Guest article by Maria Passarivaki

Tequilas and sombreros aside, the city of San Pedro - in Nuevo León, Mexico - is bang on trend with the ‘revolutionary design’ term with some of its local stores that integrate conceptual design and food culture. Traditionally serving baked goods in the form of a typical home based bakery since 1988, it offers traditional recipes in an innovative pastry shop and thus, for any local pastry-goers, Catalina Fernández's main attraction in the future won’t be only the shop’s baked goodies, but its attention to detail.

The popular Catalina Fernández bakery is celebrated for its progressive perception of a pastry shop whilst sustaining traditional recipes. Under the direction of Anagrama, which is the brand agency to introduce in-store design concepts and brand development strategies, the Catalina Fernández bakery experience will never look the same again. For a start, Anagrama has ensured for a more sophisticated twist to the brand’s identity and a sans serif typeface logo (CF) was thereby introduced. Chic packaging boxes and bags complete with golden foil were printed and Anagrama also oversaw massive changes in the store's interiors.

The concept behind its design touches on the 1970s; it is futuristic yet old fashioned. At first glance, it looks like a reception hall where the characteristic minimal logo (CF) welcoming guests. Its tall ceilings on a vertical structure with shelves above the refrigerators let the store breath and are a feast for the eyes. Packages of sugar, flour, and yeast placed all over the pastry shop make the inner part of the shop look quite similar to a warehouse/kitchen. The ‘boutique’ color palette is a blend of black and white where contemporary furnishings contrast with the old white brick wall, embodied with hidden lighting. The result; the pastry shop becomes the ultimate eye candy to complement the delicacies on offer.



Besides the architectural project, it seems that there is a concrete plan for the future. What works in San Pedro will potentially spread out to the rest of the world as Catalina Fernández plans to expand its brand and open more boutique pastry branches thus approaching a wider audience.

All in all, such innovative design and food concepts test the consumer nous bringing new brand strategies into the realm of excellence and success. Most of all, they further cultivate our taste buds into another dimension.