This is how we crafted a culinary makeover for an ancient food in the digital space. Hodo has been disrupting the American market by making delicious, tofu and yuba that’s organic and non-GMO for more than a decade. The high-protein, plant-based foods are the ingredients of choice for Chipotle, sweetgreen, and Michelin-starred restaurants in the Bay Area and NYC. Hodo’s founder, Minh Tsai, turned to CDA’s expertise in creating a website that would generate excitement for his brand in time for its nationwide launch at Whole Foods Market.
Our team learned (and tasted) all we could to align with who Hodo is, stands for, and aspires to be. We mapped “user journeys” to understand the emotions buyers experience with the goal of inspiring them to adventures in healthy, delicious eating. Our thoughtful strategy, design, and execution captured the spirit of Hodo to express its owner’s joy, passion, and light-heartedness, achieving successful results.
+ 60% site visitors
+ 351% recipe page views
+ 48% store locator views
Increases measured 2 months after launch vs. 2 months prior
The new site features CDA’s combined storytelling strengths in video production, lifestyle food photography, and hand illustration. Our design entices viewers to explore innovative recipes and discover where to find specific Hodo products using an interactive map.
Our understanding of users’ emotions connected to each brand touchpoint supports how we created the site’s wireframe, a blueprint on which we built the visual and editorial content to drive engagement. We considered the user’s experience of the site in detail, optimizing its functionality and flow for ease of use and desired results — in Hodo’s case, increased recipe and store locator views.
We helped to establish a local, grassroots company that got its start selling in Oakland’s farmers’ markets, to the national brand presence it has attained. Our updated brand colors increase vibrancy for a modern brand that expresses Hodo’s positive outlook on ingredients and dishes that are dynamic, evolving, and draw on many cultural influences. Available in 2000 retail locations, Hodo Foods is poised to grow exponentially as more Americans choose surprisingly delicious foods for a more sustainable future.
