Maison DandoyBaked to Perfection

Founded in 1829, the family-owned artisanal bakery Maison Dandoy was stuck in the past. A holistic makeover encompassing packaging, digital, retail spaces, and ad campaigns brought the brand up-to-date – transforming it into a Brussels staple and looking to its future as a globally successful business.

A longtime favorite of Brusseleers and well-kept a local secret, Maison Dandoy has baked delicious treats since the early 19th century. Its signature spiced cookies, known as speculoos, are still made using the family recipe and traditional method. But these were too delicious not to be shared with the world, so what started as a modest identity redesign quickly became an ambitious project to create a full brand universe for the business.

Work began by building a creative strategy. Independent research was supplemented by interviews with family members and other key stakeholders, as well as first-person customer insights, all to absorb the culture of Maison Dandoy, its habits, and its products.

Once the story and vision were clearly laid out, the separate brand elements followed. The logo acts as Maison Dandoy’s visual blurb, bundling its core story into a neat and tidy graphic, while packaging is sprinkled with gold polka dots that look as if they’re fresh out of the oven.

Finding the right tone of voice was also crucial for transforming the Maison Dandoy identity into a personality. The cookies became droll, cheeky characters – a bit like the court jesters of the past, which made sense for a brand that combines history and pleasure.

The identity also manifested physically across several stores that act as extensions of the company’s universe and values. Seemingly floating marble countertops that display the full product offering, spherical brass lamps that mimic the gold dots, and hand-painted logos that adorn the windows—not to mention the smell of freshly baked cookies – all add to the atmosphere of warmth and delight to be enjoyed across generations.

Following the rebrand, Maison Dandoy increased sales by more than 50%. The company is growing internationally year after year, now operating a store in Tokyo and distributing to luxury food purveyors Bon Marché, Galeries Lafayette, Dean & DeLuca, Colette and Marks & Spencer. No longer a Brussels secret, the brand and its goods can now be sampled around the world.