Case Study: Koda COFFEE
From the very start, Koda was a project with a clear yet ambitious direction. Not only was it a new business, launching in a world where traction and engagement is paramount, it was a speciality coffee shop, coming to an audience and location, that hadn't seen it's likes before.
Where: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
When: May 2019
Reece always had big ambitions. Not only to build a shop that would attract the speciality coffee crowd, but to create a space that would draw a new audience. He wanted to build a brand at the heart of the shop, that was all about community, education and passion. And to do that, it needed a brand to match, that was rooted in Reece's passion and personality. A lot to ask, but with Reece's clear drive to make Koda succeed, we knew that we could land this new proposition with a bang!
So what did we do?
We started small. Drank some coffee. And chatted about what Reece wanted the brand to be. What his inspiration was, and what the brand should communicate. After working in the coffee industry in some capacity or another for the last 5 years, he'd seen a lot of brands come, go, stay around and move on. With that in mind, he knew Koda needed to be strong enough to stand apart from what was considered the 'norm', but most of all, be somewhere he could put his name above the door and be proud of.
As with any project, the first scribbles and conversations were all about excitement and the vision. Where did we want to draw influence from, and how would we make Koda more than just another coffee shop?
Building the Koda brand
Reece knew he wanted the brand to be simple, but also cut through the scene of the speciality coffee shop aesthetic. Being from the East coast of Yorkshire, he knew Scarborough didn't have a particularly thriving speciality coffee scene, but in that he saw an opportunity. To bring some of the best coffee roasters of the U.K and around the globe to this coastal town, and in doing so, educate and share his passion of coffee with the people.
The brand needed to be clear, concise and to the point. But it also needed to reflect what Reece believes in, and his passions. The name was born through his passion for music (ask him when you go in to give you the full low-down). What we now needed to do, was give it a personality of it's own and start to build the shop around the identity.
Japanese and Nordic influences were laid out in our initial meetings. The aim was to bring a relaxing atmosphere to life in the shop, but with a balanced colour palette. Sea-like blues were coupled with blossom pinks to give a flex of colour that could work all year round. These colours would then be teamed with a simple typographic lock-up and brand mark, to create a consistent design language.
Creating a set of basic rules for the Koda lock-up has allowed us to use the individual assets in a selection ways throughout the brand world. The lock-up itself stays proportionally the same across all touchpoints, but the colour palette and geometric assets can flex, allowing the brand room for expression without it feeling overly repetitive.
Education
As much as it was about the coffee, it was the education behind each brew he'd go on to serve, that made the project so much more appealing. Reece had a new approach, which aimed to simplify the bullshit (pardon me) around specialty coffee. Going into a coffee shop and seeing menu with 92 different drinks on can be a bit overwhelming, when you just want a 'coffee'. But with this problem in mind, Reece had a solution that would go on to start quite the trend across speciality coffee shops.
It sounds really simple, but goes something like this.
Espresso + Milk (optional) = *this drink*
A simple premise, that on the face of it may sound just as wanky as other establishments, but actually makes a hell of a lot of sense. Espresso is the base of any coffee. So from there, it's about adding milk, or not. If you want a milky number, it's a case of choosing how much milk you want, via size (oz measurements). Options look like this:
Espresso
Espresso with milk (6oz)
Espresso with milk (8oz)
Forget the millions of names, frappe, latte etc etc. If you want a short, milky drink, you get a 6oz. If you want a longer one, get a 8oz. Simple. And because Reece is a good guy, if you want something outside those options, just ask. He won't kick you out.
How's it going?
Over two years on since opening, and with a pandemic in the bag, Koda is thriving more than Reece could've ever hoped. With messages reading something along the lines of 'we had the busiest week so far' coming every few weeks, it's proving that the idea of bringing speciality coffee to an East Yorkshire seaside town, has been a success. Since opening, Reece has built a strong team and even added a little kitchen with a fully Vegan food menu to the Koda offering. That, on top of the outrageous selection of cakes and treats you can find on the counter means there's quite literally something for everyone.
Along with the top-quality food and drink, there are monthly events, a rotation of art available to buy via a collection of artists in residence and plenty more.
He's taken Koda from an idea on paper, to a top-drawer coffee shop, and now developed it into a must-visit Scarborough staple. All in two years. Not bad, aye?
Sometimes working with friends can be challenging, as there's a fine balance between professionalism and friendship, but with this one, it's been a journey that continues to grow. Over 4 years in the making, being able to say Reece is a good friend, is a hell of a lot nicer than saying he's a client.
There were a few that doubted the idea when Reece first starting thinking about opening Koda, but it's absolute testament to Reece and his vision, that the shop is continuing to thrive.
A big thanks to Reece, for his trust, patience and commitment to making the brand a success. Long may Koda continue to grow, serving up the best coastal coffee on it's way.
*books trip to Scarborough for a brew*
If you have an idea that you truly believe in, don't let anything or anyone stop you from getting there. And if you need a hand with building a brand, you know where I am.
Image and design rights belong to Rob Mitchell and Koda Coffee/Reece Wilde.