CAFE D’AVIGNON

The Project: This is a case study I completed for a graphic design course. The main goal was to redesign the company’s logo as well as rebrand the company overall. 

History

Café d’Avignon is an artisanal bakery café based in New York City. In 1992 Tole Zurovac, Bane Stamenkovic, and Uliks Fehmiu established Pain d’Avignon, an award-winning bread bakery that serves Michelin-starred restaurants.

These three life-long best friends migrated from Yugoslavia to the United States to escape the wars plaguing their country at the time. Homesick and craving the flavors they associated with home, they decided to create a business that represents the country they missed most. In 2012, after many years of supplying bread to restaurants in Manhattan and Boston, they decided to enter retail and establish Café d’Avignon

 

Onliness Statment

Café d’Avignon prioritizes the use of local and organic ingredients within the bread-making process.

Competitive Analysis

Competitors: Starbucks and Le Pain Quotidien

Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse chain in the world. As of the first quarter of 2021, 32,938 locations were serving in 80 countries. Most of these locations are stand-alone stores, but some are featured in shopping malls, college campuses, grocery stores, and bookstores.

As an international chain that serves coffee, pastries, and merchandise, Starbucks is a leader in the specialty eatery industry.

Le Pain Quotidien does not serve the global population to the same extent that Starbucks does, but they are just as big of a competitor to Café d’Avignon. Le Pain Quotidien is a French phrase that translates into “the daily bread.” Their baking style is very similar to Café d’Avignon’s because of their mutual emphasis on using organic ingredients and natural flavors, but items and ingredients vary seasonally and globally.

Café d’Avignon is exclusive to three locations in New York City, while Le Pain Quotidien has several locations in Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Target Market

Most coffee shops appeal to students and business workers looking for an affordable caffeine fix, but given that Café d’Avignon is not as easily accessible, this is not the case for them. Since all of their ingredients are organic and they work with local farmers, they appeal to people who want to be more environmentally mindful. With their menu that includes French classics, they’re also able to catch the attention of people looking to enrich their taste buds.

Company Values

• Community – using ingredients from local farmers and millers

• Heritage – mixing classic French dishes with classic American dishes

• Creativity – exploring how different ingredients can harmonize and create new flavors

Swot Analysis

Strengths

• Use of ancient wheat is healthier for both the planet and buyer

• Bread is baked fresh daily

• Low presence of gluten

Weaknesses

• Not easily accessible because of location

• Food options are pricey

• Negative reviews because of poor customer service

Opportunities

• Expansion of sit-down area

• Donation of excess food to homeless community

• Bigger self promotion

Threats

• Rival companies have more locations

• Rival companies have a more expanded menu

Personas

Fumi is a young photographer living in Manhattan. She is originally from Japan but moved to New York on a work visa to pursue her passion. She takes photographs for many established fashion magazines such as Sleek, Allure, and Dazed. Aside from the work she does with professional models, Fumi has an interest in photographing youth. She enjoys capturing young people in raw and authentic ways. At the Essex Street Market, she encounters people of all different ages, genders, and ethnicities. Every Saturday, she likes to roam the market, acquire a caffeine boost from Cafe d’Avignon, and see who she may come across.

Sophie is twenty-year-old girl who lives in a small apartment in Brooklyn with her mom and sister. Sophie graduated high school not too long ago but isn’t pursuing a college education for the time being. Sophie’s focus right now is ballet. She’s been taking ballet lessons since she was a young girl. She’s performed solo numbers in several recitals. As a dancer, she eats a well-rounded diet to stay healthy. She doesn’t like to eat anything processed or fried, and stays away from too much sugar. Her guilty pleasure, however, is banana bread from Cafe d’Avignon.

Survey Monkey

Through the use of Survey Monkey, I was able to ask someone questions about their lifestyle choices regarding the consumption of organic products, and how/ when they drink coffee. The individual answered that they do regularly consume organic products, but they only drink coffee made at home and not from coffee shops. I gave this some consideration, and I would like to note that if Café d’Avignon were to sell packaged coffee in retail stores, many people would likely enjoy the healthier alternative right in their kitchen.

Fizzle

Problem: Because of their use of organic ingredients grown from local farmers, they are able produce menu items without causing any harm to the earth or their customers.

Differentiator: They have grown popular since their early beginning because they are able to resonate a sense of nostalgia by offering menu items common in France and America combined.

Solution: If they were to offer to serve people in personal cup options or provide reusable straw alternatives, they would take their mission to be friendlier towards the planet a step further, and it would set them further apart from competitors.

Channels: Café d’Avignon connects with customers through the use of social media and their website.

Audience: The main audience for this small franchise is not limited to age, gender or ethnicity. Any person seeking healthier alternatives to café menu options will find that here and can be considered the audience.