“Without gave us the confidence to lean into our difference and go against sector tropes with a brand that reflects our philosophy.”
— Dorian Waite, Founder, Breadstall
Context
Queues have been forming since 2008 for Breadstall’s shareable pizza, served by the quarter, half or whole. From lunch until late, locals gather at the van on Northcote Road over light crusts from a baker’s dough.
But to replicate the vibe of the van in a central London rollout, Breadstall needed a brand that could compete in the crowded Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector. Working closely with the founders, Without identified Breadstall’s difference to develop an identity built on the unique story of bread baking and a baker’s technical knowhow. In a sector saturated with trippy pizza dudes, US east coast nostalgia and recreations of Napoli, Without helped to recreate the open, welcoming feel of a bakery to Breadstall’s first city centre site on Berwick St, inspiring growth by breathing new life into the tired, screen-driven QSR sector.
Working directly with the founders to experience (and taste) Breadstall’s difference first hand
DEFINE AND DESIGN
We turned Breadstall from pizza makers into pizza bakers with a visual identity that uses the language of flour mills, bakeries and craft. A new, “biga” logo is bold, confident and straight-talking with a monogram to match, while graphics were inspired by the different pizza serving sizes. A single-minded, recognisable colour palette sets Breadstall apart in a sea of stereotyped reds and greens.
Art direction celebrates the joy of the craft of baking, highlighting process, product, people and place, with a tone of voice that is floury, not flowery. Like a working bakery, the Berwick St restaurant will replicate the transparency of the original van, by sharing daily updates of air, flour, dough and water temperatures in a low-fi, but beautiful space, with tiled counters and pops of colour.
Crafting a confident, bakery-inspired aesthetic that stands out from the crowd
DELIVER
Without created a robust identity system and toolkit – from art direction and tone of voice, to interiors and digital applications – to support teams with restaurant rollout. The first application began with the wrapping of the original Northcote Road van in the new branding, followed by the opening of Breadstall’s first site in Berwick Street in January. Further new sites will be announced in 2025.
