Propelis Celebrates Multiple Wins Across Marks and Equator at Vertex Awards 2026

Propelis is celebrating a standout performance at the 2026 Vertex Awards, with Marks and Equator collectively securing multiple wins across categories, including Equator being named Agency of the Year for the second consecutive year.

As one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, the Vertex Awards recognize excellence in private brand strategy, design, and execution, celebrating work that combines customer insight, creative impact, and measurable performance at shelf.

Equator’s Agency of the Year title – its second consecutive win and sixth overall – reflects the continued strength of the Marks Model within Propelis: an integrated ecosystem bringing together creative talent, production services, and technology-enabled solutions to deliver best-in-class outcomes for brands and retailers.

The Fresh Market: 15 wins and counting

Equator client The Fresh Market retained its Retailer of the Year accolade for a second year, with fifteen category wins recognizing the agency’s ongoing work across a broad portfolio. These awards span packaging design for pasta, sparkling water, fresh seafood dips, and more across the retailer’s Everyday Extraordinary and Chef Inspired ranges.

A standout moment included a Silver award for The Fresh Market’s refillable aluminum water bottle, featuring flowing line illustrations that create movement and strong shelf standout. Additional Silver recognition was awarded to the Everyday Extraordinary Asian sauces, where bold brushstroke graphics and carefully selected color palettes bring each flavor to life with depth and distinction.

Award wins across seasonal and everyday categories

Equator’s success extended across multiple retail partners and categories. Aldi UK’s Halloween limited-edition range secured both Gold and Silver, with the “Halloween Aaahmazing!!” design system delivering playful, family-friendly seasonal impact.

Meijer was awarded two Golds for the redesigns of its Grand Gourmet kitchenware and LawnScape lawn care ranges – two distinct briefs elevated into credible premium challenger brands.

Further recognition included Gold for Morrisons’ pre-mixed canned cocktail range, Silver for Co-op’s Irresistible Alvarinho wine, and Bronze awards for Aldi US’s Barissimo advent calendar and Sam’s Club’s silver rum, noted for its clean, confident, Caribbean-inspired design.

Marks: design built for scale and performance

Marks’ award wins reflect a consistent ability to translate brand strategy into design systems that perform across categories, consumption occasions, and retail environments.

For Albertsons, Marks secured Silver for Signature Select Cold Brew Concentrate, where a refined, contemporary design balances premium cues with clarity and ease of navigation in a fast-growing ready-to-drink category – simplifying choice while reinforcing quality.

Additional recognition came with Bronze for Overjoyed Indulgent Trail Mixes, where bold, expressive design brings personality and appetite appeal to a crowded snacking fixture, creating immediate standout and shopper connection.

Marks’ impact extended into Sobeys’ private label portfolio, with Silver for Compliments Frozen Seafood. Here, the design elevates everyday frozen into a more premium, considered proposition, using confident, restrained visual cues to build trust and quality perception.

Rounding out the wins, Bronze was awarded to Panache Holiday Seasonal, where Marks delivered a flexible design system that captures the warmth and occasion-led nature of the festive period while maintaining consistency across multiple SKUs and formats.

Across each of these projects, the common thread is clear: design that is not only distinctive, but deliberately engineered to scale – delivering clarity, consistency, and commercial impact wherever it appears.

A unified model delivering creative and commercial impact

Across its creative business, the results underscore the strength of the Propelis ecosystem – integrating strategy, design, content, and production to create work that not only differentiates visually but delivers measurable commercial value.

Gary Kohl, CEO of Propelis, said: “These results are a powerful reflection of what happens when creativity and capability are fully connected. Seeing Marks & Equator recognized at this level speaks to the strength of our model, and the caliber of thinking and execution across the group.

“What’s particularly meaningful is the consistency of impact. This work spans categories, retailers, and markets, but shares a common foundation: it is insight-led, system-driven, and built to perform.

“At Propelis, we are focused on helping our clients navigate complexity – creating brands that not only stand out, but scale effectively, connect with customers, and drive measurable growth. These awards are recognition of that approach in action.”

This year’s Vertex Awards further cement Propelis’ position as a leading partner for brands and retailers looking to elevate private label through insight-led design, creative excellence, and commercially driven execution.