Knowledge Branding Story - Hass Kitchen

This writing piece is a knowledge branding story I created for a local to Gainesville brunch place, Hass Kitchen. It focuses on their creation of an inclusive menu and how they did it. 

Note: This was a mock branding story and was created as a conceptual exercise. The restaurant did not participate in or verify the information presented.

Avocado toast and french toast from Hass Kitchen.

“Having food allergies should never feel like a hindrance,” owner of Hass Kitchen Val Punnada Limphoka said. “I have so many friends and even family members who struggle with finding good, fulfilling food at restaurants that adhere to their dietary guidelines, and here at Hass I would never want anyone to feel that struggle.”

Creating gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian options for customers was no easy feat for the chefs of Hass Kitchen, lots of time, energy and resources went into ensuring the ingredients, taste and texture fit the level of food they wanted to serve.

The first thing Val and the chefs did was reach out to loved ones who had dietary restrictions and asked them what they felt they were missing from the restaurant industry within their dietary restrictions. 

Once they gathered that information, the testing stage started. They began making and testing a variety of products to determine which was the very best. Gluten free breads, dairy free cheeses, and meat free alternatives were being consumed in masses to determine what option they would be happy being served. 

After they figured that part out, came figuring out pricing. They didn’t want their customers with restrictions to feel like they were breaking the bank when ordering there. So they tried to be as cost effective as possible and charge only a small upcharge based on what they were spending on the alternative option. 

Next, they brought in their loved ones with restrictions for a soft launch of their new menu items so they could tweak anything they needed to based on their feedback. This step was one of the more crucial ones as it produced real, authentic, productive feedback. 

Lastly, they finally launched their menu items. Since the day they launched, they’ve seen an unimaginable growth in orders and positive reviews. Customers love it, and so do they. 

Having gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian options that actually tasted good was the best thing they ever did for their company - and it should inspire you to do the same for yours.