Katsu Sando
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Content & Editorial Strategy
Art Direction
Packaging Design
Copywriting
CLIENT OVERVIEW
When Daniel Son was training in Japan he would often stumble home from a grueling day in the kitchen and stop at a Japanese convenience store for a bite, where he became obsessed with yōshoku food; Japanese takes on classic Western foods like hamburgers, spaghetti, and delicious pork schnitzel sandwiches called Katsu Sandos.
After returning to Los Angeles and becoming a renowned sushi chef in his own right at Kura Sushi, Son decided to return to his vision for yōshoku in the U.S. and launched Katsu Sando; first as a pop-up, then as a sensation at the weekly food court Smorgasburg, and finally as two brick-and-mortar restaurants in the L.A. area (and growing).
With their special attention to quality ingredients and preparation, Katsu Sando has become a cult sensation, being named one of Bon Appetit's hot food trends, helping spark a nationwide Sando craze, and cementing its status as a “must eat” for anyone in Los Angeles.
QP has been side-by-side with Daniel and his founders from the very beginning, helping to build every aspect of the brand from basic identity to signage and packaging to merch collaborations and more.
HIGHLIGHTS
Expanded from pop-up to food stall to two brick-and-mortar locations.
Regular sold-out presence at ComplexCon.
Merch collaborations with streetwear brands.
Coverage in Bon Appetit, Eater, the L.A. Times, and more.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Since the beginning we’ve recognized that what makes Katsu Sando so unique isn’t just its delicious foods, but the way those foods blend Son’s Korean American background with western-inspired Japanese cuisine to create a cross-cultural homage that reflects Los Angeles’ diverse tastes and identities.
That blend is at the core of the Katsu Sando brand and visual identity we created, playing through everything from the typeface to the in-store signage and product packaging and more, which are all meant to involve equal parts convenience store, Japanese tradition, and L.A. street style.
This strong brand identity has helped elevate Katsu Sando from mouth-watering restaurant to cult brand, where it’s become a regular at ComplexCon and collaborated with hyped streetwear brands like Cherry for limited-edition merch.
Now two locations in and going strong, Katsu Sando has eyes on continued expansion and bringing the yōshoku craze to the masses.
Katsu Sando × Uniqlo
Katsu Sando partnered with Uniqlo for a campaign highlighting L.A.’s dynamic and beautiful food scene. As a restaurant rooted in the connections between Los Angeles and Japan, Katsu Sando and the Japan-based retailer were a perfect partnership, resulting in a classic brand design that quickly sold-out globally.
Katsu Sando × Cherry
L.A.’s Family Style Food Festival celebrates the intersection of cuisine and fashion, and for their 2021 festival they brought together Katsu Sando and Cherry to remix vintage style and bring 1950’s Americana to Chinatown. Playing off the Americana theme, Katsu Sando put a Konbini spin on the cheeseburger for an exclusive menu item, while Cherry brought its clean design style to imagining what Katsu Sando would have looked like as a classic drive-thru restaurant.
Katsu Sando × First We Feast
As part of ComplexCon’s curated music x fashion x food festival, Katsu Sando partnered with First We Feast to create a limited edition Ice K.R.E.A.M. (Katsu Rules Everything Around Me) Sando.
COVERAGE
-
![]()
Japanese Sandwich Shop Katsu Sando Opens in Chinatown
-
![]()
Katsu Sandos Are Everywhere, and We’re Here for It
-
![]()
Katsu Sando’s Chinatown Shop Opens on Friday With Craveable Convenience Store Bites
