Without rebrands fast food in new identity for Wok to Walk

Wok to Walk, the number one Wok Kitchen operator in Europe, is relaunching globally with a new brand identity from design studio Without.

Today’s highstreet customers often have to choose between waiting for quality, fresh food with a price-tag to match, or grabbing something quick that’s been sitting on a shelf all day. Founded in 2004, Wok To Walk were pioneers in the quick service movement, but the business got lost in this dichotomy and were mistakenly seen as a convenient, but unhealthy, grab-and-go.

The new identity from Without successfully upends this, and positions Wok to Walk as a healthy destination that provides both speed and quality. It communicates the atmosphere and design ideals of the East in an authentic and approachable way with a brand that is bold, bright and artisanal.

The repositioning is grounded in logic: the food at Wok to Walk is not fast because it’s the easiest or cheapest thing to do, but because they train their chefs to master the wok. This clever piece of kit was invented over 2000 years ago in China, and its rounded bottom seals in heat and nutrition so fresh food can be cooked quickly with less oil and more flavour while also preserving all its nutritional qualities, which makes it very healthy.

Without elevated the wok to create a brand that blends ancient techniques with modern energy, and high-end craft with high-street convenience.

The new logo is a wok with a lightning bolt in the middle that doubles as a signature W, and illustrates the brand’s internal philosophy that celebrates speed, energy and innovation.

From this dynamic logo mark, the studio created a suite of patterns that sit across uniforms, takeaway bags, and behind typographic posters.

The chefs, who attend circus school, have been renamed ‘Woksmiths’ to highlight the artisanal quality of the food and the skills required to cook it.

The new restaurant interiors, which Without advised on, will now be open-plan and built around these talented Woksmiths so customers can see the food being prepared in an environment – elemental and intense – that breeds comradeship.

While wok craft takes years to perfect, the rules at Wok to Walk remain simple: make it fresh, fast, and fun. The copywriting reflects this and the focus is on food quality, seasonal recipes, and ingredients, rather than price or meal deals.

The updated colour palette introduces new gradients and was inspired by the cinematography of Wong Kar Wai. The high quality photography builds on this, then takes it a step further to become iconic and different from the classic food photography presentations: in the Wok to Walk art direction mix, a subtle layer of neon glow adds a sense of place and lightning. Together, the ensemble works to distil the authentic colours, flavours and emotion of Chinese street food instead of falling back on tired clichés.

To move away from their image as food for travellers, and connect with customers on a more emotional level, Woki has been introduced as Wok to Walk’s new brand mascot. Woki is the spirit of the Woksmith; bold, creative and enthusiastic with a mischievous, rule-breaking streak.

Cristina Piera, CMO, Wok To Walk: “Refreshing a brand that is already beloved and consolidated is always tricky, but we needed to take a step forward in order to be true to our innovative spirit. Quality perception was falling below the actual quality and we wanted to make our position in the market clearer: we are fast and convenient, but we are definitely not fast food in terms of quality and experience. Achieving this mission while respecting the DNA of the brand was a big challenge; Without helped us find the right way to bring our vision to customers in a unique way.”

Roly Grant, Founder, Without: “Wok to Walk is special – fast food that’s fresh from the flame, not sat in packaging all day. Lightning fast and full of attitude, it deserved a bold mark, energetic imagery and a new pride in the quality of what they create.”

The rebrand is rolling out from the end of November 2022 and will cover all brand touchpoints, including social, digital, OOH, as well as in over 100 Wok to Walk restaurants across 20 countries.

Source: Without

  Brand Identity, Branding, Fast Food, Rebrand, Without, Wok to Walk