BIRD&CO CRAFTS YELLOWBELLY MAPLE SYRUP WITH TRAILHEAD-INSPIRED DESIGN

Bird&Co’s Creative Director Christian Bird has transformed his personal maple sugaring ritual in the Hudson Valley into Yellowbelly, a small-batch syrup brand. Inspired by woodland craft, traditional methods, and trailhead signage, the packaging blends woodcut illustration with storytelling, creating a design-led product that celebrates heritage, craft, and nature.  

In the Hudson Valley, where winter loosens its grip and the first signs of spring seep into the woodland, Christian Bird has found a ritual that is as much about patience as it is about craft. Bird, the Creative Director and founder of Bird&Co, an independent branding and packaging studio, has spent nearly two decades shaping visual identities for food and beverage brands. Yet, in recent years, he has turned his creative eye inward, toward a personal project rooted in the land around his 1920s farmhouse. That project has now taken form as Yellowbelly, a small-batch maple syrup brand that marries traditional sugaring methods with trailhead-inspired design.  

The story of Yellowbelly begins not in a studio but in the woods. When Bird moved out of New York City to the Hudson Valley, he found himself surrounded by sugar maple trees. Curiosity soon led him to try his hand at syrup-making. What began as a seasonal experiment evolved into a ritual: collecting sap as the snow melted, boiling it down over fires fueled by his own harvested maple wood, and spending long days outdoors in the crisp air. “Making maple syrup has quietly become a seasonal ritual for me,” Bird explains. “It’s slow, and very fulfilling work.”  

For years, the syrup was shared only with friends and family, a gift of craft and care. But this season, Bird decided to package it, drawing on his professional expertise to create a design that reflected both the heritage of sugaring and the character of the Hudson Valley. The name Yellowbelly itself is a nod to the yellow-bellied woodpeckers that tap the maple trees around his woodland, a natural connection to his surname and his studio, Bird&Co.  

The design of Yellowbelly is as considered as the syrup itself. Bird partnered with illustrator Ian McDermott to bring the visual identity to life. Together, they drew inspiration from traditional woodcut illustration and the hand-carved trailhead signage that dots the Hudson Valley’s hiking paths. The result is packaging that feels rooted in place, evoking the tactile quality of carved wood and the timelessness of craft. It is a design that does not merely decorate but tells a story—of woodland rituals, of heritage, and of the quiet satisfaction of making something by hand.  

The syrup, cooked over maple wood using windfall and coppiced timber, is produced in small batches. For now, it remains a passion project, with bottles gifted to friends, collaborators, and family. Yet, the design has already caught the attention of a local retailer, hinting at the possibility of a broader future. Bird is cautious but intrigued. “I’ve had interest from a local retailer, who’s seen what I’ve been up to,” he says. “So I’m playing with ideas of what next season could become.”  

Yellowbelly is not simply another artisanal product; it is a reflection of Bird’s philosophy of design. For years, Bird&Co has worked with craft food and beverage brands, helping them articulate their identity through packaging. With Yellowbelly, Bird has applied the same principles to his own work, creating a brand that is both personal and professional. It is a reminder that design is not just about aesthetics but about storytelling—about capturing the essence of a place, a process, and a passion.  

The Hudson Valley has long been a region where tradition and creativity intersect. From its historic farms to its thriving arts community, it is a place where heritage is celebrated and reimagined. Yellowbelly fits neatly into this landscape, embodying both the old-world craft of sugaring and the contemporary sensibility of design. The trailhead-inspired typography and illustration are not mere stylistic choices; they are visual metaphors for the journey Bird has taken—from city life to woodland ritual, from professional branding to personal storytelling.  

There is also a deeper resonance in the act of turning syrup-making into a design project. In an age of mass production, Yellowbelly stands as a testament to the value of small-batch craft, of slowing down, of finding meaning in seasonal rhythms. The packaging, with its woodcut-inspired lines and trailhead motifs, reinforces this ethos, inviting consumers to see not just a product but a narrative.  

For Bird, the project is as much about legacy as it is about syrup. It is about creating something that reflects his own journey, his connection to the land, and his belief in the power of design to elevate everyday experiences. Whether Yellowbelly remains a small gift for friends or grows into a retail brand, it has already succeeded in capturing a story—one that blends craft, nature, and design into a single bottle.  

As the Hudson Valley prepares for another sugaring season, Bird will once again be outside, collecting sap and tending fires. And somewhere in his studio, bottles of Yellowbelly will stand as quiet witnesses to the intersection of ritual and creativity. They are more than containers of syrup; they are vessels of story, crafted with care, and designed with vision.  

In Yellowbelly, Christian Bird has distilled not just maple sap but the essence of his own journey—a journey from city to woodland, from designer to maker, from professional identity to personal passion. It is a story told in syrup and in design, a story that reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful projects are those that begin at home, in the woods, with a simple curiosity and a willingness to craft.