On June 15, a new business will open its doors on 104 Street. The name? kb&co. The game? Fast-casual, plant-based food. Edmonton’s food scene has exploded over the last... let’s call it 10 years, but not too many like kb&co. I’m an Albertan born and raised, and like many, I love a good 12oz New York strip. I’m not vegan or even vegetarian, nor will I ever be, but this new cafe is one I’m really looking forward to. Why? Because it’s a fast option that offers food that’s actually good for the body. And this is what got everyone at Habit excited when we were asked to design their brand.The “kb” in kb&co stands for Kristina Bothelho, the mind behind the madness. I say that with affection, because Kristina is a great fit for Habit, and we think we’re a great fit for her, and that matters. A great relationship between client and agency affects the end result of a branding project like this, not to mention any future endeavours. I’ll tell you right now that not every client–agency relationship works well, so it’s important to look for relationships that do.Kristina’s got an unrivalled optimism about her, and her drive and commitment is unparalleled. And while she takes her business very seriously, she doesn’t take herself seriously. In fact, she’s hilarious. I recall some of our meetings being more laughs than shop talk. All of these traits are those that we treasure not only in our clients, but in each of us at Habit. So yeah, great fit.We had a specific budget that we had to stick to, so we worked with Kristina to plan a roadmap for her brand and her business. We identified what parts of her brand needed to be built first and which elements could wait or be improved later. After all, brands never stand still. They’re always changing, and hopefully always growing, so bite off what you can chew.One of the elements we never put aside is our discovery and research process. Otherwise, a brand just ends up being a logo and some colours. We did our homework on the vegan and plant-based community and industry, these being one of her key audiences. At the same time, we identified that kb&co would cater to more than just vegans and that our message would be the promotion of healthier choices.We created values and messaging that supported this notion so that kb&co would have a consistent voice that would resonate. We designed a logo and an identity to match. And we built a variety of touchpoints, from business cards to signage to a website, to help Edmonton find, learn about, and try kb&co for the first time. It was an amazing process, and we’re proud to have been a part of it.

On June 15, I’ll be walking through kb&co's finished doors for the first time, and I know it’ll be amazing. I am convinced that kb&co will be a great addition to downtown Edmonton, and I think Edmonton will be convinced, too.P.S. Try the oatmeal cream cheese cookie. It will blow your mind. Seriously.