We developed a branding strategy that would reflect this heritage, looking to Eastern Europe, Belarus and Lithuania for design inspiration and working with the client to develop a visual identity that is contemporary but sympathetic to the traditions of the bakery.

The name we developed, Karaway, derives from the Slavic greeting ‘Karavi’, which refers to a custom of welcoming guests with a loaf of homemade bread. The name also communicates flavour and further emphasises the natural feel of the brand. Red, the national colour of Russia, was chosen as the brand colour and both the illuminated letter used for the ‘K’ logo and the pattern we developed to embellish the marketing material were inspired by Slavic artwork. In further keeping with the theme, Orbi, a typeface designed by Russian typographer Natalia Vasilyeva, is used throughout brand communication.

Showing products at their best is of vital importance for a food brand. We commissioned photographer Cristian Barnett to shoot in the Karaway bakery, capturing the baking process and the finished breads.

Once the brand values and visual direction had been agreed, we collaborated with architects 31/44 to develop the first Karaway store at Westfield Stratford. There is strong emphasis on the use of natural materials throughout the store, which complement the pure and honest ingredients used by the bakery, from brown paper carrier bags, to linen staff aprons and handwritten price tags. The open plan shop creates the feel of a market, and uses wooden food crates and wicker baskets to display breads and baked goods