Essential Baking revamps brand design for younger audiences

The Seattle-based brand is aiming to break through the ‘sea of sameness’ in the bread aisle. Essential Baking partnered with Seattle-based branding agency People People to create a premium, artisanal identity that keeps the whimsy of Seattle culture.

At the heart of the rebrand, the new logo shifts from a traditional design with intricate sun rays to a more playful sun that caters to the eclectic energy of gen Z. The heart of the new sun logo is a loaf of bread surrounded by thick, petal-like rays, creating a warm feeling. The typography stays true to the original design but with a cleaner, more legible look.

The whole logo is a simple two-tone of soft yellow and orange. The overall palette shifts to a more cohesive look that embraces a bright, natural spectrum. The colour-coding system across 20 different products is clear and intuitive, including yellow for Focaccia and purple for Raisin Pecan.

The new identity is cohesive across bread bags, delivery vans, uniforms and digital platforms. To allow for visibility on the shelf, the logo was added to the front and bottom of the bag. Scaled-back graphics bring the bread itself into the spotlight.

Remaining true to its local roots, the design includes a ‘Washington Made’ seal to reinforce its local values. The packaging features a ‘sour scale’ to give shoppers a way to choose their flavour profile. Custom illustrations appear throughout the brand identity like the arch of a baker’s hearth to fresh bread being broken.