Studio Aekae was part of the founding team of CombiniCo, a Korean ready-to-go food brand based in St Andrews, UK. Combini's roots lie in the unique cultural phenomenon of East Asian convenience stores, otherwise known as ‘Combini’. Their values, which centre around simplicity and functionality, are mirrored in Combini's own philosophy through its products. We oversaw all aesthetic elements of the company, including brand identity and interior design, to food product range and video campaigns. We instilled core values of Korean heritage, minimal design and environmental consciousness to create a compelling and popular brand that earned over 500,000 GBP in Year 1, employing 5 full-time and 50 part-time staff members. CombiniCo became the youngest ever recipient of Best Takeaway at the Scottish Asian Food Awards in 2018 and raised over 200,000 GBP funds to open a second location in less than one year.