New York-based Murray’s Cheese, owned by The Kroger Co., recently launched new branding with a refreshed logo and updated website. The brand’s new imagery features playful hand-drawn illustrations depicting the experience of shopping at the store’s cheese counters to highlight the company’s history in Greenwich Village.

“The new dynamic visual brand universe aims to lay a foundation for Murray’s continued growth as they welcome food lovers around the country to the wide world of cheese,” the company said.

A New York-based network of creative studios, Base Design, led the rebranding project. For the new Murray’s logo, the designers modernized the font and made the red color more vibrant while keeping the logo recognizable and reflective of the company’s story.

Murray’s updated website now has an interactive quiz consumers can use to receive guidance and recommendations – similar to what they would get in store at the cheese counter. After taking the quiz, users see a shopping guide with step-by-step instructions for cutting different types of cheeses and preparing charcuterie boards with specific flavors.

The website also features shoppable recipes, exclusively from the Murray’s restaurant in New York, as well as suggested wine, beer and cider pairings.

“Web users looking to learn about cheese, cheesemakers and what happens behind the cheese cave doors have found their ultimate online destination,” the company said. “Murray’s also offers in-person and online cheese tasting classes available for purchase on the website, and a chat function connecting users to cheese experts ready to help them put together a cheese board or choose a cheese for a recipe.”

Beyond e-commerce and Murray’s New York storefronts, the company’s new visual brand also is making its way to the grocery retail stores that have Murray’s shops. Murray’s was acquired by The Kroger Co. in 2017 and has cheese counters in more than 1,100 stores, including Kroger, Ralphs, QFC, Fred Meyer and Harris Teeter.

Over the summer, Greensboro, Vt.-based Jasper Hill Farm launched a new cheese exclusive to Murray’s and retailers with Murray’s cheese counters. The new cheese is the Merquen Vault 5 Cheddar, a Vermont-made cheddar rubbed in smoked chili powder.

“The spice on this cheese is so different than other spiced cheeses I’ve tried,” said a Murray’s merchandising representative. “More depth, less heat. I use it in an updated ploughman’s lunch – just add Murray’s Bread & Butter Pickles, Treat Spiced Pecans and crackers.”

Murray’s also recently launched a cave-aged Double Doe, made in collaboration with the Unionville, Pa.-based The Farm at Doe Run. The company describes the semi-firm cheese’s flavor as a winter stew with notes of roasted meat and root vegetable.

“Double Doe is the quintessential table cheese,” the company said. “Forget butter on your next rustic slice of bread, this cheese is the perfect mate for a warm sourdough.”

Murray’s also announced a new Extra Aged Stockinghall Cheddar is coming soon, along with entertaining assortments and seasonal cheeses for the holidays.