Fresh Routes is a beautiful, mobile grocery store recreated out of an old, decommissioned city bus. The progressive non-profit brings healthy, affordable food to people with little to no access (Indigenous communities, seniors’ centres, and low income neighbourhoods). We partnered with the client to provided creative oversight for the entire project: vision, naming, brand strategy, a brand toolkit, exterior wrap, and interior architecture build.
As part of our Brandvan philanthropy, we collaborated with best in class creative experts to donate this work for free: Mason Studios interior design. Yiyin Zhu illustrations. Media Vandals print production. Vickie Hsieh digital strategy.
Category: Health | Client: Lourdes Juan | Location: Alberta
Across Canada, there are a growing number of issues challenging the health of its citizens. At the top of this list is access to healthy, affordable food. The current system and its focus on production efficiency has created physical barriers for people living in remote and rural areas commonly known as ‘food deserts’.
We took on this project to make an impact in a multitude of areas. Not only is the parent organization, Leftovers Foundation, doing incredible work in western Canada with their food charity, but the group is also creating new and experimental solutions to significantly impact their communities and beyond. Using design thinking and a start-up mindset, they’re solving unique challenges in a somewhat standardized industry.
This specific project aligned with the Brandvan leadership team as it offered a variety of benefits to society and our creative involvement: confidence for the leadership team, corporate partners and government investments; pride for the current and future staff and volunteers through the creation of a timeless, beautiful brand; and dignity for the customers, experiencing a space that is better designed than most premium grocery stores.
Our work has empowered Fresh Routes to build affiliations and test models with kiosks in primary schools, increase the number of people they serve, gain extra sponsorships, and expand into additional cities.
The ‘fresh routes’ name and the supporting identity take inspiration from the bus circuit and plant roots. Growing from the stem of the icon are new paths, healthy leaves, and initials ‘f’ and ‘r’.
Applied with contrast and scale, the library of illustrations by Zhu add life, texture and personality to all brand applications.
Mason Studios recreated the 25 year old bus interior into an inspiring, functional and accessible space space.
Lowered shelves for youth access, mobile rack systems for product flexibility, and wheelchair friendly pathways and entranceways.
