The logo for La Casita Mercado was designed to feel warm, inviting, and rooted in community. Early explorations leaned into round, dolly-like patterns to evoke softness and tradition, but they lacked clarity and connection. The breakthrough came when I focused on the name itself—“La Casita”—and explored how the idea of a home could be used both symbolically and structurally in the design.
By incorporating a small house as the central icon and arranging supporting shapes around it, the logo naturally evolved into a radial form that resembled a rising sun. This combination of structure and softness created a mark that not only feels personal and approachable, but also becomes the foundation for patterns and supporting brand graphics throughout the identity system.
The brand identity for La Casita Mercado was designed to reflect homemade comfort, cultural pride, and a strong sense of community. Bright, bold colors were chosen to bring energy and warmth to the brand without feeling overwhelming or tacky.
At the heart of the system is a custom logo that uses a casita (little house) symbol to represent home, family, and tradition. This symbol is echoed in a secondary pattern used for branding accents, while a more detailed packaging pattern highlights staple Latin American dishes like pupusas, empanadas, and plátanos, paired with fresh ingredients like cilantro and tomatoes. These visual elements work together to create a brand that feels welcoming, familiar, and proudly rooted in culture.
The food pattern features a series of vibrant vector illustrations, a mix of custom and curated Adobe assets to represent staple foods found across a variety of Latin American countries. Special care was taken to include ingredients from different cultures to create a sense of welcome and recognition for everyone. The pattern is mainly used on labels, packaging, and grocery bags to add warmth, energy, and cultural connection to everyday shopping.
As part of creating a complete brand experience for La Casita Mercado, I designed a weekly circular. These print ads remain an essential part of communication in many Latino markets, where weekly specials and store updates are traditionally shared through flyers found in-store, in bags, or delivered to homes.
It’s important to recognize that for many latino families, print circulars are still a trusted and familiar way of shopping. It is often browsed at the kitchen table or passed along between relatives. They’re not just about deals; they’re about maintaining routine, sharing information, and staying connected.
The flyer also gives space to highlight community events, like tamale-making classes, which are a key part of the store’s identity. La Casita Mercado isn’t just a place to shop, it’s a space to gather, share traditions, and build community through food. At the bottom of the flyer, I featured a rotating hot bar spotlight, starting with a Dominican-inspired menu for the week. This allowed the circular to do more than advertise, it became a way to celebrate cultural diversity through food and invite customers to experience something new or nostalgic with each visit.
Tell me about your project, inquiry, or just say hello!
Cuéntame sobre tu proyecto, consulta o simplemente salúdame.