Inspired by international food and beer halls, the York agency has designed a distinctive brand identity, collateral and venue experience which was unveiled at the recent launch of the first Brew+ venue in Chapel Allerton, Leeds. The new food and drink venue, Brew+Bao, offers a unique mix of Asian street food and craft beers.
The move supports the York-based craft brewery’s plans to roll out the Brew+ concept to other venues across Yorkshire, including The Mitre in Knaresborough and Goole’s historic Market Hall.
United by Design has played a pivotal role in bringing the Brew+ vision to life. Through an in-depth process of research and iterative design, the concept positions this new arm of the business for successful regional and national growth.
The new identity design uses bold typography, super graphic characters and a pared back palette of green tones to stand out on the high street. Using bold messaging and a clean contemporary visual style, Brew+ has already engaged the residents and visitors of Chapel Allerton. The ‘plus’ sign for Brew+ represents chopsticks as a nod to the Asian-influenced food, while the tag line – craft beer + more – alludes to the wider food and drink offering.
Thoughtful branding allows Brew+ to be interchangeable with a wider food and drink offering. The overarching Brew+ concept can be adapted for other locations with other food providers, such as Brew+Pizza and Brew+Burger, allowing the brand to grow and flex with new locations.
United by Design also collaborated to develop the interior design, working closely to create a distinctive and engaging space that reflects a fresh, modern bar venue. Inspired by international food and beer halls, the brand’s energy has been translated into the physical space.
Wayne Smith, Brew York MD, said: “We wanted a new venue concept we could roll out into different markets where our existing brand name wasn’t as well-known. As always, the team presented great ideas and concepts - and the journey through to final design was smooth. The fun, family feel of the brand lends itself well to the atmosphere and environment we wanted to create.
“Working with United by Design is key to the success of a project - it’s the design that draws people in and creates an unforgettable experience. We’re excited to continue to work with the team as we look to open 10 venues in the North by the end of the financial year – and then expand Brew+ nationally.”
Owen Turner, United by Design MD and Creative Director, said: “We are super proud of our involvement in this next phase of business growth with Brew York Brewery.
“It’s been a privilege to nurture and collaborate on something that’s very different from their core branding. As the brand evolves, it’s imperative to bring innovation and strategic thinking to such projects.
“The new Brew+ brand allows for this, providing a flexible and modern venue that will add value to a high street. We cannot wait to see it rolled out!”
The launch marks 10 years of a very successful partnership between United by Design and Brew York. This includes creating an iconic brand identity to capture Brew York’s passion for beer and its unique UK/US hybrid brewing style plus designing over 500 bespoke beer label designs, evolving the brand packaging through several strategic phases. The team have also created a number of specific themed ranges, including Christmas, Halloween and the annual birthday beer range.
This has helped Brew York to gain national listings, win a Design Business Association ‘Design Effectiveness Gold Award’ and be exported globally.
Yousef Doubooni, Brew York Sales Director, said: “Brew+ has exceeded expectations, and our first venue has been oversubscribed with bookings. Sales have also been higher than expected, outperforming budget forecast and maintaining a high sales rate since. It already feels like an established brand.”
The project adds to United by Design’s growing portfolio of work with Yorkshire’s thriving food, drink and hospitality scene – from Cedar Court Hotels to street food vendors Nacho Taco Truck and Ged Bell Pies. Previous clients also include Tah Tien and Forage restaurants, Amber's Restaurant and The Dugout sports bar.
For more information, visit: www.unitedbydesign.co