Translation Issues: Millgri Design by Ohmybrand

Contents:

• Client's task
• Working with the audience
• Ideas
• Mixed forms of life
• Final solution

In 2022, the branding agency Ohmybrand played a key role in the creation of a new brand called Millgri. This line is a range of ready-made products intended for cafes and restaurants.

We were lucky enough to meet with Nadezhda Parshina, and she shared with us details about the process of creating a new brand, as well as the challenges that arose during its development.

She is the founder and creative director of the branding agency Ohmybrand. He also teaches, participates in conferences on packaging, and has won Pentawards, German Design Awards, and European Design Awards.

Client's Task

The company "Soyuzsnab", which contacted us, primarily cooperates with large clients representing the food industry. Their range includes ready-made ingredients such as milk starters, marinades, flavourings and powder mixes for confectionery products.

The company's entry into the HoReCa market, which includes cafes and restaurants, represents a new strategic direction for its activities.

Working with the audience

For a long time, the Soyuzsnab company has cooperated with large manufacturing enterprises, and the solution to the problem seemed quite obvious: "We will supply dry puree not in large 20-kilogram bags, but in small 500-gram packages."

Nevertheless, the HoReCa sector has its own unique standards and process maps. It is impossible to use a new product without preliminary preparation: it is necessary to first develop recipes and allocate sufficient time for this process.

While interviewing chefs, we encountered a common situation: a representative of the Soyuzsnab company comes to them and demonstrates, for example, a new sauce. However, the discussion quickly reaches a dead end—the chefs have no idea how to use this product, since it does not appear in their recipes.

It turned out that the key problem was Soyuzsnab's lack of understanding of the needs of chefs and purchasing specialists in the chains.

When we presented the survey results to the client, his reaction was: "Absolutely correct!" Similar situations have arisen more than once when they were offered a product that seemed excellent at first glance, but the chefs could not understand its necessity.

Based on the results of our research, Soyuzsnab updated the organizational structure of a number of its divisions. As a result, the company hired chefs who developed recipes and integrated them into customer service sheets. Thus, a new link was established between the company's technologists and the chefs of its catering establishments.

Ideas

In the process of creating the brand, we needed to create a unified and cohesive image. This image represents a certain promise. It is based on the resources that the company has and what exactly this promise can be backed up by.

Soyuzsnab has a significant production facility, including a powerful research and development department, as well as its own farms and orchards. These aspects serve as convincing proof of their potential. We also analyzed chefs' needs, which gave us insight into areas to consider when creating the brand platform, positioning, naming, and packaging design.

Mixed Lifestyles

We explored a variety of names, from fun to high-tech, complex to simple. Our thinking spanned a wide range of topics, but at the core of the process was a desire to support and empower executives in their culinary endeavors.

For example, we chose a striking and memorable name that contains the root word "del." This creates associations with words like "delicacy" or "delishes." In addition, it reflects the brand's openness and willingness to share with others.

One of the proposed options was simple and made it clear that the dish would be delicious, without any hidden meanings. Another name option combined both the ingredient list and something innovative, yet still within the realm of "edible." There was also a playful name that hinted at rock 'n' roll, drive, and indulgence, while yet another name sounded more classic and reflected the collaboration between the chefs.

Read also:

A conversation with Nadezhda Parshina: the influence of consumer trends on design.

The final solution

Ultimately, Millgri was the choice that the client immediately liked. The logo turned out to be both modern and original. Its concept is based on the idea of ​​​​unit, which is clearly expressed in the use of lines.

The use of a sans-serif font emphasizes the company's size. It was important for the client to convey to the audience that this is not a small artisan production facility, but an impressive one: modern laboratories, quality control systems, and large-scale production lines.

Our goal was to create an original and modern result. This approach may scare off ordinary consumers, but professional chefs of modern restaurants will certainly appreciate it. Therefore, we did not focus on the logo evoking associations with food products, as our product is intended exclusively for business. It doesn't need active advertising, because it's not a product for spontaneous purchases.

The appetizing food zone is required exclusively for packages of sauces, ketchups, and syrups. These products are typically displayed in open spaces and on bar counters, making them highly visible to customers. With this in mind, we've strived to make their appearance appealing.

The most significant aspect in this situation was the practicality of the packaging. It is stored in restaurant pantries, so the main requirement is ease of use and the ability to quickly navigate to avoid confusion. For example, if we're talking about a package of mashed potatoes, it's important to be able to easily find the right option—mashed potatoes with herbs or with onions. The optimal solution to simplify this task is pictograms and a color-coding system.

To create color differentiation, we used shades that match the logo and background: each product has a unique combination of these colors. In the Millgri series, the background is white, and the only element that changes color is the logo. We intentionally increased its size for better visibility. The Millgri+ collection offers higher-quality products, where the logo also changes color, and the background indicates the product category.

Since the end of 2022, Millgri has been supplying cafes and restaurants with a variety of toppings, syrups, and sauces. With the arrival of the New Year, the first soups went on sale, and we plan to expand the range.

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