Basfoods Case Study: Mediterranean Grocery Marketing in Melbourne

When Basfoods first came to MD Media, they weren’t a brand with a clear identity.

They were proof that going viral can do more harm than good, and bring attention for all the wrong reasons.

Scattered products, gimmicky attempts, and a lack of a clear story behind the culture of the food.

Our job was to turn that soul into a brand system that drives discovery, foot traffic, and loyalty. We took the slow, generous rhythm of the Mediterranean table.

We shaped it into a modern identity: clear messaging, story-first content, and a funnel that respects how people actually shop. Heritage over hype. Hospitality without hesitation.

• Brand Strategy

• Visual Identity

• Copywriting & Brand Voice

• Content Strategy & Social

• Photography & Short-Form Video

About

Basfoods is a Brunswick institution, retail, wholesale, and national importer serving chefs, families, and food lovers across Melbourne.

The range is curated, authentic, and deeply nostalgic: the olive oil your nonna swore by, the biscuits that taste like home, the spices that turn dinner into a story.

In a market where ethnic and Mediterranean grocery stores are proliferating,

Basfoods occupies a sweet spot: trusted, local, and rich in meaning.

Brief

This team had a clear heartbeat: heritage, family, authenticity but the execution was scattered. They needed a partner to organise the story, modernise the touchpoints, and make content convert.

• Disjointed branding → no cohesive visual or narrative system

• Low social conversion → posting without funnels or CTAs

• Outdated website/SEO → legacy platform hurting digital presence

• Operational gaps → inconsistent in-store experience

• Wholesale constraints → pricing restrictions online, so storytelling had to carry the weight

We were asked to create a strong, consistent, iconic brand without losing the warmth that makes BAS, BAS.

Strategy and Tone

We took a soul-rich, emotional brand and made it crisp, repeatable, and human. Through workshops and deep dives, we distilled Basfoods into a tone that feels like family at the table: warm, plain-spoken, generous, proud.

• Positioning: Australia’s most trusted destination for Mediterranean groceries—where heritage comes first.

• Platform: Where Home Still Lives | The creative idea that threads through reels, recipes, and in-store experiences.

• Pillars: Pantry Staples, In-Store Moments, Specials & Campaigns, Meet the Team, Cultural Connection.

• Funnel: Attract (reels/stories) → Capture (QR recipe downloads) → Nurture (emails) → Convert (visit/order).

Strategy here wasn’t about softening edges; it was about sharpening the message. Signal over noise. Familiarity over flash. People first, always.

Logo

We didn’t redraw the past; "we respected it". Rather than a wholesale redesign, we standardised the logo’s usage: clear spacing, scale rules for print/digital, and guidance for pairing with photography and typography. The mark now sits confidently across social, signage, and packaging aids without crowding the story.

Icons and Colours

We refined a Mediterranean-inspired visual language: subtle, timeless, and legible in the real world:

• Colour system tuned for print and screen (warm neutrals with considered accents)

• Iconography for origin, storage, and use (quick-scan cues for busy shoppers)

• Accessibility checks so price cards, recipe cards, and story tags remain clear at a glance

The result: visuals that feel like olive wood and sun-warmed stone—never gimmick, always grounded.

Read More: Founders Are the New Content Creators

Touch Points

We kept touchpoints intentional so the brand’s story could do the heavy lifting.

• Social: 2 reels/week + 3 posts/week + daily stories; hard hooks, soft nostalgia, clear CTAs

• Recipes: save-worthy formats that link ingredients → meals → memories

• In-store | Story tags (“This honey comes from the mountains of Zagori…”), cultural corners, and hospitality moments (tea/biscuits)

By removing what wasn’t needed, we gave the Mediterranean grocery Melbourne audience room to feel the brand and act.

Messaging

We built language that speaks like a host, not a billboard: clear, proud, human.

• “Home is never far.”

• “Heritage over hype.”

• “Authenticity, always.”

• “Hospitality without hesitation.”

• “From pantry to story.”

• “Real ingredients. Real places. Real people.”

Every line points to brand storytelling over salesy noise because people buy what feels true.

Packaging & In-Store System

Drawing on the poise of premium grocers, we utilised white space and warmth to create calm amidst busy shelves, featuring tidy price cards, origin notes, and recipe takeaways.

Photography leans close; bread is torn by hand, oil is poured slowly, so the Mediterranean grocery soul shows up without shouting. Elevated but honest, just like the Basfoods shop floor.

Result

What began as a heritage-rich brand with scattered outputs became a cohesive identity and growth engine.

August 2025 (first full month of social management, 1–23 Aug):

• Views: 94,901 (+88% vs July)

• Reach: 17,779 (+174%), with 58% non-followers discovered

• Total interactions: 1,562 (+102%)

  • Comments: +314%

  • Shares: +137%

  • Saves: +193%

• Profile visits: +133%

• External link taps: +102%

• Business address taps: +19%

• Net followers: +160 (vs +59 in July)

The content mix shifted from reel-heavy to balanced (reels + posts + stories).

Personality-led pieces (more of Bertan and the team) and recipe content lifted saves and shares, while community collaborations kept non-follower reach strong.

Proof that when brand strategy, content strategy, and hospitality line up, content converts online and in-store.

Personal Branding Agency in Melbourne