Case

Brand concept for real food

Herkku is a well-known brand for premium groceries in Finland. It used to be an essential part of Stockmann department store services until Finnish FMCG giant S-group bought it. To fill the new strategic and financial targets, the concept and brand needed an update.

We began the project and collaboration by asking a series of critical questions: What is the future of premium groceries? How is ‘premium’ defined today, and why is it relevant? What should the premium be, and how should it be sold? Equally important was to understand what kind of premium concept could S-group excel, and what customer experience should the Herkku brand offer? And the end, how can we manage and change people’s conceptions of values-based and price-sensitive business?

We believe the answer is real and authentic food. It’s food that doesn’t come from a factory. It’s beautiful and tasty produce from the farmer nearby, hand-baked bread and pastries, sustainably caught fish and well-prepared ready-to-eat solutions. Real food looks fresh, smells natural and tastes delicious. Most importantly, real and honest food that does good for you and our communities should be available to everyone. This is what the re-named concept, Food Market Herkku promises.

We based our solution on this vision and created a new brand identity and marketing platform that included in-store communications and packaging in line with the new strategy and insight.

Case Information

Client

SOK

Scope

  1. Brand strategy & purpose
  2. Brand communication
  3. Brand & product DNA
  4. Brand concept & platform
  5. Digital design
  6. Identity design
  7. Graphic design
  8. Package design
  9. Retail design
  10. Signage & wayfinding
  11. Manufacturing support
  12. Art direction
  13. Naming
  14. Verbal identity
  15. Illustration
  16. Photography & film
  17. Copywriting
  18. Content creation
  19. Brand & design guidelines

Interior architecture

Amerikka

We, consumers, are looking for solutions that feel natural and have health benefits, offer adventurous and authentic experiences, build trust with social responsibility, transparency and locality, and fit with urban lifestyle by being convenient and sophisticated. We are often ready to open our wallets if the concept, brand or food matches our needs and values. But at the same time, we are not ready to pay extra unless these meaningful things are really there. This is the definition of new premium food.”
Aleksi Kuokka, Lead designer
We were looking for a branding solution that showcased the variety you experience in a traditional marketplace – where you can find an incredible selection of foodstuff from local producers. Rather than creating a static brand identity, we celebrated variety and freshness by using dynamic, unexpected elements in our branding work.”
Designers Aleksi Kuokka and Aki Suvanto in conversation

Organic identity built on heritage and insight

The Food Market Herkku identity is created by using atypical elements and methods. The logo has multiple forms and typography is based on several different fonts. There is also an extensive number of colours and hues at play in the identity, with minimum reliance on photography. The design system is purposefully open to variation and creativity.

At the same time, the store environment is more layered, relaxed, vivid and authentic, having contrasts, textures and volume. The leading idea is to bring the grocery store and its identity back to its roots by focusing on real food. We feel that this is all any inspiring grocery store should be about.

Food Market Herkku manifesto

We are taking a step forward from traditional luxury thinking, welcoming everyone to get inspired with us on weekdays and weekends. We promise passionate and genuine encounters, experiences, and authentic food, from fresh ingredients to ready-made portions. Prices that feel right. We do everything we can to control food waste. We think all this is essential and relevant - a new luxury even - and we promise to work for it daily.

Food Market Herkku is a grocery store where you want to shop every day of the week.

It's all about being real

Organic identity is reminiscent of authentic, organic food – because it is not from a factory, it comes in many sizes and shapes, but you may still recognise it as a particular type of food.”
Designers Aki Suvanto and Aleksi Kuokka in conversation

Are you interested?

Aleksi Kuokka

Head of Brand & Spaces,
Partner

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