THE BRIEF

Neriku, a local catering leader, had something many brands spend decades building: trust, recognition and a reputation shaped by generations of experience.

But the business had evolved considerably beyond the way it was being perceived.

Today, Neriku operates across weddings, corporate events, conferences, home catering and large-scale functions, supported by an experienced team and extensive in-house capabilities. Yet public perception still leaned towards a more traditional catering brand, with much of its wider expertise, professionalism and operational scale remaining less visible. 

The opportunity was therefore bigger than refreshing the identity. Neriku needed to close the gap between reputation and reality, retaining the familiarity and trust built over decades while presenting a more contemporary and accurate expression of the business it had become.

Steves&Co. was appointed to reposition the brand and develop a stronger foundation for how Neriku presents itself across its identity, communications, campaigns and digital presence.

OUR APPROACH

We began by defining what needed to remain and what needed to change.

Neriku’s heritage as a third-generation family business, warmth and reputation for reliability were important strengths, but they needed to sit alongside a clearer expression of its scale, expertise and ability to deliver across a wide range of catering and events.

Through brand strategy, market research and brand positioning, we established a clearer direction for the brand, supported by a personality and tone of voice that balanced experience and professionalism with the approachable, human character associated with Neriku. The resulting direction centres on trust, quality, craftsmanship and memorable experiences, communicated with quiet confidence rather than exaggerated claims.

From this foundation, we developed a new logo, a brand symbol – which we unearthed from past signage archives, visual identity, design system and brand guidelines, creating a more contemporary and consistent expression of Neriku while retaining the familiarity of an established name.

The repositioning was then carried across the wider customer experience through brand storytelling, communications strategy, campaign development, copywriting, creative direction, advertising, packaging, social media design, motion and video.

Social media formed an important part of this transition. Neriku already had an established and highly engaged audience, but there was an opportunity to move beyond predominantly product and promotional communication towards stronger storytelling around its people, expertise, service and event capabilities. 

A new social media and content strategy was therefore developed across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, supported by content calendars, paid campaigns, digital advertising and Google Ads, giving the repositioned brand a consistent presence across both consumer and corporate audiences.

THE IMPACT

The work has given Neriku a brand that better reflects the scale and quality of the business behind the name.

Its different areas of activity can now be communicated as part of one clearer brand, allowing weddings, home catering, corporate events and large-scale functions to address different customer needs without fragmenting Neriku’s overall identity.

The repositioning has also shifted greater attention towards the elements that distinguish the business beyond the food itself: its people, experience, reliability, operational capabilities and the care involved in delivering each occasion.

The launch generated significant attention and was picked up by all the main local media, extending the reach of the repositioning and reinforcing Neriku’s relevance within the local market.

This builds on an already strong relationship with Neriku’s audience. At the strategy stage, competitor analysis showed that Neriku recorded the highest engagement rate, average interactions and average comments among the catering brands analysed, providing a strong foundation from which to develop perception as well as reach.

The result is a more contemporary and cohesive Neriku, retaining the trust and familiarity built over generations while creating a stronger platform for its next stage of growth.

PROJECT SERVICES

Brand Strategy, Market Research, Brand Audit, Brand Positioning, Brand Architecture, Logo Design, Visual Identity, Brand Guidelines, Tone of Voice, Design Systems, Brand Activation, Brand Experience, Marketing Strategy, Brand Storytelling, Communications Strategy, Public Relations, Campaign Development, Messaging Frameworks, Content Strategy, Copywriting, Creative Direction, Art Direction, Campaign Design, Graphic Design, Advertising Artworks, Packaging Design, Motion & Video, Social Media Design, Digital Design, Social Media Strategy, Content Calendars, Paid Social Campaigns, Performance Marketing, Digital Advertising, Google Ads, Social Analytics, Campaign Optimisation, Platform Strategy