# Jersey Fresh: Modernizing a State Program into a Public Discovery Platform

We redesigned Jersey Fresh into a mobile-first discovery experience—easy to search, easy to manage, and built to keep communities connected to NJ-grown.

## Project snapshot

- Client: New Jersey Department of Agriculture
- Year: 2018

### Services

- [Web Design & Development](/content/our-work#service=Web+Design+%26+Development/index.html)
- [Information Architecture](/content/our-work#service=Information+Architecture/index.html)
- [UX Design & Research](/content/our-work#service=UX+Design+%26+Research/index.html)
- [Content Architecture](/content/our-work#service=Content+Architecture/index.html)
- [Mobile-First Design](/content/our-work#service=Mobile-First+Design/index.html)
- [Search Engine Optimization](/content/our-work#service=Search+Engine+Optimization/index.html)

## The Background

In 1984, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture established Jersey Fresh to provide a quality grading program for produce and promote access to fresh fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey. Over time, the initiative became a benchmark for other states’ agriculture and marketing programs, with New Jersey now a top producer of blueberries, peaches, bell peppers, cranberries, and tomatoes.

The Jersey Fresh campaign is one of the most successful state branding programs in America, with a study showing a 30-to-1 ROI for the program.

## The Problem

The original state-developed website was difficult to maintain on the backend, with numerous technical issues that made updates and periodic redesigns a challenge. On the front end, it wasn’t user-friendly, making it hard for consumers to find where fresh, locally grown products were available across the Garden State.

The State and its agency-of-record sought Key Medium’s expertise to radically rethink the new website and deliver a sustainable, user-centered digital platform.

## Our Solutions

We created a modern, user-centered platform to help consumers discover and support local farms:

**Discovery & Strategy:**

- Conducted stakeholder interviews with farmers, consumers, retailers, and state marketing staff
- Mapped user journeys for consumers looking for products and farm locations
- Developed content strategy showcasing products, availability, and farm stories

**Information Architecture & Design:**

- Redesigned IA to make product discovery simple—search by crop, location, or season
- Built interactive features: farm location map, produce availability guide, event calendar
- Designed accessible templates with large text and high contrast for older audiences
- Created mobile-first experience for on-the-go shopping decisions

**WordPress Platform & Training:**

- Migrated from legacy state system to modern, maintainable WordPress
- Built database-driven product and farm directory enabling easy updates
- Implemented SEO best practices for government domain (.gov) and custom domain ([FindJerseyFresh.com](https://findjerseyfresh.com/))
- Trained state staff on content updates and ongoing management
- Created documentation for future maintenance and feature additions

## The Results

The Jersey Fresh platform became a national model for state agriculture marketing:

**Reach & Impact:**

- **500,000+ sessions** with strong sustained traffic over five years
- **10,000+ consumers reached within first month** showing strong organic discovery
- **1,000+ local farms linked** to consumers through platform
- **Increased shopping for Jersey Fresh products** supporting local farmers and economy
- **30:1 ROI for Jersey Fresh program overall**, making it one of America's most successful state agricultural marketing initiatives

**Recognition:**

- **Three AIVA Honors** (Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts)
- **National benchmark** for other states' agriculture marketing programs
- **Staff empowerment**—state team able to manage content independently, keeping platform fresh

**Business Outcomes:**

- Successfully helped New Jersey farmers reach consumers directly
- Positioned Jersey Fresh brand as mark of quality in regional market
- Reduced maintenance burden on state IT through modern platform

## Results

500k+

Users

ROI

1,000+

Local farms linked

## Awards & Recognition

Davey Awards, Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA)

Websites – Government · Gold

w3 Awards, Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA)

Websites – Eco-friendly · Silver

Communicator Awards, Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA)

Websites – User Experience · Digital Distinction