Two former finalists from the enduringly popular (and jarringly loud) BBC reality TV series MasterChef have looked to the Cardiff-based consultancy Bluegg for help in launching their new Asian-inspired takeaway business. Larkin Cen and Dale Williams wanted to build a business around food that isn’t full of MSG or artificial flavouring, but uses fresh authentic ingredients instead, and asked Bluegg to help them lend a voice to this concept. Named Hokkei, after the Cantonese work for “Curiosity,” the business aims to offer authentic asian cuisine to the people of Cardiff using ethically sourced ingredients. The business was founded 18 months ago by chefs and entrepreneurs Cen and Williams, who first met as contestants on MasterChef and are now appearing on a new BBC programme called “Larkin and Dale’s Takeaway Revolution,” which follows their journey into the business world.
Bluegg was chosen as the company's design consultancy in part due to the fact that Williams had worked with them before in his previous life as founder of Yolk Recruitment. The Cardiff Bay-based web design and brand design consultancy first worked with Cen and Williams on design elements for a pop-up installation at the Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport, and the duo were so impressed with the work that they asked the company to develop an identity, packaging and brand application ahead of the opening of the brand's first stand-alone restaurant in Cardiff.
Two former MasterChef finalists have looked to the Cardiff-based consultancy Bluegg for help in launching their new Asian-inspired takeaway business
Gareth Strange, designer and illustrator at Bluegg, said that when deciding on which direction to take the identity, they “Looked at the way Hokkei prepared food and saw that they always chopped vegetables at an angle, so incorporated this idea with the dot of the i, which also suggests forward thinking.” The logo, meanwhile, which is based on a customised Avant Garde font, is more straightforward and elegant. A bespoke, Asian calligraphy inspired typeface has also been created for application across the rest of the brand, which Cen and Williams hope to expand in the coming years.
According to Strange, “The identity is not restricted by guidelines and stands alone so the rest of the brand can grow around it.” He also explains that, whilst Hokkei is being marketed as a high-end takeaway brand, they “Didn’t want it to come across as pretentious so the brand language and illustration is edgy but also inviting and friendly.” This approach is evident in everything from the hand-drawn style of the shop signage, to the clever little messages included on the takeaway boxes (“Careful I'm Hot!, ” and “I hope you’ve finished because you’re holding me upside down”) and the classy but easy to read menus.
Named Hokkei, after the Cantonese work for “Curiosity,” the business aims to offer authentic asian cuisine to the people of Cardiff using ethically sourced ingredients
One of the most clever design touches used by Bluegg, was the idea of giving the restaurants unique ordering system its own visual language. The concept behind the restaurant is for customers to choose a meal and then customise it with accompanying dim sum and side dishes. The shop signage asks customers “Which Hokkei box are you?” and expands on this statement by giving each meal its own brand sticker, which can be added to the takeaway box to create a container as unique as the food inside it and the person who ordered it.
In undertaking the job, the team at Bluegg did extensive research into Asian food, culture and traditions, and looked to disruptive brands that had a history of shaking things up in the food industry for inspiration. They found that a style based on lino cut printing gave their illustrations the textured, hand rendered quality they were looking for to represent the brand, and worked with food photographer Huw Jones to capture the colourful menu items in all their glory. They also managed social media and website design for the brand, giving the digital aspects of the business the same level of attention lavished on the interiors, the menus, the branding and everything else.
“Bluegg are way more than web designers, they're a team of brand consultants who will elevate your business to new heights” Dean Williams
Speaking on Bluegg's efforts, Williams said; “The whole Bluegg team makes the creation of a brand seem effortless as they have the energy and imagination to be able to bring your vision to life, and the experience to be able to bring all the elements of a project together.” From initial engagement through to the creation of their entire marketing approach, he felt confident that they could trust Bluegg to deliver and that they were in safe hands. He adds that both himself and Cen will “Continue to work with the Bluegg team daily,” as they are instrumental in helping them plan customer engagement activity and develop their overall strategy. He says “Bluegg are way more than web designers, they're a team of brand consultants who will elevate your business to new heights.”
