Stephanie Hayes, a native of Hamilton, Ontario, began her career designing packaging for some of North America’s biggest brands. Working with Fortune 500 companies like Shoppers Drug Mart, Kraft Foods, Mondelez, Purina, and Tim Hortons, she honed her skills in creating designs that not only catch the eye but connect deeply with consumers. After a decade at a top Toronto agency, Stephanie felt the pull to return closer to home. She envisioned bringing her expertise to the businesses in her own backyard – helping local brands access world-class design thinking that might otherwise be out of reach.
In 2017, Stephanie founded White Cactus Branding & Design, a studio dedicated to building strategic and beautiful brands. Very quickly, her work began shaping the look and feel of Niagara’s wine industry. One of her first major clients was Diamond Estates, where she collaborated with Brand Manager Brae Laufman to launch Mindful, their low-sugar wine that has become a key player in the growing low-calorie market. Stephanie’s ability to balance strategic positioning with design elegance has made her a trusted partner for brands looking to connect with today’s consumer.
Since then, she has led packaging refreshes and branding projects for some of Niagara’s most beloved wineries, including Twenty Bees, Lakeview Wine Co., Fresh Wines, Redtail Vineyards and most recently Creekside Estate Winery. Each project is rooted in the belief that a great label tells a story – and that story starts long before someone takes a bottle off the shelf.
“Working with Steph has been an absolute pleasure,” says Laufman. “Her creativity and attention to detail consistently bring our label designs to life in ways that perfectly capture our brand’s essence. Steph always manages to take our ideas and elevate them with her innovative approach, delivering beautiful, eye-catching designs every time. Her professionalism and collaborative spirit make the process seamless and enjoyable. I couldn’t recommend her enough.”
For Stephanie, branding and packaging design in the food and beverage industry is about so much more than aesthetics. It’s about clarity, authenticity, and connection. Wine is deeply rooted in place, process, and people – and packaging is the first invitation to share that experience. In a crowded retail environment, design is what sets one bottle apart from another. But standing out isn’t enough. The best packaging design builds trust, reflects the winemaker’s vision, and resonates with the people who bring it to their table.
“Your brand isn’t just your logo or your label,” Stephanie says. “It’s the story you tell, and how that story makes people feel. A beautiful design catches attention, but a meaningful design builds loyalty. That’s what I love most about working with wineries, breweries and restaurants – their stories are rich with craftsmanship, innovation, and pride. My role is to help bring that forward in a way that feels true to who they are.”
Today, Stephanie continues to help Niagara’s food and beverage businesses craft brands that feel unmistakably theirs. Whether it’s an emerging company finding its voice or an established brand looking for a refresh, her approach is strategic, collaborative, and driven by a genuine love for the community she calls home.
To learn more about Stephanie’s work or to connect about your next branding or packaging project, visit whitecactus.ca.
