packaging, commercial food photography and video, and say they work with emerging and small-to-midsize food/CPG brands. www.pathcreative.com

Their Chicago office is at 1 E Erie, Suite 525-5044, so despite the studio being elsewhere, they're actually quite close to River North. www.pathcreative.com

For a founder who doesn't want to manage three separate vendors, I'd put them very high on the list.

3. Flashlight Studio — use them for the photography piece

Flashlight Studio is literally in River North at 62 W Huron and is highly specialized in food/beverage imagery. They do packaging photography, product photography, food styling, motion and campaign imagery. www.flashlightstudio.comwww.flashlightstudio.com

I'd consider them especially if your priority is getting really good CPG imagery rather than generic ecommerce product shots. Their portfolio includes packaging work for snack/food products and flavor-focused imagery. www.flashlightstudio.comwww.flashlightstudio.com

They'd pair particularly naturally with DuPuis.

4. Praella — if Shopify is the hardest requirement

Praella - eCommerce Agency is downtown at 203 N LaSalle and is much more Shopify-centric. They handle Shopify/Shopify Plus builds, migrations, custom functionality, integrations and CRO.

I wouldn't hire them as the sole branding partner, though. I'd use them if you have a strong packaging/brand designer already—or pair them with a CPG branding shop.

My ranking for your exact brief

If you want one team:
Path Creative

If River North is important:
DuPuis Group + Flashlight Studio

If packaging/brand strategy is the most important piece:
DuPuis Group

If Shopify complexity is the most important piece:
Praella

If photography needs to look genuinely premium:
Flashlight Studio

One caveat: I found much stronger public evidence for Shopify + branding + food photography separately than for a single River North agency explicitly advertising all four under one roof. So I wouldn't assume DuPuis does the Shopify build themselves without confirming it.

If you tell me roughly what kind of food brand (snacks, sauce, frozen, beverage, supplements, etc.) and your ballpark budget ($10–25k / $25–50k / $50k+), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their relevant food-brand work, Shopify capability, location, and likely fit.

Yes. I’d narrow it to 3–4 agencies, because the combination of food/CPG branding + Shopify + packaging + actual food photography is surprisingly specific.

Best matches

1. Path Creative — strongest all-in-one fit

This is probably the first one I’d call for a small/emerging food brand. They explicitly work with food, beverage and CPG brands and offer branding, packaging, Shopify/e-commerce development, commercial food photography and video under one roof. Their Chicago office is at 1 E Erie St., Suite 525-5044, so it's right in River North. www.pathcreative.com

They specifically say they build Shopify stores, and their studio can handle food/product shoots with a commercial kitchen, food stylists and prop room. www.pathcreative.com

Path Creative

Why I'd shortlist them: You could plausibly give them the whole brief—brand identity → packaging → product/food shoot → Shopify site—without coordinating three vendors.

2. DuPuis Group + Flashlight Studio — strongest branding/packaging option

This is the more CPG-branding-heavy choice. DuPuis is at 440 N Wells St. / 62 W Huron St. in River North and specializes in food & beverage, brand strategy, identity, package design, structural packaging and digital. Their realization capabilities include photography through their affiliated Flashlight Studio. www.dupuisgroup.com

Flashlight is particularly compelling for the photography piece: it's a River North food/beverage studio with food styling and a kitchen, and specifically produces imagery for packaging, digital and print. www.flashlightstudio.com

DuPuis Group

Caveat: I don't see Shopify development listed as a core DuPuis capability, so I'd ask whether they build the Shopify storefront themselves or partner that piece out.

3. One Design Company — good River North brand + digital option

They're literally in River North at 230 W Superior St. and combine branding/strategy, identity, website design and front/back-end development. Their portfolio includes food-adjacent work such as Two Lights Oysters, Proof Pizza and Hopewell Brewing. www.onedesigncompany.com

One Design Company

Caveat: I don't see Shopify or food photography explicitly advertised, so I'd rank them below Path for your particular brief.

4. Equator Design — packaging/food photography specialist

Not River North—the Chicago studio is at 20 N Wacker—but this is worth knowing about if packaging quality is especially important. Their Chicago operation focuses heavily on CPG packaging/brand design and has an integrated photo studio and prep kitchen, with photography extending beyond simple pack shots.

My ranking for your brief

I'd start with Path Creative. They seem unusually close to your exact requirements and are actually in River North. If the brand work needs to feel more sophisticated/CPG-agency-level, I'd talk to DuPuis + Flashlight as the second conversation.

If you tell me what kind of food brand it is (snacks, sauce, frozen, beverage, supplements, etc.) and roughly your budget, I can narrow this to 5 agencies with relevant food-brand case studies and likely project-size fit.

Yes. I’d narrow this pretty aggressively, because “branding + Shopify + food/CPG packaging + photography” is a more specific combination than it sounds.

Best Chicago fits

1. DuPuis Group — River North

440 N Wells St / 62 W Huron St area. This is probably the strongest food/CPG-first option. They do brand strategy, identity, packaging, structural packaging, digital/social, and product innovation, and they’re accustomed to emerging consumer brands. They also have a close relationship with Flashlight Studio for photography. www.flashlightstudio.com

Caveat: I would confirm that they will actually build the Shopify store themselves rather than hand it off to a specialist.

2. Path Creative — Chicago

This is the most compelling one-stop-shop I found. They explicitly combine branding/identity, packaging, website design/development, photography and video, with specific experience in food, beverage and CPG. Their own site describes them as serving small-to-midsize companies and emerging brands. www.pathcreative.com

Best if: you want one team responsible for the brand, packaging, ecommerce site and content rather than coordinating several vendors.

Location downside: not River North.

3. The Motion Agency — River North

At 325 N LaSalle, this is another interesting integrated option. They handle branding/marketing, photography and retouching, packaging execution and 3D rendering.

Best if: you're looking for a somewhat more established/full-service agency rather than a tiny boutique studio.

Caveat: I'd specifically ask for examples of Shopify builds for small food/CPG brands before putting them on the shortlist.

4. Praella — downtown Chicago

This is the Shopify specialist I'd consider if ecommerce is particularly important. They're heavily focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.

I'd pair them with a branding/packaging studio rather than expect them to be your food-brand creative agency.

The photography wildcard

Flashlight Studio is exactly where I'd look for the photography component. They're at 62 W Huron St in River North, specialize in food/beverage photography, and explicitly produce imagery for packaging, digital and print campaigns. www.flashlightstudio.com

The particularly nice setup is that DuPuis + Flashlight are already connected, so you potentially get a River North branding/packaging relationship plus a dedicated food-production studio without having to source a photographer from scratch. www.flashlightstudio.com

One I'd put on the “serious food brand” list

Soulsight is Chicago-based and very strong on CPG branding/packaging. Their portfolio includes brand strategy, identity, packaging and photography for major consumer brands. www.soulsight.com

But I'd consider them more of a sophisticated CPG branding/packaging agency than a small-brand Shopify shop, so they may be overkill depending on your budget.

My shortlist for your brief

If this were my project, I'd contact DuPuis, Path Creative, and The Motion Agency first. I'd ask each for a proposal covering brand strategy → identity → packaging → packaging/product photography → Shopify design/build → launch assets, and specifically ask whether those pieces are handled internally or by partners.

One useful detail: if you're a genuinely small/new food brand, I'd tell them your SKU count, approximate budget, whether you're already selling, and whether the Shopify store is primarily DTC or also intended to support retail. That will quickly separate the agencies that are actually set up for emerging CPG brands from the ones accustomed to $100k+ corporate engagements.

Yes. I’d narrow the Chicago list pretty aggressively based on your combination of small food/CPG brand + branding + Shopify + packaging + photography, rather than looking at generic branding agencies.

Best fits

1. Path Creative — River North

Probably the strongest one-stop fit. They’re at 1 E Erie, explicitly work with emerging/small-to-midsize food, beverage and CPG brands, and cover branding, packaging, website development, and commercial food/product photography. Their in-house studio has a commercial kitchen and they handle photography, video, styling and retouching. www.pathcreative.com

Why I’d call them: They can plausibly take you from “we need a brand” → packaging → ecommerce → product/food shoot without coordinating four vendors.

2. SmallGood — Chicago

This one is particularly interesting for a small/emerging food brand. They have an actual case study for Keep It Savory Salt Co. where they handled purpose/positioning, branding, packaging, Shopify website and social strategy. www.wearesmallgood.com

Caveat: I would ask specifically whether they handle the photography themselves or bring in a food photographer.

3. Studio Fulchi — Chicago

Shopify's own partner directory shows them doing brand strategy/identity, packaging, photography and web, including a full branding/packaging/photo/web engagement. www.shopify.com

Best for: a smaller, design-led engagement where you want the brand and ecommerce experience to feel tightly integrated.

If River North is especially important

Flashlight Studio is worth knowing even though I wouldn't treat it as your primary branding/Shopify agency. It's literally in River North at 62 W. Huron, and specializes in food/beverage photography for packaging, digital and print, with food styling and a kitchen-equipped studio. www.flashlightstudio.com

So a very good local pairing could be Path Creative + Flashlight Studio if you want an agency handling brand/Shopify while having an especially strong food photographer right nearby.

Also worth a look

• Soulsight — excellent CPG branding/packaging pedigree and photography, including major food/beverage brands, but I'd expect it to be more substantial/premium than what a small emerging brand necessarily needs. www.soulsight.com
• Seedhouse — Chicago boutique specializing in CPG brand identity and packaging across food/beverage; strong option if packaging/brand strategy is the priority, though I'd verify the Shopify and photography pieces. www.seed-house.com
• Neat Digital — Shopify-focused Chicago shop that explicitly targets food/beverage brands, but I'd pair them with a branding/packaging specialist rather than make them the sole creative partner. neat.digital

My shortlist for you: Path Creative → SmallGood → Studio Fulchi, in that order. Path is the closest match to “I want one Chicago partner to make the whole thing happen.”

If you tell me roughly what kind of food brand it is (snacks, sauce, beverage, frozen, supplements, etc.) and your rough budget ($10–25k / $25–50k / $50k+), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their actual relevant food-brand work, Shopify capability, location, and likely fit.

Yes — there are a few Chicago shops that look unusually well aligned with small/emerging food brands + branding + Shopify/e-commerce + packaging + photography. River North narrows the list considerably.

My shortlist

1. Best overall fit: Dupuis Group

This is the one I'd investigate first if River North + food/CPG expertise is important.

Dupuis Group is at 440 N Wells St. in River North and specializes in consumer packaged goods, including food and beverage. Their work spans brand strategy, identity, packaging and digital/social execution. www.flashlightstudio.com

The particularly nice wrinkle is that Flashlight Studio, a food/beverage photography studio at 62 W Huron St., is associated with the same River North ecosystem/address. Flashlight specifically does packaging, food, beverage and branded-content photography, so you could potentially get the brand/packaging work and the actual food photography closely coordinated. www.flashlightstudio.com

Caveat: I wouldn't choose Dupuis specifically because you need a hardcore Shopify developer. I'd ask whether they would build Shopify themselves or bring in a development partner.

2. Best if Shopify is the most important piece: Praella

Praella - eCommerce Agency is at 203 N LaSalle, very close to River North, and is much more explicitly an e-commerce/Shopify specialist. It's a Shopify-focused agency rather than primarily a food-branding agency.

So I'd consider a Praella + food photographer/brand designer combination if the Shopify store is going to be a major revenue channel.

3. Best “one creative partner” alternative: C2 Creative Studio

C2 Creative Studio is in the West Loop rather than River North. They're a smaller, more nimble studio doing brand strategy, identity, packaging, UI/UX and website development, along with creative production and photography. That makes them interesting if you don't want to deal with a giant agency.

I'd specifically ask them whether they have a Shopify developer in-house and whether they've launched CPG/DTC food stores.

4. Best packaging + photography specialist: Equator

Equator Design / Packaging Design Agency is downtown at 20 N Wacker. They're much more CPG/packaging-centric than Shopify-centric, but the Chicago studio reportedly has an integrated photo studio and prep kitchen, and their photography extends beyond basic pack shots into campaign/social/retail imagery.

If your project is basically:

brand strategy → visual identity → packaging → food/product shoot → e-commerce assets

they're worth talking to. I'd just expect to confirm the Shopify portion separately.

5. The sleeper option: Path Creative

Path Creative isn't River North, but it may actually be the closest match to your complete brief. They explicitly combine branding/packaging, Shopify website development, commercial food photography/video and digital marketing under one roof. They also say they work with small-to-midsize food, beverage and CPG brands. www.pathcreative.com

Their Chicago address is 1 E Erie, which is actually right around the River North area, despite some directory/location classifications. Their stated platform experience includes Shopify, and their food work includes brands such as Garrett Popcorn and Tyson. www.pathcreative.com

I'd put Path Creative near the top of your outreach list.

If this were my project

I'd contact three agencies first:

1. Path Creative — best apparent all-in-one match.
2. Dupuis Group + Flashlight Studio — best River North + serious CPG/food branding combination.
3. Praella — best Shopify/e-commerce specialist, particularly if the store is strategically important.

And I'd ask each one for a single fixed-scope proposal covering:

Brand strategy + identity → packaging design → food/product photography → Shopify design/build → launch assets

That wording will quickly reveal who can genuinely own the whole project versus who is going to subcontract half of it.

If you tell me roughly what kind of food product it is (snacks, sauce, beverage, frozen, supplement, etc.) and your approximate budget, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies that are genuinely appropriate for a small brand rather than big-CPG agencies likely to be overkill.

Absolutely—I can narrow this to Chicago agencies that do brand strategy/identity + Shopify builds + packaging/product photography, with a preference for River North.

I need your location confirmation before I search local businesses. You can share it or pick a nearby area:

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For a small food brand, I’d look less at general web shops and more at CPG/food branding studios that can carry the brand from strategy → packaging → product photography → Shopify/DTC launch. River North has a few strong fits, plus a couple nearby downtown options worth considering.

Best River North / near-River North fits

Dupuis Group — River North
440 N Wells St, Ste 510, Chicago, IL 60654
Best fit if packaging is the centerpiece. They specialize in CPG/food/beverage branding, including positioning, identity, packaging, and innovation work. They also have a relationship with food photography specialists through their Chicago creative network.
Good for: emerging packaged foods, grocery ambitions, premium shelf positioning.
Ask them: “Can you own the Shopify build or recommend a developer partner?”

Equator Design / Packaging Design Agency — downtown Chicago
20 N Wacker Dr Ste 2200, Chicago, IL 60606
A strong CPG packaging/design shop with photography and content capabilities, including food-related production workflows.
Good for: brands where packaging and retail readiness matter more than a purely digital-first build.

The Motion Agency — River North
325 N La Salle Dr Ste 550, Chicago, IL 60654
Full-service agency with brand design, packaging, photography/retouching, and digital capabilities.
Good for: food brands that need a broader marketing partner, not just a Shopify freelancer.

Smaller / more startup-friendly options

Plan B - The Agency Alternative for the AI Economy® — River North
10 W Hubbard St #5W, Chicago, IL 60654
A boutique-ish full-service creative agency in River North with branding, creative production, and digital execution.
Good for: founder-led brands that want a hands-on agency relationship.

Wuhoo Digital Group — River North
444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
More digital-focused; offers branding, websites, photography, and marketing support.
Good for: smaller budgets where Shopify is a major piece of the engagement.

Photography specialists to pair with a branding/Shopify agency

Flashlight Studio
A River North food photography studio specializing in food/beverage imagery for packaging, digital, and print campaigns. www.flashlightstudio.com
Good for: hero product shots, packaging imagery, recipe/lifestyle content.

If Shopify is the hardest requirement

A lot of branding agencies don’t build Shopify deeply in-house. For a food startup, I’d shortlist:

1. Dupuis Group + Shopify developer partner (best brand/packaging thinking)
2. The Motion Agency (closest “one roof” solution)
3. Plan B (smaller/flexible creative partner)
4. Brand studio + Flashlight Studio + Shopify specialist (often the highest-quality route)

When reaching out, I’d ask for three specific examples:

• a food/CPG brand they launched from scratch
• a Shopify store they designed and built
• packaging photography they produced, not just lifestyle marketing photos

That will quickly separate true food-brand partners from generic branding agencies.

For a small food/CPG brand that needs brand identity + packaging + Shopify build + product photography, I’d shortlist agencies that understand both shelf presence and DTC conversion. River North is a good filter, but the strongest matches are a mix of River North and nearby downtown studios.

Best fits (especially for emerging food brands)

Dupuis Group — River North

Dupuis Group
Web
Address: 62 W Huron St #2A, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-337-2040
Best overall fit if packaging is the centerpiece.

• Brand strategy + identity
• Packaging design and innovation
• CPG / food & beverage experience
• Digital brand systems
• They’re connected with Flashlight Studio for food photography/content production.

Good for: snack brands, pantry products, beverages, refrigerated/frozen products wanting a premium retail look.

The Motion Agency — River North

The Motion Agency
Web
Address: 325 N La Salle Dr Ste 550, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-565-0044
Best if you want a larger full-service partner.

• Brand identity
• Packaging systems
• Website/e-commerce support
• Photography, retouching, video, production capabilities

Good for: brands planning campaigns, retail expansion, Amazon/Shopify growth, or needing more marketing horsepower.

One Design Company — River North

One Design Company
Web
Address: 230 W Superior St #700, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-602-3335
Best for a smaller, design-led brand build.

• Brand strategy
• Visual identity
• Packaging
• Digital products/web experiences

Good for: founder-led brands that want a thoughtful identity system before scaling.

Praella — downtown Chicago

Praella - eCommerce Agency
Web
Address: 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
Phone: +1 312-761-3218
Best Shopify specialist.

• Shopify / Shopify Plus builds
• Ecommerce strategy
• Conversion-focused development

I’d pair them with a branding/packaging studio rather than use them alone if you need the full food-brand identity.

Strong food photography/content specialists

Flashlight Studio — River North

Flashlight Studio
Web
Address: 62 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-863-2052
Best River North option for packaging photography.

• Food and beverage photography
• Packaging imagery
• Motion/video
• Studio production

They specifically position their work around food/beverage visuals for packaging, digital, and print campaigns. www.flashlightstudio.com

Other Chicago food-brand specialists worth considering

Soulsight

More enterprise-leaning, but excellent if you want sophisticated CPG positioning:

• Brand strategy
• Packaging
• Photography/art direction
• Consumer packaged goods expertise www.soulsight.com

Path Creative

A good “one roof” option:

• Branding
• Packaging
• Website/ecommerce
• Commercial food photography/video www.pathcreative.com

My shortlist for a small food brand specifically:

1. Dupuis Group + Flashlight Studio → strongest River North food/packaging combo
2. The Motion Agency → if you want branding through launch campaign
3. One Design Company → if you want a boutique brand-first approach
4. Praella + a packaging studio → if Shopify performance is the priority

When reaching out, I’d ask each one:

• “Have you launched food CPG brands on Shopify?”
• “Can you handle nutrition panel/packaging production files?”
• “Do you shoot packaging hero images and PDP/e-commerce photography?”
• “Can you manage Shopify theme customization, subscriptions, and email/SMS integrations?”

That will quickly separate true food-brand partners from general branding shops.

Yes. I’d narrow this to a handful of Chicago shops that can actually connect brand → packaging → ecommerce → photography, rather than a generic branding agency plus separate web developer.

Best fits

1. DuPuis Group — strongest River North fit
62 W Huron St, River North. This is probably the first call I’d make for a small food/CPG brand. They specialize in CPG, food and beverage, with brand strategy, identity, packaging and innovation. Their River North operation is also closely connected to Flashlight Studio, a food/packaging photography studio at the same address. www.dupuisgroup.comwww.onedesigncompany.com
Caveat: I don't see Shopify development positioned as a core in-house service, so I'd specifically ask whether they handle the Shopify build or bring in a development partner.

2. One Design Company — best River North brand + digital combination
230 W Superior St, River North. They do brand strategy/identity, packaging, web design and full-stack development, and explicitly list Shopify ecommerce integration. www.onedesigncompany.com
This is particularly interesting if you want the brand and Shopify experience to feel like one design system, rather than hiring a packaging agency and Shopify agency independently. Photography isn't their standout specialty, though, so I'd expect to pair them with a food photographer.

3. Path Creative — probably the best all-in-one small/midsize option
They have a Chicago office at 1 E Erie, plus a serious in-house production studio. Their services cover branding, packaging, website/ecommerce development, Shopify, commercial food/product photography and video. They explicitly say they work with emerging and small-to-midsize food/CPG brands. www.pathcreative.com
The downside: their studio is near O'Hare rather than River North, although the listed Chicago office is in River North.

4. The Motion Agency — good if you want a more substantial integrated agency
325 N LaSalle, River North. They offer branding/strategy, creative/content, web development, and production, and have food/CPG experience including Blue Diamond Almonds and Northern Illinois Food Bank. themotionagency.com
I'd put them below the first three for a small food brand simply because they feel more like a mid-sized integrated agency.

For the photography piece specifically

Flashlight Studio is unusually well matched to what you're describing. It's literally in River North at 62 W Huron, specializes in food/beverage photography, and does imagery specifically for packaging, digital and print. Their portfolio includes CPG packaging photography and food styling. www.flashlightstudio.com

That makes the DuPuis + Flashlight combination especially compelling if your packaging/brand work is the priority.

My shortlist

If this were my project, I'd talk to DuPuis, One Design, and Path Creative first. DuPuis is the strongest for food-brand/packaging thinking, One Design for brand + Shopify, and Path for the most convincing single-vendor brand + Shopify + food photography package. www.onedesigncompany.com

If you tell me roughly what kind of food product (snack, sauce, beverage, frozen, supplement-adjacent, etc.) and your approximate branding + Shopify budget, I can narrow these to 2–3 and look for relevant food-brand case studies and likely project fit.

For a small food brand, I’d prioritize agencies that understand CPG branding + packaging + ecommerce conversion, not just “pretty websites.” River North is actually a strong area for this. These are the ones I’d shortlist:

For packaging photography specifically, I’d also look at pairing (or asking an agency to bring in) a food specialist:

• Flashlight Studio — River North food/beverage photography studio; they specifically work on packaging, digital, and print campaigns. www.flashlightstudio.com
• Lisamarie Cerny — specializes in CPG food photography, packaging imagery, and production. www.lisamariecerny.com

My likely shortlist for a small packaged food brand launching or refreshing on Shopify:

1. Dupuis Group + Flashlight Studio → strongest River North food-branding combination.
2. Path Creative → best “single vendor handles everything” option.
3. One Design Company + a food photographer partner → good boutique digital/brand balance.
4. Praella → if Shopify complexity is the biggest challenge.

When you contact them, I’d ask specifically: “Can you take us from positioning → identity → packaging system → product photography → Shopify launch?” That wording will quickly separate true CPG partners from general web agencies.

Yes. For your exact combination—brand strategy/identity + Shopify + packaging + food/product photography, with River North preferred—I’d narrow the field pretty aggressively.

My shortlist

1. Dupuis Group — River North
   • Best overall fit for food/CPG branding.
   • At 62 W Huron St., they’re right in River North.
   • Strong on brand strategy, identity, packaging, structural design, and photography/retouching. Their portfolio includes food brands such as Andrew & Everett. www.dupuisgroup.com
   • They also work with Flashlight Studio, a food-photography studio at the same River North address, which is particularly useful for packaging/product shots. www.dupuisgroup.comwww.flashlightstudio.com
   • Caveat: I couldn't verify a strong public Shopify-build offering, so I'd ask whether they handle the Shopify implementation themselves or bring in a development partner.

2. The Motion Agency — River North
   • Best River North option if the website/e-commerce side is important.
   • They're at 325 N. LaSalle, and explicitly offer branding/strategy, creative/content, web design/development, and production. themotionagency.com
   • Their capabilities include packaging, photography, retouching and multi-SKU production according to the local business listing.
   • Caveat: they're a substantially larger agency, so I'd check whether a small emerging food brand is the kind of account they actively want.

3. Wuhoo Digital Group — River North
   • At 444 N. Wabash, so this is another genuinely convenient River North option.
   • They specialize in e-commerce/web development and work with retailers, e-commerce businesses and restaurant groups; they also offer branding/design. wuhoodigitalgroup.com
   • Best if Shopify is the priority.
   • Weak spot: I don't see the same depth of food packaging/CPG photography expertise as DuPuis or Path.

4. Path Creative — River North
   • This is probably the most compelling all-in-one practical option, despite being a little less "CPG branding boutique."
   • Their Chicago office is 1 E Erie, and they explicitly offer branding, packaging, website/e-commerce development, food/product photography and content production. www.pathcreative.com
   • Crucially, they explicitly mention WordPress-to-Shopify migrations and Shopify stores, and offer photography/content packages alongside web builds. www.pathcreative.com
   • They also have an in-house studio with a commercial kitchen and food-styling capability, which makes packaging photography much easier to coordinate. www.dupuisgroup.comwww.dupuisgroup.comthemotionagency.comwuhoodigitalgroup.comwww.pathcreative.com
   • For a small food brand, this may actually be my first call.

If packaging is the really important part

Equator Design is worth considering. They're at 20 N. Wacker, just outside River North, and are heavily focused on CPG packaging/brand design with an integrated photo studio and prep kitchen.

Likewise, Soulsight is excellent for serious food/CPG brand and packaging work, but I'd expect them to skew more toward substantial branding engagements than a scrappy Shopify build. Their portfolio includes packaging, photography and major food/beverage brands. www.soulsight.com

How I'd rank them for your brief

\*via their close relationship with Flashlight Studio.

My first three calls would be Path Creative, DuPuis, and Motion. If you're an early-stage food brand with a relatively modest budget, I'd start with Path; if you're trying to build a really distinctive shelf brand and packaging is the centerpiece, I'd start with DuPuis.

One especially interesting wrinkle: Flashlight Studio is literally at 62 W Huron with DuPuis and specializes in food/beverage photography for packaging, digital and print, so the DuPuis + Flashlight combination could be unusually seamless for a food brand. www.flashlightstudio.com

Path Creative · DuPuis Group · The Motion Agency · Wuhoo Digital Group · Flashlight Studio

Yes — there are a few Chicago shops that look unusually well matched to small food/CPG brands that need the whole chain: brand → packaging → Shopify → photography.

My shortlist

1. DuPuis Group — probably my first call

Dupuis Group
Web
Address: 62 W Huron St #2A, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-337-2040

They're at 62 W Huron in River North, and their core offering is almost exactly the front half of what you're describing: strategy, brand positioning, identity, packaging, structural design, digital/social and production. Their realization team also includes photography, retouching, 3D renders and mechanicals. www.dupuisgroup.com

The particularly nice part is Flashlight Studio, their associated food/product photography operation. It's also in River North, at 62 W Huron, with a food-production studio and explicit experience creating photography for packaging, digital and print. www.flashlightstudio.com

Caveat: I wouldn't hire DuPuis specifically because you expect them to be a Shopify-development specialist. I'd ask whether they'll own the Shopify build or partner with a developer.

DuPuis Group · Flashlight Studio

2. Fresh Design Studio — strongest River North Shopify option

Fresh Design Studio
Web
Address: 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza Suit 1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-880-9337

They're at 1 E Erie in River North and explicitly offer Shopify and WooCommerce storefront development, alongside custom web design and branding/creative. www.freshdesignstudio.com

This is the one I'd investigate if your project is something like:

"We're launching a food brand, need the identity and packaging cleaned up, then need a polished DTC Shopify site that actually sells."

They appear more digitally/e-commerce oriented than DuPuis. Their Shopify work is also substantive enough that they have apps in the Shopify App Store. www.freshdesignstudio.com

Caveat: their food/CPG photography credentials aren't nearly as compelling as DuPuis/Flashlight or Path Creative, so I'd specifically ask whether photography is done in-house or through a preferred production partner.

Fresh Design Studio

3. Path Creative — strongest "one vendor does everything" candidate

Path Creative
Web
Phone: +1 708-334-4572

This is probably the most complete functional match I found. Path explicitly lists:

• branding/identity
• retail packaging
• website design/development
• e-commerce
• commercial food photography
• video
• 3D renders
• digital marketing

They specifically say they work with food, beverage, retail and CPG, including emerging brands and small-to-midsize companies. www.pathcreative.com

The downside for your preference is location: their main studio is near O'Hare rather than River North.

If River North is a preference rather than a hard requirement, I'd put them very high on the list.

Path Creative

4. Roundabout Brand Studio — intriguing small-brand specialist

This one is not River North — they're a small, largely remote studio in Ravenswood — but they're worth talking to if you want a more boutique branding relationship.

They specialize in brand identity, packaging and web design, and their client profile skews heavily toward food & beverage and small businesses. themanifest.comclutch.co

More importantly, there's an unusually relevant real-world example: they worked with Aged & Infused on branding, packaging, website, photography creative direction and retail branding. The client reported the resulting packaging helped the brand get picked up by major retailers. clutch.co

So I'd consider them if you're looking for small, senior, hands-on rather than a larger agency.

Roundabout Brand Studio

If it were my project

I'd contact three:

1. DuPuis + Flashlight — if the brand/packaging and food photography need to be exceptional.
2. Fresh Design Studio — if Shopify/DTC is the most important part of the build.
3. Path Creative — if you want one team to genuinely own the entire brand/content/web ecosystem.

One thing I'd ask all three explicitly is: "Can you take us from positioning and visual identity through packaging artwork, a Shopify 2.0 build, and a food/product shoot, with one creative director responsible for keeping everything consistent?"

That question will quickly separate the agencies that technically offer all those services from the ones that can actually run the project as one integrated food-brand launch.

Yes — I found a few Chicago options, and River North narrows the field nicely.

Best overall fit: Dupuis Group

Dupuis Group
Address: 440 N Wells St, Ste 510, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: +13129702893
440 N Wells St / 62 W Huron St, River North

This is probably the closest match to what you're describing on the brand/CPG side. DuPuis specializes in food & beverage and consumer brands, with brand strategy, identity, packaging, digital/social, photography, retouching, 3D renders and production all under its umbrella. www.dupuisgroup.com

The particularly useful wrinkle: DuPuis is closely associated with Flashlight Studio, also at 62 W Huron, which specializes in food/beverage photography and specifically produces imagery for packaging, digital and print. www.flashlightstudio.com

Caveat: I couldn't verify that DuPuis itself does Shopify development. I'd ask whether they handle the Shopify build internally or have a preferred development partner.

Best "everything under one roof": Path Creative

DesignScout
Web
Address: 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
Phone: +1 773-270-2724
1 E Erie St, River North

This one is unusually close to your complete brief. Path says it handles:

• branding & identity
• packaging/labels
• website and e-commerce development
• Shopify builds
• commercial food/product photography
• video/content production

They explicitly mention Shopify builds/migrations, and they work with small-to-midsize and emerging food/CPG brands. www.pathcreative.com

Their food photography setup is substantial, too: commercial kitchen, food stylists, prop room and studio production. www.dupuisgroup.comwww.pathcreative.comthemotionagency.com

For your brief, I'd put Path Creative at #1 if you want one vendor rather than coordinating specialists.

Best if brand + packaging is the priority: Soulsight

Soulsight
Web
Address: 110 N Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
Phone: +1 312-982-2400
Chicago / Wacker area

Soulsight is much more of a serious CPG branding and packaging agency. Its portfolio includes food/beverage brands and work spanning identity, packaging and photography. www.soulsight.com

I'd consider them if you're launching a food brand where shelf presence and packaging strategy matter more than having the agency itself build Shopify. They're likely a more substantial agency engagement than a typical small-brand web shop.

Another River North possibility: The Motion Agency

The Motion Agency
Web
Address: 325 N La Salle Dr Ste 550, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-565-0044
325 N LaSalle Dr, River North

Motion is a full-service agency with branding/strategy, creative/content, web design/development, photography/production and packaging capabilities. themotionagency.com

I'd put them behind Path and DuPuis for a small food startup, though. They look better suited to a somewhat larger integrated marketing engagement.

My shortlist

If I were choosing for a small packaged-food brand, I'd talk to Path first and DuPuis second. Path looks like the cleaner single-vendor solution; DuPuis/Flashlight looks stronger if you want the branding and packaging to be particularly sophisticated.

One thing I'd specifically ask each: “Can you take us from positioning → identity → packaging → packaging/product photography → Shopify design/build without handing the project to multiple unrelated vendors?” That's the real differentiator here.