(RestaurantNews.com) Since opening its doors in 2012 on Newport Place in London’s Chinatown, Chinatown Bakery has become known for its authentic Hong Kong-style baked goods and distinctive street-side presence. The concept proved popular, leading to the launch of two additional sites on Wardour Street.
However, with plans to grow to 20 locations by 2030, the brand faced a big problem: landlords weren’t taking the business seriously. Despite its popularity and profitability, the existing branding was seen as outdated and lacked the modern appeal required to secure prominent high street locations across the UK.
To address this, Chinatown Bakery partnered with Restaurant Marketing Agency and Branding specialists YellowFin to deliver a comprehensive brand transformation – one that would honour the bakery’s cultural roots while appealing to a wider, more Western audience.
Brand Messaging
The new brand is centered around the tagline: “A Taste of Hong Kong in Every Bake.”
This line encapsulates the blend of heritage, authenticity, and freshness that defines the business – designed to resonate with both loyal customers and new audiences discovering Hong Kong-style baking for the first time.
Visual Identity
The new Chinatown Bakery logo is clean, confident, and culturally relevant. A bold, all-caps sans-serif wordmark with rounded edges gives the brand a modern, approachable tone.
A custom graphic inspired by the original Newport Place bakery pays homage to the brand’s origins – bringing warmth and character to packaging and signage.
Brand Story
The new narrative puts Hong Kong front and centre – reflecting the bakery’s inspiration from traditional HK bakeries, while communicating its ambitions in the UK market.
Messaging is now more defined, expressing not just what the bakery sells, but why it matters.
Packaging
With over 80 unique products, packaging had to be both functional and brand-consistent. YellowFin developed a packaging system that preserves freshness while making products stand out in fast-paced retail environments.
Website
The new website supports three key functions:
- An engaging digital storefront
- A platform for wholesale enquiries and repeat orders
- A destination to drive footfall to physical locations
The site reflects the new brand design and messaging, combining clarity, style, and performance across all devices.
The rebrand brings together the heart and heritage of Chinatown Bakery with a fresh, professional identity ready to scale. From its visual language to customer touchpoints, the new brand sets the stage for national growth – while staying true to the business’s Hong Kong roots.
“This new identity feels like us – just evolved,” says founder Simon Tang. “We’re still making the same great products, but now we’ve got a brand that truly reflects the quality and vision behind them.”
Contacts:
YellowFin Agency
13 Upper Street
Thame
Oxon
01844 510043
YellowFin.agency
Chinatown Bakery
72, High Street
London Colney
St Albans
Al2 1QN
01727 239 133
ChinatownBakery.co.uk