Cafe Brand Strategy
Brand repositioning and menu design for an Asian fusion cafe. A strategic pivot from aspirational health positioning to authentic "Comfort Food with Heart."
Industry
Hospitality
Location
Perth, WA
Timeline
Intensive 1-day
Iterations
4-5 rounds
The Challenge
A brand at war with itself
This Asian fusion cafe, located within a community health facility in Perth, came to me needing cohesive branding that reflected their offerings and customer experience.
The initial brief was straightforward: create a health-focused brand identity. The cafe's name suggested wellness. The location within a health facility reinforced it. The logical positioning seemed obvious.
But there was a problem.
The Contradiction
Customer research revealed a disconnect between the intended "health cafe" positioning and reality:
Attempting pure health positioning while selling Coke and croissants would undermine credibility.
What Google Reviews Revealed
I analysed their 4.8/5 star Google Reviews to understand what customers actually valued. The patterns were clear:
Personal Service
The owner's warm hospitality mentioned repeatedly. "Like visiting a friend."
Coffee Quality
The barista's expertise consistently praised. "Best coffee in the area."
Comfort Food
Customers came for comfort, not calories counted. "Soul food."
Convenient Location
Easy access and unique setting valued. "Hidden gem."
The Strategic Pivot
From aspiration to authenticity
Rather than forcing an aspirational health narrative that would ring hollow, I repositioned the brand around what customers actually loved. The pivot wasn't a failure of the initial approach — it was strategic responsiveness to reality.
"Nourish Your Body"
- - Health-focused positioning
- - Wellness-oriented messaging
- - Dietary accommodations front and centre
- - Aspirational but inauthentic
"Comfort Food with Heart"
- + Honest about offering both healthy and indulgent
- + People-focused (the owner and barista)
- + Community connection (health facility partnership)
- + Authentic differentiation
The cafe doesn't need to choose between health and comfort — their strength is offering both with genuine care and excellent service.
The core insight that unlocked the repositioning
The Solution
Brand strategy & visual identity
Four Value Propositions
Honest Choices
Quality ingredients with real options — healthy when you want it, indulgent when you need it.
Personal Touch
The owner's hospitality and the barista's coffee expertise. Real people, not corporate service.
Community Connection
Located within a community health organisation. Every visit contributes to something meaningful.
Versatile Service
Dine-in, takeaway, and catering for local businesses and universities.
Visual Identity System
Colour Palette
Sage Green
#7B9971
Fresh, welcoming, subtle health association
Terracotta
#C26B5C
Warm, comfort, Asian fusion aesthetic
Coffee Brown
#6B4C3A
Coffee expertise, earthiness
Design Approach
- Modern minimalist (clean, not cluttered)
- Vietnamese-inspired geometric patterns
- Flat design aesthetic
- High contrast for readability
Personal Touch Elements
- "Barista's Pick" coffee recommendations
- "Owner's Fave" menu highlights
- Dietary icons (GF, V, Vegan)
- Owner presence in brand story
Deliverables
Project outputs
Breakfast Menu
Warm cream tones, 7:30am - 10:30am
Lunch Menu
Deep olive with gold, Vietnamese focus
Hot Drinks
Rich chocolate brown, specialty lattes
Cold Drinks
Light cream, fresh juices & Vietnamese iced coffee
Brand Strategy Documents
- Comprehensive brand overview
- Positioning statement
- 4 value propositions
- Target audience profiles
- Brand personality guide
- Messaging hierarchy
Visual Design Assets
- Menu design (print-ready)
- Colour palette system
- Typography guide
- Icon library (dietary indicators)
- Signature badges and elements
- Digital formats (web-ready)
Key Takeaways
What made this work
Research-Driven Decisions
Google Reviews analysis revealed what customers actually valued — not what we assumed they wanted. Data beat assumptions.
Willingness to Pivot
The major repositioning mid-project wasn't a failure — it was strategic responsiveness. Sticking with a flawed direction would have been the real failure.
Authenticity Over Aspiration
Positioning around genuine strengths (people, location, honest offerings) rather than aspirational claims that couldn't be supported. Authenticity builds trust.
People as Differentiators
The owner and barista became the brand's authentic voice. Personal touches ("Barista's Pick", "Owner's Fave") created genuine differentiation competitors can't copy.
Skills Demonstrated
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