The Focus
A beloved grocery retail chain with deep roots in Tamil Nadu (South India) was geared up to expand its presence nationally. However, the brand name "Kovai Pazhamudir Nilayam" (that means Orchard of Fruits) posed a linguistic challenge outside their home state.
The brand's strong legacy, built on trust and quality since 1965, needed to be retained while creating a more accessible identity for new markets and modern retail channels across other Indian states.
The evolution required careful balance: modernizing for national appeal while preserving their iconic elements - the mango symbol, signature colours, and trusted reputation among existing customers.
The Design
Created a dual-brand strategy with "KPN Fresh" for stores across India while retaining "Kovai Pazhamudir Nilayam" in Tamil Nadu for the transition phase, both unified through consistent visual language and an augmented seal.
Developed a contemporary typographic logo using well-crafted letters, with the signature dark green "KPN" and orange "Fresh" incorporating subtle natural elements like a leaf-shaped 'r'.
Refreshed the iconic mango seal into primary and secondary sigil, creating a versatile brand asset system that works across all the Indian scripts in digital and physical touchpoints while maintaining brand recognition.
The Story
Kovai Pazhamudir Nilayam literally meaning Orchard of Fruits embarked on its journey in 1965 as a pushcart selling mangoes near Coimbatore. Through unwavering commitment to quality and customer service, the business gradually expanded its offerings to become a comprehensive grocery retailer.
The mango, which marked their beginning, evolved into a powerful symbol of trust and freshness that resonated deeply with their customer base. Their success story in Tamil Nadu is particularly remarkable, having cultivated a loyal following among a cross section of families.
As the second generation is embarking on pan-Indian expansion with backing from Westbridge Capital, they faced a complex branding challenge that required careful consideration. Their Tamil name, while carrying significant weight and recognition in their home state, presented substantial barriers to entry in other regions where pronunciation and recognition would be significant hurdles.
Additionally, while their reputation in fruits and vegetables remained sterling, they needed to evolve their identity to reflect their full-service supermarket status without diminishing their fresh produce credentials. The digital age brought its own set of demands, requiring a more concise, adaptable brand name that could function effectively across all the Indian scripts in various platforms and touchpoints.
Insights
Understanding their consumer base proved crucial to the rebranding strategy. KPN's core customers predominantly comprise upper-middle-class families residing in 2-3 BHK apartments, with an impressive 80% of their clientele owning either cars or two-wheelers.
This demographic insight revealed an interesting pattern: while these customers showed strong loyalty for fresh produce purchases, they often distributed their grocery shopping across multiple retailers. This shopping behaviour highlighted an opportunity to strengthen KPN's position as a comprehensive supermarket destination.
Freshness Made National
As KPN was a popularly known shortform of the name, it seemed most suitable to carry across the country. The solution centred on creating a new identity, "KPN Fresh," for national markets while maintaining the originalname in Tamil Nadu during the transition period. This strategic decision acknowledged both their heritage and future aspirations. The typography & colours conveying modern family values, freshness and warmth played a crucial role in this transformation.
The primary logo employs the Cocon font, selected for its warm, welcoming character and superior legibility. The design team created a thoughtful colour division, with "KPN" rendered in their signature dark green paired with "Fresh" in orange, featuring a naturalistic 'r' that subtly reinforces the brand's connection to natural, fresh produce.
The Nostalgia of Mango
The brand architecture was crafted with future growth in mind. The new system allows for flexibility, where "Fresh" can be substituted with other descriptors to accommodate future brand extensions. The iconic mango seal was reimagined into primary and secondary versions, modernized for contemporary applications while maintaining its historical significance. The visual system maintains KPN's trusted colour palette of green, orange, and yellow, but introduces enhanced depth for modern applications. This refresh extends seamlessly across store facades, packaging, digital platforms, and staff uniforms.
Particular attention was paid to nighttime visibility, incorporating strategic illuminated signage to maintain brand presence during evening shopping hours, a crucial consideration given their significant evening sale.
The refreshed identity successfully bridges KPN's rich heritage with their national ambitions. Through this thoughtful evolution, KPN is well-positioned to extend its trusted reputation and quality service to new markets while maintaining the strong connection with its existing customer base.
