Chatsworth Farm Shop – how a revitalised brand experience can help elevate an established rural business

When it comes to brand experience, it’s not always about starting from scratch. If the heritage and advocacy is already in place, it’s a simple case of elevating, not fixing. The refreshed look and feel for Chatsworth Farm Shop celebrates its connection to the wider Chatsworth Estate, and renews its relevance for loyal customers for many years to come.

The 4 cornerstones of effective brand experience: sensory, affective, behavioural and intellectual 

At 93ft, we have an extensive back catalogue of brand, interior and digital projects with a clear focus on brand experience. Hotels, restaurants, non-profit organisations, government funded programmes, coworking spaces, traditional shop fronts, artisan makers, ecommerce independents, and much more. Creating a successful, appropriate and memorable brand experience is our primary focus in each and every project we undertake.

The key touchpoints of a brand extend into many different areas and facets. From digital mediums to customer engagement, small scale packaging to wayfinding and signage, each aspect has to be considered to create an effective brand experience. The key to this is to ensure that every customer interaction is guaranteed to have a positive sensory, affective, behavioural and intellectual response. 

So, how did 93ft set out to achieve these responses for the visitors and customers of Chatsworth Farm Shop? It took a broad range of design considerations: the look and feel of the product packaging, the artisanal embellishments and details of the interior fit out, the angle of the light-fittings to highlight products or key signage, staff uniforms, the ease of checkout and purchase experience, the interactions with staff, the measure of quality and consideration throughout the entire customer journey. 

The key task, however, was to appeal to a contemporary audience and whilst respecting the heritage of the farm shop in tandem, making sure to not break the formula of a successful establishment. 

Our challenge of aligning heritage values with a contemporary perspective 

Chatsworth Farm Shop has been a hub of quality local produce for over forty years. Since 1977, the shop has sold estate-reared lamb, venison and beef; seasonal fruit and vegetables and flowers from the gardens, as well as a broad range of authentic artisan produce from local suppliers and makers. 

93ft’s challenge was to merge and elevate the existing aspects of the Farm Shop offering to create a more fluid, meaningful, navigable, and positive experience – and to a certain extent, more premium – in a way that fully expressed the ethos of the Farm Shop, the estate and its history.

We visited the space, spoke to staff and customers, and looked further afield at other farm shops to gain a better understanding of what was working well, and where there were opportunities for improvement. Our research showed exciting opportunities in the spatial experience, product interaction, key brand messaging and service offering.

Space needed to be created and opened up to ease the customer journey around the shop, to display the products effectively, and to allow room for hierarchy in the shop signage and messaging. Key zones and areas were required to make navigating the shop second nature. Most importantly, the story and ethos of the estate needed to be brought to the forefront, and in turn creating a premium, high quality customer experience. 

With insights gained from the research phase, the team mapped the entire customer journey, highlighting the opportunities and practical changes needed at each touchpoint to improve the design and the experience for the farm shop customers. 

The next step? Bringing the space to life through the creative concept, “From the Land” – a celebration of authentic, rural produce from the Chatsworth Estate and local area.

From the Land — a celebration of locality, quality, heritage and sustainability

With a rich heritage, it’s fair to say that Chatsworth Farm Shop has set deep roots. That strong connection to the wider estate has gifted an abundance of produce and quality, and the farm shop’s popularity is a testament to that. 

With this in mind, 93ft creative team proposed the unifying concept “From the Land” to underpin the revitalised brand experience and bring the produce and products, the rich history and the unique narrative of the estate into a much clearer focus.  

Every aspect of the customer journey and touchpoint of the brand experience looked to champion this concept of abundance. The opening up and maximising the space available inside the farm shop with clear and navigable key zones, such as the seasonal & fresh produce, bakery, pantry, butchery, deli, and cellar. Unifying packaging concept and design system for farm shop products. The large and small format signage, and the new outside units to allow produce to spill out from within the farm shop to welcome customers. 

The connection of the farm shop – as well as the wider estate – with the landscape it resides in was a great source of inspiration for the overall look and feel of the new aesthetic. It was important to Chatsworth Estate and Farm Shop team that there was an emphasis placed on sourcing sustainable natural materials and upcycling previous fixtures and fittings to stay true to the unifying concept, as well as the heritage of the estate. 

The finer details of a brand experience greater than the sum of its parts

93 Makes took on the entire fit-out of the new interior, taking special care over the provenance of materials in the design process, as well as reusing and upcycling as much as possible. Former fittings, shelving, lighting fixtures and found furniture were repurposed and given a new lease of life, showcasing a contemporary sheen whilst still retaining their heritage.

Acknowledging the history of the farm shop by utilising local makers, craftspeople and supporting artisanal producers was another key feature to the project that our team wanted to carry over into farm shop signage. Sheffield based signwriter Mia Warner has collaborated with 93ft on numerous past projects (including Chatsworth Kitchen and Marmadukes) to elevate storefronts and windows with her traditional hand-painted signage.

93ft creative team designed the entire system for the main department signage for the butchers, bakery, etc, as well as the exterior signage for the farm shop. Mia then applied the traditional, hand-painted aesthetic for the final product, connecting a contemporary space to bygone, traditional era.  

It’s no secret that high-quality, crafted, and tactile design creates a tangible reaction in customers, and the 93ft creative team were tasked with carrying the “From the Land” concept over into a rollout of 300+ own-brand product SKU's. A cohesive, systemised, and flexible system was developed for packaging and labels for products ranging from olive oil and toiletries to sweet treats and preservatives.

With a focus on clear, sophisticated typography, the packaging was designed in tandem with the interior fit out, ensuring that natural textures, tones and materials were used to compliment the new spatial experience. The team crafted a simple yet sophisticated look and feel that spoke of quality, authenticity, and heritage. The system adds a contemporary sleekness to rural produce, providing a framework to allow the quality of the product to shine.

Continuing the legacy of Duchess Deborah for decades to come

“A huge thank you to the 93ft team, who have reimagined the farm shop. Being able to modernise, whilst keeping the spirit of the place, is not easy to do. It took a lot of care, thought and hard work from you all. It was inspiring and invigorating to work with 93ft.” Laura Burlington

Featured 93ft full-service, brand experience projects

Chatsworth Kitchen
Marmadukes
The Pilgrm
The Halley
The New World Trading Company
The Mowbray
Laundry

Work with the award-winning 93ft brand, digital and interiors team

93ft is an independent, employee-owned design studio with a collective passion for storytelling. We work hand-in-hand with our clients to create brands and experiences that feel grounded in place, community and culture. 

Our full-service team combines creative strategy, design, digital, interior design, architecture and manufacturing to bring brands to life, helping them to build meaningful connections with their audience. Our network of both in-house and external craftspeople, artisans, specialists, designers, developers, fabricators, branding experts and architects ensure no stone is unturned. 

Whatever your goals for your business or organisation, 93ft’s award winning approach to creating holistic brand experiences can help get you there. With 93ft as your partner, we can develop and shape your brand identity, transform your online presence and physical space, help you discover your unique offering and customer experience, engage your audience through comprehensive SEO research, and achieve your marketing goals. 

Get in touch today to tell us about your exciting new project, we'd love to show you how we could elevate your offering.

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