Aaji’s

Food has always been an expression of love within the Korde family, as with so many others. From everyday meals to annual holidays, from the most joyful celebrations to the most trying times, preparing and sharing home-cooked dishes from well-loved family recipes has been a source of solace and celebration. And, in turn, business inspiration.

In 2021, two generations of the Korde family came together to launch Aaji’s – the name means ‘grandmother’ in their native tongue – with a tangy, sweet, addictively umami product called tomato lonsa. All five family members were together every step of the way, they showed up at local Philadelphia area farmers markets, sharing personal stories alongside the samples. Within weeks, they’d built a loyal following and meaningful relationships within the food community. They knew they were on to something special.

By the end of 2022, after solidifying their sourcing and production operations, they knew it was time to turn their attention to building a brand that could truly scale beyond lonsa and beyond the Philadelphia area. We were honored to be formally brought into the family fold alongside local design agency Cohere to develop and document the Aaji’s brand strategy.

Together, we crafted the core brand idea of Deliciously Uplifting – capturing not just the taste profile of their existing and forthcoming products, but also reflecting their mission-driven value system, and the role that the enterprise has played in helping their family to come together through adversity. We formalized a warm, authentic, positive, and modern brand personality, and articulated the values and behaviors that must guide the organization as it grows into the future.

Cohere translated the strategy into a striking and sophisticated packaging design featuring a rich color palette, elegant typography, and charming details like a hand-held tomato. Deliciously uplifting, indeed!

As Aaji’s expands both its product range and its retail footprint, we remain at the table – hungry for what’s to come.

Gorgeous photos by Alex Cahanap for Cohere.