Fermentor. How we created a craft beverage laboratory for a contract brewery
Brandson (TSN) was tasked with transforming the contract brewing division from a simple production site into a standalone brand.
We created an appealing brand for up-and-coming producers and creative experimenters that reflects the synergy of a high-tech laboratory and the brewing craft.
Fermentor is a craft beverage laboratory and a contract production division. With equipment unique in Russia for brewing batches from 200 litres, Fermentor offers clients the opportunity to bring their boldest ideas to life, from testing new recipes to releasing experimental beers and ciders. The brand is open to partners and amateur experimenters, offering not only production capacity but also an engaging experience.
The contract production division needed rebranding. The existing name did not reflect its essence and confused partners, and the site's positioning was blurred. At the same time, the division had unique competitive advantages: the ability to produce small experimental batches, the cleanest and most technologically advanced production in the region, a city-centre location and versatile equipment.
The client needed a strong, technological and at the same time creative brand that would become a production hub, attracting serious business partners as well as inspiring enthusiasts.
We conducted an in-depth analysis of the market and the company's internal processes, and a series of interviews with distributors, partners and the target audience.
The audit revealed the key problems and opportunities:
— A dual audience: Two segments were clearly identified, with different motivations but a shared demand to bring an idea to life.
B2B: Up-and-coming brewer-entrepreneurs. Their key insight: "I have a big idea and a vision; let someone help me with the routine". They value recognition, flexibility and speed.
Creative enthusiasts and experimenters. They are looking for a unique experience, an opportunity for self-expression and the "wow effect" of creating their own beverage. Their insight: "I want to touch the magic of creating a beverage and get a unique product that no one else has".
— Market research confirmed that the current offering does not fully cover the demand for flexibility and innovation. This opened up the opportunity to take the position of a high-tech "laboratory", a partner for creating next-generation beverages, as opposed to the classic "distilleries" and "breweries".
Based on the audit data, a brand strategy was formulated aimed at differentiating from competitors and precisely meeting the audience's needs.
Fermentor: "The craft beverage laboratory". This definition emphasises technology, a scientific approach, impeccable cleanliness and, at the same time, a creative, experimental essence. It sets the brand apart from standard "contract breweries" and "distilleries".
Fermentor was defined as the key production hub and the executing brand. It is responsible for the physical realisation of ideas born within the accelerator.
"Your ideas. Our capabilities". The slogan succinctly conveys the essence of the partnership model: the client comes with the creative idea, and Fermentor provides top-level technological and expert support.
Fermentor (from the English ferment, and mentor). The name perfectly reflects the essence: the brand is a guide and expert in the process of turning an idea into a finished product through fermentation. It is technological, memorable and free of negative connotations.
Based on the strategy, we built the brand on a combination of technological rigour, scientific aesthetics and industrial references.
The visual concept is inspired by images of a modern laboratory and high-tech production:
— The logo is divided into two semantic parts: "Fer" is set in an elegant serif typeface, symbolising the creative principle and the client's idea. "Mentor" is executed in a strict geometric grotesque, embodying the brand's technology, precision and expertise.
— The key graphic element is the "Fm" monogram, styled as the symbol of a chemical element or a formula. It refers to the scientific approach and serves as a dynamic, adaptive brand mark.
— The colour palette is based on a combination of chrome, deep green, black and white. Chrome surfaces and tones convey sterile cleanliness, the precision of the equipment and the high-tech spirit of the laboratory.
The style is kept in a restrained but contrasting palette, emphasising the seriousness of the platform. The plasticity of forms and the play with chrome textures create visual interest for the creative audience.
The system was adapted to all key touchpoints, from packaging and merchandise to business cards, labels and presentations.
We created not just a new brand, but a strategically important production hub. Fermentor became the embodiment of technological, clean production that is open to innovation, attracting future market leaders and passionate enthusiasts alike.
"Fermentor is the embodiment of the connection between system and the creativity of craft culture. It is a laboratory where the client's idea meets expertise and impeccable technology so that a unique beverage can be born. We created a brand that is an integral part of the ecosystem and at the same time has a vivid face of its own."
— Irina Chtetsova, Brand Director, Brandson (TSN)
