Cultcha Kombucha - Never Thought Studio

Cultcha

Rebranding the first Amsterdam based kombucha brand to fuel its next phase of growth.

Background

Founded in Amsterdam by Kelly Fagan, an ambitious entrepreneur from the US, Cultcha Kombucha became the first kombucha brand that was brewed in the Netherlands. The journey began at local markets in the city but quickly expanded to local retailers, bars, and restaurants in major cities across the country.

Challenge

The brand was experiencing growth, and although the design was sleek and minimal, just how Kelly liked it, the identity and packaging/labels had too many limitations. The bottles, which at that time were still being filled by hand, didn’t fit modern-day labeling and bottling machines, which stalled the brand’s growth.

The challenge was to create a new packaging design that preserved the spirit of the existing brand while being ready to support its next phase of growth.

Brand Strategy

It was important for the founder to maintain the spirit of the previous identity and packaging design. From this starting point, a new identity has been created that helps the brand overcome its limiting elements.

The first task was to simplify the logo. The previous logo was long and awkwardly positioned on the labels, making it hard to read and lacking memorability. Instead of showing the full brand name “Cultcha Kombucha,” the wordmark has been shortened to Cultcha, focusing on the origin of kombucha (made by living cultures) and evoking the feeling of being part of a movement (a cult).

While the previous font was very modern and stiff, a clean yet more decorative typeface was chosen to better reflect the natural and organic ingredients behind the product.

The icon, consisting of a circle and an asterisk, has been rotated upwards and subtly refined giving the an energetic upward look. The circle represents the natural bubbles in the drink, created by the culture during the brewing process, while the asterisk symbolizes the spark you taste when drinking kombucha.

In line with the previous labels, each label is represented by a colour that corresponds to the flavour of the drink. To add depth to the design, subtle artwork depicting the key ingredients in a pop-art style, the founder’s favourite art style, has been added to each label, communicating the natural and organic ingredients used to brew the drink.

Brand Experience

The unique brewing process of kombucha positions the product somewhere between two popular categories: soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. This presents an opportunity to create a strong brand experience, positioning kombucha (especially Cultcha) as a healthier alternative to both, while still evoking the same sense of enjoyment for its customers.

Since both categories are best enjoyed under the sun, the overall vibe of the brand should feel like a summer afternoon in a city park with friends: fresh, fun, and full of community. It’s an easy, go-to drink that replaces sugary sodas and unhealthy alcoholic beverages, and as a bonus, it’s even good for your gut health.

Beyond that, the product doesn’t have to stand on its own. To further emphasise its role as an alcohol replacement, Cultcha also makes the perfect alternative ingredient for your favourite cocktails.