KazoYUM Kitchen

Product Extension Packaging

KazoYUM Kitchen is a fictional food goods brand set in the small Japanese town of Takashi, California, with the mission of bringing delicious and authentic Japanese cuisine to America. The KazoYUM Kitchen’s new ramen line makes it easy for anyone to make flavorful ramen at home with just one easy cooking kit. This kit includes three authentic seasonings, Japanese Seven Spice, Dashi Powder, and Sesame Seeds, along with two sauces, Miso Paste and Soy Sauce, in a custom die-cut box. The line extension also includes two pieces of hangable packaging—a rice paddle and a pair of bamboo chopsticks.

The brand KazoYUM Kitchen is a unique spin on the Japanese word “kazoku,” meaning family, and splicing it together with the English word “yum.” The logo is hand-lettered and creatively combines American design and Japanese influence for an eye-catching appeal. The Japanese kanji for “tree” is 木 (ki), representing the strong roots and importance of family within the company’s beginnings. The 木 symbol is cut in half to create the “K” in KazoYUM.

The typeface Kopik in the logo and all package designs is bold, easily readable at various sizes, and reflects Japanese characters and extended and dramatic lines of calligraphic kanji art.

The general style of the branding is drawn from modern Japanese package design, logos, advertisements, wayfinding, signage, and art. Since the brand is based on authenticity first, each package’s Declaration of Product uses both English and Japanese kana (letters). Along with elements to show credibility of authenticity, visual elements such as rounded stars give a playful and dynamic feel. Inspiration drawing heavily from a culmination of works in Japanese styles, KazoYUM’s branding colors have a bright yet warm color palette. Dark red and a warm cream white serve as a dark and light neutral, while yellow and a burst of vibrant coral remain dominant to provide hue variety for elements in the line extension, such as the stars, logo, and background colors.