We have literally done branding for a country

We get a kick out of projects like this. When the Swiss Government approached us to design and brand their food composition database, a MASSIVE database of nutritional data required by the government for the packaging and food industries, we laughed and said, “don’t you know we are the bureau of SMALL projects?” They said, “we don’t care, we love your work and kindness vibe”, which prompted us to add the hover on our logo: The Bureau Of Small And Sometimes Humongous Projects.

Although The Bureau Of Small Projects works exclusively with small to midsized businesses, startups and nonprofits, many large organizations, fortune 500 Companies and Big Brands like The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Canon Group and Warner Bros., come to us for intrapreneurial projects like this because everyone on our team has Fortune 500 and Big Brand experience, but we are also lean and efficient enough to move quickly where the massive agencies that usually work on projects like this can’t.

The Bureau of Small Projects does a lot of government work globally. Beyond its role as a data repository, food composition databases are essential for public health, nutrition science, policymaking, and food industry practice.

In this era of misinformation and manipulation of data for political self interest, reliable and up-to-date nutrient information enables accurate assessment of dietary intake at both individual and population levels, underpins epidemiological research linking diet to health outcomes, and informs evidence-based dietary guidelines and public health policies.

Neutral databases like Switzerland’s also help ensure that country-specific foods and consumption patterns are represented, improving the relevance and precision of nutrition analyses and interventions.

Although the work is mind-numbingly boring, and when well done is invisible, information architecture – the way content is structured, categorized, and labeled – underpins the success on a data-rich site like The Swiss Food Composition Database.

A website’s architecture determines how easily users can navigate through hundreds or thousands of food items and nutrient fields, how logically categories and menus are organized, and how intuitive search and filter options feel.

Effective structure reduces confusion and makes complex data landscapes feel manageable and intuitive, helping users find what they want in seconds rather than getting lost in menus or mismatched labels. For a public resource that must serve scientists, educators, and casual users alike, clear information architecture is essential to ensure that the database’s rich content is actually discoverable and actionable, enhancing usability and promoting repeated engagement rather than abandonment due to frustration.

Beyond its role as a data repository,  The Swiss Food Composition Database provides a comprehensive, free, and scientifically grounded collection of detailed information on the nutrient content of foods available in Switzerland. Operated by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), the database includes data on over 1,200 food items with values for macronutrients (like proteins, fats, carbohydrates), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), energy content, and more, all accessible online in four languages. This open access supports not only individual users and commercial applications (such as nutrition diary apps and software) but also scientific research by offering standardized nutrient data that can be integrated into studies or health tools.