Asian House

We conducted a deep dive into the market as a fundamental phase of working on the brand strategy. We all know the current model of Asian food in the West, its atomized expansion in the last 60 years, and how it has reached today without referents or standards. The first Asian food to reach Spain was Chinese in the 1960s. Although the concept spread throughout all the cities of the country—and Europe—it has done so in an fragmented way: family restaurants, with their own recipes and their own processes that used to base their proposal on price and not on quality.

In the last 15 years, dishes from many other parts of Asia—sushi, bao, gyozas—have entered the Western scene and have had a different relationship with local cuisines: they have merged with local proposals. They can be on the menu of restaurants with different economic ranges.

Going deeper into the sector context, we find some very relevant data for the project. According to data from 2022, in Spain, one-third of the consumption was done outside the restaurant. Until not so long ago, we could say that restaurants were the option for “eating out”. That statement no longer serves to understand the reality of food consumption habits. 69.1% of people consume in the establishment, but the other 30% of restaurant sales were eaten at home (11.6%) or at the home of others (5.2%), at work (6.2%) and even on the street (4.9%). And we know that Asian food is extremely popular when ordering home delivery, despite this current atomization.

However, in 2023, we witnessed a reversal of the trend: a return to in-house dining. The first quarter of 2023 saw a substantial 26% surge in in-house consumption, indicating a potential return to pre-pandemic dining habits. While food delivery orders also increased, the growth was less pronounced at 13%. Notably, fast food restaurants experienced a significant increase in on-premise consumption, with a 39% rise, while take-away and delivery saw more modest increases of 13% and 7% respectively.

Let's analyze the public target. In this case, the public is tremendously diverse, both in terms of use case typologies (eating in a restaurant or taking it home), as well as in the way of sharing it (alone, as a couple, with friends or family), as well as in age and even economic situation. We want Asian House to be a place where anyone in a big city will desire to try Asian food.

We complete our analysis by focusing on how the 'fast good' sector speaks to the public. Its key messages focus on the quality of food thanks to its taste, on being superior or focused on its “real” character, on its impact beyond the moment—a positive impact on life—and on a new way of understanding food service at the level of branding, communications and marketing.

With all the information about the project, the market, and the target analyzed and put into perspective, it was time to encapsulate it in some strategic tools that would help us boost the experience and business of Asian House. As in the project, comfort plays a major role in the brand platform. This attribute is seen as a complete experience: from ease, comfort, and enjoyment of the experience to a comfortable decision and digestion itself. In addition, there is a differential in the optimistic capacity of the founders, leveraging their way of relating to the world, people, business, and brand.

Another critical concept we created for Asian House is the “easyway”. Very much in line with that comfort: an uncomplicated experience in a restaurant, at home, and to pick up. We also rely on our pillars: taste, ease and the always optimistic way of approaching the world. And everything always with the purpose very present in everything we are and do: to reimagine the flavors of Asia. Here we told you how we have reimagined it for its brand.

How do we communicate all this universe? With a personality capable of conveying knowledge of Asian food culture. A very enjoyable one. And with a key message: have you eaten yet? 你吃了吗, pronounced ni chi le ma, is a traditional way of greeting others, even if there is no real interest in the literal answer to the question. A concept that works because it serves as a conversation opener, it has an informal feel, has storytelling that is closely related to the culture, and reflects the importance of food in the Asian way of relating to each other.

In March 2024, Asian House successfully launched its delivery service through its digital home and the leading platforms (don't miss its executive menu, capable of turning any Tuesday into a happy day, ohmama!). Now, they are open! From September 4th you can find them in Madrid: Bravo Murillo 238. We can't make spoilers, you should go and give it a try. But keep keep tuned for a fresh brand activation case study coming soon.