Capturing the richness of Southeast Asian cuisine through travel-inspired branding.
Branding
Packaging
Illustration
Client: HOM
Scope: Brand Identity, Icon & Illustration Design, Packaging Labels
Additional Credits: Label printing by NexGen Graphix
HOM was founded by Chef Gregory Sweeney to bring the vibrant, aromatic flavors of Southeast Asian street food to Edmonton. Through their sauces, pop-ups, and ready-made meals, HOM delivers culinary experiences that are bold, fragrant, and deeply celebratory—capturing the essence and richness of Southeast Asian cuisine in every bite.
We worked with Gregory to design a full visual identity with custom illustrations and packaging labels.
Description
Problem:
HOM approached us to design a logo and sauce labels, seeking a cohesive visual identity to replace their DIY logo. The challenge was to create a brand that resonated with their audience while celebrating the quality and uniqueness of their ingredients—all without relying on clichéd or stereotypical Asian visuals.
Process
During our brand discovery and research, we learned that HOM’s story is deeply rooted in the owner’s travels through Southeast Asia; the experiences that ultimately inspired the business. Our goal was to bring this unique journey to life, weaving his personal story into the branding and packaging to create an authentic, memorable connection with customers.
Solution:
The solution was a simplified stamp logo paired with a visual identity system that celebrates the owner’s travels. A limited colour palette, inspired by Southeast Asian spices and herbs, was chosen to reflect the richness of the cuisine. The visuals draw inspiration from the ingredients used in his cooking and a passport stamped with visas, capturing the sense of adventure, discovery, and excitement that defines the HOM brand.
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The branding process began with a deep dive into the owner’s “why.” We learned that HOM was born from his adventurous travels through Southeast Asia, which became the heart of the brand story. From there, we developed a range of logo concepts that reflected the culture and spirit of the region—without relying on clichés or stereotypes. The final logo emerged as a hand-lettered wordmark stamp, inspired by travel stamps, perfectly capturing the sense of journey and discovery. This concept was then extended into a full visual identity system, incorporating a color palette inspired by Southeast Asian ingredients and custom illustrations that bring the brand story to life.
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As part of the visual identity, we created a series of custom illustrations for HOM’s packaging and brand materials. These illustrations draw inspiration from passport stamps marking destinations across Southeast Asia and the vibrant ingredients featured in their recipes, blending travel and culinary storytelling into every design element.
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Once the visual identity was finalized, we designed labels for HOM’s take-home sauces. The labels feature a limited color palette and incorporate the custom illustrations, while varying background treatments make each sauce easily identifiable. This approach transforms the products into a culinary adventure, reflecting HOM’s dedication to authentic, bold, and innovative Southeast Asian cuisine.