Brand discovery form summary
Brand discovery form summary
Brand discovery form summary
Brand discovery form summary
This page is a copy of your answers to the brand discovery form. It’s here so you can review, share, and refer back to your thinking as we build your brand together.
This page is a copy of your answers to the brand discovery form. It’s here so you can review, share, and refer back to your thinking as we build your brand together.
This page is a copy of your answers to the brand discovery form. It’s here so you can review, share, and refer back to your thinking as we build your brand together.
This page is a copy of your answers to the brand discovery form. It’s here so you can review, share, and refer back to your thinking as we build your brand together.
Business and story
Business and story
Business and story
1/ In one or two sentences, what is the new business and why does it exist?
We are a social impact-driven food venture focused on making, teaching, and sharing good food.
We empower apprentices and culinary entrepreneurs who are talented, curious and passionate individuals seeking to develop their good food ideas, yet face barriers to bringing their concepts to fruition such as a lack of access to business development space, mentorship and start-up capital.
We strive to pay it forward by sharing food with vulnerable communities, alleviating food insecurity, and fostering local economic development.
2/ Can you name the current core problems you solve in order of priority?
1. Unemployment
2. Food insecurity
3. Lack of mentorship
4. Lack of business development space (access to cloud kitchen)
5. Lack of soft and hard skills
3/ How do we connect the previous origin story to this new direction you're taking?
Refettorio Nairobi will be the first Refettorio in Africa, joining a global network of cultural projects co-founded by Food for Soul and its partners that reimagine the traditional soup kitchen into a platform for preventing food waste, promoting social inclusion, and fostering local economic growth.
Ngara Cooks Kitchen (NCK), a social impact-driven culinary co-working and incubation hub, will serve as the headquarters and operational lead for Refettorio Nairobi, stewarding its mission to create meaningful connections through food, creativity, and community. NCK operates through four interconnected program pillars within a hub-and-spoke model that builds sustainability, collaboration, and resilience across the food system:
Cloud Kitchen – A state-of-the-art production facility providing an accessible workspace for emerging food entrepreneurs.
Good Food Training Program (GFTP) – Apprenticeships and training that equip participants with practical culinary and hospitality skills.
NCK Brands with Impact – A portfolio of in-house and partner brands that showcase purpose-driven food ventures.
Refettorio Nairobi – The community anchor of the ecosystem, focused on inclusive food assistance and creative engagement, coming in 2026.
4/ What are you hoping this new brand for your company will help you achieve over the next 6-12 months?
By positioning ourselves as an organization that addresses social and economic issues faced by Kenyans, we want to increase our visibility and attractiveness to investors and grant-makers.
Our good food products, produced by our apprentices, are well-known, and sought after for their social good. Our partnership with Food for Soul to launch the Refettorio Nairobi is buoyed by our strong brand.
5/ What would make you say: “This brand really worked”?
The feel-good factor from eating delicious food made with social good in mind. Seeing food entrepreneurs we helped incubate launch and sustain their business independently.
1/ In one or two sentences, what is the new business and why does it exist?
We are a social impact-driven food venture focused on making, teaching, and sharing good food.
We empower apprentices and culinary entrepreneurs who are talented, curious and passionate individuals seeking to develop their good food ideas, yet face barriers to bringing their concepts to fruition such as a lack of access to business development space, mentorship and start-up capital.
We strive to pay it forward by sharing food with vulnerable communities, alleviating food insecurity, and fostering local economic development.
2/ Can you name the current core problems you solve in order of priority?
1. Unemployment
2. Food insecurity
3. Lack of mentorship
4. Lack of business development space (access to cloud kitchen)
5. Lack of soft and hard skills
3/ How do we connect the previous origin story to this new direction you're taking?
Refettorio Nairobi will be the first Refettorio in Africa, joining a global network of cultural projects co-founded by Food for Soul and its partners that reimagine the traditional soup kitchen into a platform for preventing food waste, promoting social inclusion, and fostering local economic growth.
Ngara Cooks Kitchen (NCK), a social impact-driven culinary co-working and incubation hub, will serve as the headquarters and operational lead for Refettorio Nairobi, stewarding its mission to create meaningful connections through food, creativity, and community. NCK operates through four interconnected program pillars within a hub-and-spoke model that builds sustainability, collaboration, and resilience across the food system:
Cloud Kitchen – A state-of-the-art production facility providing an accessible workspace for emerging food entrepreneurs.
Good Food Training Program (GFTP) – Apprenticeships and training that equip participants with practical culinary and hospitality skills.
NCK Brands with Impact – A portfolio of in-house and partner brands that showcase purpose-driven food ventures.
Refettorio Nairobi – The community anchor of the ecosystem, focused on inclusive food assistance and creative engagement, coming in 2026.
4/ What are you hoping this new brand for your company will help you achieve over the next 6-12 months?
By positioning ourselves as an organization that addresses social and economic issues faced by Kenyans, we want to increase our visibility and attractiveness to investors and grant-makers.
Our good food products, produced by our apprentices, are well-known, and sought after for their social good. Our partnership with Food for Soul to launch the Refettorio Nairobi is buoyed by our strong brand.
5/ What would make you say: “This brand really worked”?
The feel-good factor from eating delicious food made with social good in mind. Seeing food entrepreneurs we helped incubate launch and sustain their business independently.
1/ In one or two sentences, what is the new business and why does it exist?
We are a social impact-driven food venture focused on making, teaching, and sharing good food.
We empower apprentices and culinary entrepreneurs who are talented, curious and passionate individuals seeking to develop their good food ideas, yet face barriers to bringing their concepts to fruition such as a lack of access to business development space, mentorship and start-up capital.
We strive to pay it forward by sharing food with vulnerable communities, alleviating food insecurity, and fostering local economic development.
2/ Can you name the current core problems you solve in order of priority?
1. Unemployment
2. Food insecurity
3. Lack of mentorship
4. Lack of business development space (access to cloud kitchen)
5. Lack of soft and hard skills
3/ How do we connect the previous origin story to this new direction you're taking?
Refettorio Nairobi will be the first Refettorio in Africa, joining a global network of cultural projects co-founded by Food for Soul and its partners that reimagine the traditional soup kitchen into a platform for preventing food waste, promoting social inclusion, and fostering local economic growth.
Ngara Cooks Kitchen (NCK), a social impact-driven culinary co-working and incubation hub, will serve as the headquarters and operational lead for Refettorio Nairobi, stewarding its mission to create meaningful connections through food, creativity, and community. NCK operates through four interconnected program pillars within a hub-and-spoke model that builds sustainability, collaboration, and resilience across the food system:
Cloud Kitchen – A state-of-the-art production facility providing an accessible workspace for emerging food entrepreneurs.
Good Food Training Program (GFTP) – Apprenticeships and training that equip participants with practical culinary and hospitality skills.
NCK Brands with Impact – A portfolio of in-house and partner brands that showcase purpose-driven food ventures.
Refettorio Nairobi – The community anchor of the ecosystem, focused on inclusive food assistance and creative engagement, coming in 2026.
4/ What are you hoping this new brand for your company will help you achieve over the next 6-12 months?
By positioning ourselves as an organization that addresses social and economic issues faced by Kenyans, we want to increase our visibility and attractiveness to investors and grant-makers.
Our good food products, produced by our apprentices, are well-known, and sought after for their social good. Our partnership with Food for Soul to launch the Refettorio Nairobi is buoyed by our strong brand.
5/ What would make you say: “This brand really worked”?
The feel-good factor from eating delicious food made with social good in mind. Seeing food entrepreneurs we helped incubate launch and sustain their business independently.
Audience and competition
1/ Who is your primary audience at this time? Is there a secondary one to consider?
People interested in culinary experiences that have a social good factor.
A secondary one is individuals facing barriers to achieving their culinary and employment or entrepreneurship goals.
2/ What do these audiences care about most?
High quality food, made thoughtfully, with care, skills, and sustainability - the triple bottom line.
3/ Do you have main competitors OR important peers in this new direction you're taking? Share their links if possible.
Not that we can think of locally. But outside the country: Farming Hope, Hotbread Kitchen
4/ Are there 2-3 of them that you admire? Please share why.
https://hotbreadkitchen.org/ Food concepts/businesses
They've helped start are now household names in New York. This is true sustainable economic empowerment. We are inspired by this.
Inspiration & Mood
1/ List 3–6 adjectives for your brand at its best.
Beautiful, Vibrant, Sustainable, Community, A Movement, Quality and Consistency.
2/ List 3–6 adjectives you never want associated with your brand.
Poor quality, exploitation, bad food
3/ On each slider, mark where you’d like your brand aesthetic and vibe to land on a scale of 0-10, with 0 being one side of the spectrum and 10 the opposite (go with your gut):
Community/Grassroots <> Institutional: 10
Serious <> Playful: 6
Conventional <> Rebel/Against the grain: 6
Friend <> Authority: 5
Mature/Classic <> Modern/Approachable: 5
Voice, Vision & Context
1/ What phrases or messages do you catch yourself repeating to customers, team, funders or partners?
Social-impact driven, food venture, homemade, good food, training, aesthetic, original, a beautiful experience. Beauty. as a basic. We deserve good things. We take care of our people. We are a great place to work.
2/ After someone interacts with your brand, how do you want them to describe you in a sentence or two?
Beautiful and thoughtful production. Seamless experience. I loved eating delicious food and the fact that it's made by apprentices who are improving their lives feels good to pay if forward.
3/ In the next 12–18 months, what are the 3 most important places this brand needs to work hard for you?
1. Online/ interactive website
2. Social media
3. Onsite through our headquarters and office signage
4/ If this brand does its job, what should feel easier or more effective for you?
1. A place to direct our prospective clients, apprentices, and partners
2. Catering clients can be directed to place their order online
3. Our partnerships discussions with Food for Soul can be easier.
1/ Who is your primary audience at this time? Is there a secondary one to consider?
People interested in culinary experiences that have a social good factor.
A secondary one is individuals facing barriers to achieving their culinary and employment or entrepreneurship goals.
2/ What do these audiences care about most?
High quality food, made thoughtfully, with care, skills, and sustainability - the triple bottom line.
3/ Do you have main competitors OR important peers in this new direction you're taking? Share their links if possible.
Not that we can think of locally. But outside the country: Farming Hope, Hotbread Kitchen
4/ Are there 2-3 of them that you admire? Please share why.
https://hotbreadkitchen.org/ Food concepts/businesses
They've helped start are now household names in New York. This is true sustainable economic empowerment. We are inspired by this.
Audience and competition
1/ What phrases or messages do you catch yourself repeating to customers, team, funders or partners?
Social-impact driven, food venture, homemade, good food, training, aesthetic, original, a beautiful experience. Beauty. as a basic. We deserve good things. We take care of our people. We are a great place to work.
2/ After someone interacts with your brand, how do you want them to describe you in a sentence or two?
Beautiful and thoughtful production. Seamless experience. I loved eating delicious food and the fact that it's made by apprentices who are improving their lives feels good to pay if forward.
3/ In the next 12–18 months, what are the 3 most important places this brand needs to work hard for you?
1. Online/ interactive website
2. Social media
3. Onsite through our headquarters and office signage
4/ If this brand does its job, what should feel easier or more effective for you?
1. A place to direct our prospective clients, apprentices, and partners
2. Catering clients can be directed to place their order online
3. Our partnerships discussions with Food for Soul can be easier.
Voice, Vision & Context
Audience and competition
Audience and competition
1/ Who is your primary audience at this time? Is there a secondary one to consider?
People interested in culinary experiences that have a social good factor.
A secondary one is individuals facing barriers to achieving their culinary and employment or entrepreneurship goals.
2/ What do these audiences care about most?
High quality food, made thoughtfully, with care, skills, and sustainability - the triple bottom line.
3/ Do you have main competitors OR important peers in this new direction you're taking? Share their links if possible.
Not that we can think of locally. But outside the country: Farming Hope, Hotbread Kitchen
4/ Are there 2-3 of them that you admire? Please share why.
https://hotbreadkitchen.org/ Food concepts/businesses
They've helped start are now household names in New York. This is true sustainable economic empowerment. We are inspired by this.
1/ Who is your primary audience at this time? Is there a secondary one to consider?
People interested in culinary experiences that have a social good factor.
A secondary one is individuals facing barriers to achieving their culinary and employment or entrepreneurship goals.
2/ What do these audiences care about most?
High quality food, made thoughtfully, with care, skills, and sustainability - the triple bottom line.
3/ Do you have main competitors OR important peers in this new direction you're taking? Share their links if possible.
Not that we can think of locally. But outside the country: Farming Hope, Hotbread Kitchen
4/ Are there 2-3 of them that you admire? Please share why.
https://hotbreadkitchen.org/ Food concepts/businesses
They've helped start are now household names in New York. This is true sustainable economic empowerment. We are inspired by this.
Inspiration & Mood
Inspiration & Mood
1/ List 3–6 adjectives for your brand at its best.
Beautiful, Vibrant, Sustainable, Community, A Movement, Quality and Consistency.
2/ List 3–6 adjectives you never want associated with your brand.
Poor quality, exploitation, bad food
3/ On each slider, mark where you’d like your brand aesthetic and vibe to land on a scale of 0-10, with 0 being one side of the spectrum and 10 the opposite (go with your gut):
Community/Grassroots <> Institutional: 10
Serious <> Playful: 6
Conventional <> Rebel/Against the grain: 6
Friend <> Authority: 5
Mature/Classic <> Modern/Approachable: 5
1/ List 3–6 adjectives for your brand at its best.
Beautiful, Vibrant, Sustainable, Community, A Movement, Quality and Consistency.
2/ List 3–6 adjectives you never want associated with your brand.
Poor quality, exploitation, bad food
3/ On each slider, mark where you’d like your brand aesthetic and vibe to land on a scale of 0-10, with 0 being one side of the spectrum and 10 the opposite (go with your gut):
Community/Grassroots <> Institutional: 10
Serious <> Playful: 6
Conventional <> Rebel/Against the grain: 6
Friend <> Authority: 5
Mature/Classic <> Modern/Approachable: 5
Voice, Vision & Context
Voice, Vision & Context
1/ What phrases or messages do you catch yourself repeating to customers, team, funders or partners?
Social-impact driven, food venture, homemade, good food, training, aesthetic, original, a beautiful experience. Beauty. as a basic. We deserve good things. We take care of our people. We are a great place to work.
2/ After someone interacts with your brand, how do you want them to describe you in a sentence or two?
Beautiful and thoughtful production. Seamless experience. I loved eating delicious food and the fact that it's made by apprentices who are improving their lives feels good to pay if forward.
3/ In the next 12–18 months, what are the 3 most important places this brand needs to work hard for you?
1. Online/ interactive website
2. Social media
3. Onsite through our headquarters and office signage
4/ If this brand does its job, what should feel easier or more effective for you?
1. A place to direct our prospective clients, apprentices, and partners
2. Catering clients can be directed to place their order online
3. Our partnerships discussions with Food for Soul can be easier.
1/ What phrases or messages do you catch yourself repeating to customers, team, funders or partners?
Social-impact driven, food venture, homemade, good food, training, aesthetic, original, a beautiful experience. Beauty. as a basic. We deserve good things. We take care of our people. We are a great place to work.
2/ After someone interacts with your brand, how do you want them to describe you in a sentence or two?
Beautiful and thoughtful production. Seamless experience. I loved eating delicious food and the fact that it's made by apprentices who are improving their lives feels good to pay if forward.
3/ In the next 12–18 months, what are the 3 most important places this brand needs to work hard for you?
1. Online/ interactive website
2. Social media
3. Onsite through our headquarters and office signage
4/ If this brand does its job, what should feel easier or more effective for you?
1. A place to direct our prospective clients, apprentices, and partners
2. Catering clients can be directed to place their order online
3. Our partnerships discussions with Food for Soul can be easier.
1/ In one or two sentences, what is the new business and why does it exist?
We are a social impact-driven food venture focused on making, teaching, and sharing good food.
We empower apprentices and culinary entrepreneurs who are talented, curious and passionate individuals seeking to develop their good food ideas, yet face barriers to bringing their concepts to fruition such as a lack of access to business development space, mentorship and start-up capital.
We strive to pay it forward by sharing food with vulnerable communities, alleviating food insecurity, and fostering local economic development.
2/ Can you name the current core problems you solve in order of priority?
1. Unemployment
2. Food insecurity
3. Lack of mentorship
4. Lack of business development space (access to cloud kitchen)
5. Lack of soft and hard skills
3/ How do we connect the previous origin story to this new direction you're taking?
Refettorio Nairobi will be the first Refettorio in Africa, joining a global network of cultural projects co-founded by Food for Soul and its partners that reimagine the traditional soup kitchen into a platform for preventing food waste, promoting social inclusion, and fostering local economic growth.
Ngara Cooks Kitchen (NCK), a social impact-driven culinary co-working and incubation hub, will serve as the headquarters and operational lead for Refettorio Nairobi, stewarding its mission to create meaningful connections through food, creativity, and community. NCK operates through four interconnected program pillars within a hub-and-spoke model that builds sustainability, collaboration, and resilience across the food system:
Cloud Kitchen – A state-of-the-art production facility providing an accessible workspace for emerging food entrepreneurs.
Good Food Training Program (GFTP) – Apprenticeships and training that equip participants with practical culinary and hospitality skills.
NCK Brands with Impact – A portfolio of in-house and partner brands that showcase purpose-driven food ventures.
Refettorio Nairobi – The community anchor of the ecosystem, focused on inclusive food assistance and creative engagement, coming in 2026.
4/ What are you hoping this new brand for your company will help you achieve over the next 6-12 months?
By positioning ourselves as an organization that addresses social and economic issues faced by Kenyans, we want to increase our visibility and attractiveness to investors and grant-makers.
Our good food products, produced by our apprentices, are well-known, and sought after for their social good. Our partnership with Food for Soul to launch the Refettorio Nairobi is buoyed by our strong brand.
5/ What would make you say: “This brand really worked”?
The feel-good factor from eating delicious food made with social good in mind. Seeing food entrepreneurs we helped incubate launch and sustain their business independently.
Business and story
Inspiration & Mood
1/ List 3–6 adjectives for your brand at its best.
Beautiful, Vibrant, Sustainable, Community, A Movement, Quality and Consistency.
2/ List 3–6 adjectives you never want associated with your brand.
Poor quality, exploitation, bad food
3/ On each slider, mark where you’d like your brand aesthetic and vibe to land on a scale of 0-10, with 0 being one side of the spectrum and 10 the opposite (go with your gut):
Community/Grassroots <> Institutional: 10
Serious <> Playful: 6
Conventional <> Rebel/Against the grain: 6
Friend <> Authority: 5
Mature/Classic <> Modern/Approachable: 5