Murray’s Cheese is a specialty cheese retailer founded in Greenwich Village, New York City, and owned by The Kroger Co. since 2017. The brand’s visual identity centers on a red wordmark that has evolved from a curled, swooping script into a bolder serif treatment, most recently redesigned in 2023 by the creative studio Base Design.
Design and History
For decades, Murray’s storefront was identified by a red logo featuring a curled M and long, swooshing Y, with the slogan “We Know Cheese” integrated into the mark. In July 2023, Murray’s unveiled a new logo, visual brand and website. The updated wordmark retains the signature red color and echoes the traditional curled M and swooping Y forms, but the font was modernized and the “We Know Cheese” slogan was removed so the logo reads simply as “Murray’s Cheese.” The catchphrase continues to appear on in-store signage at the Bleecker Street flagship. The branding project was led by Base Design, a network of creative studios based in New York City and worldwide. The new visual identity also introduced a warmer, expanded color palette and hand-drawn illustrated cheese characters intended to bring a playful attitude to the brand’s storytelling and educational content. The refresh debuted at Murray’s expanded Bleecker Street store and was subsequently rolled out to the company’s New York locations, restaurant, private label products and the Murray’s shops inside Kroger stores. [1] [2] [3]
Murray’s was acquired by Kroger in 2017, and the rebrand came as the company expanded its footprint beyond New York City. According to Base Design senior design director Jeffrey Waldman, the brief was to refresh the identity of the New York staple for a larger, national audience while preserving its authenticity and credibility. The work began as a website overhaul before expanding into the full brand relaunch. [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The new logo adds the words “Est. 1962” beneath the wordmark, a deliberate move by Base Design to emphasize the brand’s heritage and establish it as a trusted, established institution. The signature red was retained specifically for customer recognition, while soft, creamy secondary colors were introduced, drawing from the hues found in cheese. Base Design’s Waldman noted the red calls to mind the waxy red rind seen on cheeses like gouda or red leicester, paired with the pale, creamy interior tint. [4] [5]
Typography and Design
For the new wordmark, the swirly, slanted script of the historic logo was replaced with Brick Pro, a serif typeface by the foundry Colophon. According to design commentary, the serif maintains Murray’s visual legacy while appearing bolder than the original script. The broader identity system incorporates additional typefaces, including Mabry as a functional sans-serif pairing, along with Vulf Mono and Kestrel Script used as accent faces. Illustrations by Christine Van Wassenhove accompany the identity, depicting the brand’s offerings beyond cheese, such as classes and gifting. [6] [4]
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