More than just good food

Why strong brands also count in gastronomy

11. March 2025 |

Friederike Bothe

11. March 2025

Friederike Bothe

Why are we magically attracted to a certain smartphone, while another hardly attracts any attention? Why is the logo of a brand so deeply imprinted in our consciousness that we immediately recognize it even on a faded poster? The answer is obvious: Intuitive design, strategic storytelling and communication that is not instructive, but makes us want it.

Communicating brands

While companies from the fashion, tech and luxury sectors have mastered these mechanisms, the F&B world remains surprisingly reserved in this respect. Food is cooked with heart and served with passion - but the power of consistent, visually appealing brand communication remains untapped in many places. There is enormous potential here!

The big fast food franchises have of course long since recognized that it is not only the product, but also the brand experience that drives decisions. However, if you want to successfully bring sustainable, healthy cuisine into the mainstream, you not only have to convince with quality and values, but also with an aesthetic that arouses emotions and creates desire – for good food, for conscious enjoyment, for a lifestyle that combines sustainability with pleasure.

Storytelling that works: How values become visible and tangible

The future of gastronomy belongs to businesses that see sustainability as both an ethical obligation and an opportunity. This is not just about the origin and processing of products, but also about focusing on their added value through targeted presentation, communication and positioning. Sustainability and desirability can go hand in hand – if there is a strategy behind it.

One thing is clear: consumers value sustainability – and show this with their purchasing behavior. 92% state that sustainability is important when choosing a brand. Terms such as “organic” are more in demand than ever, while newer concepts such as regenerative agriculture, carbon footprint or responsible sourcing are becoming increasingly important in the branding context.

Our conclusion for the future

The aim is to translate familiar mechanisms from the world of valuable brands into the food service industry. Ideally, this will create a certain addictive factor – a culinary experience that not only offers enjoyment, but also triggers a release of dopamine. Guests should have the satisfying feeling of doing something good for themselves (and the world) and want to satisfy this craving again and again – until they automatically become enthusiastic regulars.

Read more about pleasurable communication in the first Genusspunkt e-paper!

A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît!

Book tip: Lasagna, Moussaka, and Co. – Happiness in Layers

Ilse Fischer's “Lasagna, Moussaka, and Co.” is a culinary journey through Europe in casserole form

Casseroles are underestimated. They are often considered cozy, filling, a little old-fashioned—but they are actually culinary narrative forms. This is exactly where Ilse Fischer comes in. Lasagne, Moussaka und Co.: Das Glück in Schichten (Lasagna, Moussaka and Co.: Happiness in Layers) is not just another “lasagna book,” but a collection of cultural identities, layered in dough, vegetables, sauces, and memories.

What sets this book apart from classic recipe collections is its focus on the principle of layering. Fischer shows that whether it’s Italian vincigrassi, Greek pastitsio, Alsatian baeckeoffe, or Savoyard tartiflette, ingredients are layered, interwoven, and combined in the oven to create something greater than the sum of its parts throughout Europe. It’s about more than technique. It’s about origin, climate, availability, and food culture.

INFO:
Lasagne, Moussaka and Co. – Happiness in Layers
Author: Ilse Fischer
Illustrations: Gudy Steinmill-Hommel
Publisher: Christian Verlag GmbH
Publication date: November 2025
Length: 256 pages
Binding: Hardcover
Language: German
ISBN: 978-3-9895101-6-6

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