Bento is looking to modernize its sushi experience with a freshly invigorated brand identity.

According to WesleyAnne Rodrigues, the company’s director of marketing, the “Bento Brave” refresh modernizes the brand to make it more accessible and inviting.

Designed by Jump Branding & Design and brought to life by Dialogue 38, the new look introduces teal accents, clean typography, salmon-vein cooler matting and pop-art-inspired visuals.

Rodgrigues tells strategy that Bento was intentional about steering clear of overused cues often seen in Asian-inspired concepts, such as generic lanterns, stereotypical motifs, or heavy reliance on red-and-black palettes.

“Instead, our goal was to create a design language that feels modern, fresh, and scalable,” she says.

According to Rodgrigues, the refresh was driven by Bento’s ambitious growth plans and as it expands further into the food-service space, it wanted a bolder look that would stand out, helping both partners and consumers.

Bento provides sushi and Asian-inspired meals at various touchpoints including conventional grocery banners, universities, colleges, food courts and airports.

Managing design for both retail and traditional restaurant locations was a key part of the brief to Jump Branding & Design.

“We needed a flexible ‘kit of parts’ that could adapt across very different spaces,” Rodrigues says. “While no two locations will look identical, each will carry Bento’s signature look and feel.”

The brand identity is rolling out this fall in Loblaw locations across Ontario, at Cadillac Fairview malls and CF Promenades St. Bruno and Eaton Centre in Montreal and internationally at New York’s JFK airport and the Sangster airport in Jamaica.

Bento is also introducing two influencer campaigns designed to bring sushi into everyday family life. A new Family Pack celebrates new mothers returning to sushi after post-pregnancy with care packages and complimentary rolls, while Family Sushi Nights makes sushi a weeknight dinner alternative with combo packs, gluten-free choices and kid-friendly selections.