Founded in St. Louis during her MBA at Washington University, Shradha established Rasa Chai to bridge a significant cultural gap. Hailing from Hyderabad, India—a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage—Shradha could not find the authentic chai that resonated with her memories of home. Inspired by her grandmother's cherished recipes, she decided to introduce the authentic flavors and communal spirit of traditional South Asian chai to her new community.
Rasa Chai aims to be a cultural hub in the Midwest. Through our doors, we welcome everyone to explore and experience the rich traditions of South Asia. Having explored local marketplaces and shared our culture across the St. Louis metro, we are committed to making Rasa Chai a vibrant meeting place for chai lovers and cultural explorers alike.
A brand dedicated to bringing people together from diverse backgrounds, deserves its own logo system.
Brand Book:
Process:
I started with a list of nouns that described the brand both deeply and at the surface level.
Then I took those nouns and found ways to illustrate them in abstract and literal ways. Additionally, I experimented with combining them and how I could make them interact.
I ended up deciding to combine the leaf, hand, teacup/teapot, and elephant symbols because of what they represent. A subject first approach as compared to an adjective-first approach really switched how I perceived logo design.
I used a general system of measurement to ensure a balanced logo. Even applying it to my typographic construction.
