UK – Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s new brand, Pasta Dreams, offers a psychedelic take on traditional Italian cuisine. The result of a partnership between creative agency Otherway and food delivery company Taster, the brand presents a playful visual identity and a pasta range for home delivery.

The visuals comprise colourful pasta shapes twirling around a psychedelic backdrop, giving a nostalgic feel reminiscent of saturated design cues from the 1970s. The range includes pasta dishes such as Vodka Arrabbiata Casarecce, which is Jamie Oliver’s spin on the viral vodka pasta social media trend.

The rebranding is part of Jamie Oliver’s strategy to move away from his current demographic, which values an authentic take on Italian cuisine, instead appealing to a younger audience. With its eye-catching visuals, Pasta Dreams appeals to those who seek Instagram-friendly food options. The visuals tie in well with Pasta Dreams pop-ups, a sensory brand activation designed to attract a buzz on social media.

The design direction taken by the brand reflects many of the themes we picked up on in Frivolous Foods.

Independent British retailers are bracing themselves for the consequences of the cost of living crisis. According to a report by wholesale marketplace Ankorstore, 68% of independent British retailers are planning to implement hiring freezes in 2023 unless they receive more support from the government.

Women independent retailers are being the most careful, with an astounding 84% saying they don’t intend to recruit any new employees in 2023, compared to 58% of male shopkeepers. Three in five consumers in the UK are planning to cut back on their spending this year because of rising costs and 67% of Millennials say they will reduce purchases of luxuries as the crisis worsens.

The availability of employment opportunities is one of the key pillars of a healthy economy. To weather the impending economic storm, companies will have to pursue Retail-flation Responses to remain resilient during the downturn.