Kahve Dunyasi is a chain that started in Istanbul in 2004 and is growing pretty quickly. My first impression of the chain was very positive due to their very reasoable pricing and delicious offerings. I don’t usually choose chains over local establishments but I do appreciate how creative Kahve Dunyasi has been with their presentation of the food and drinks and their selection of offerings. I would not say they are the best I have ever seen, but for how inexpensive they are and for them being a Turkish establishment, I do think they are pretty special. I have not seen many examples of such conscious use of branding and identity in Turkish businesses. By branding and identity I don’t mean just the graphics they use on their packages but a deeper understanding of what they stand for, what they offer on their menu, how they physially present what they offer etc.

Kahve Dunyasi reminds of a restaurant in New York, Union Square called Max Brenner where they offer a lot of original chocolate dishes, for example chocolate soup (yum!). I really like it when cafes and restaurants make a difference by integrating “product design” into their branding. For example  Hug Hug from Max Brenner or the chocolate spoons from Kahve Dunyasi for stirring your coffee.