In Hanko Asia’s brand renewal, the entire experience is visible and tangible – from the workwear to the food.

Popular sushi restaurant concept Hanko Sushi has changed its name and offerings. Hanko Sushi has been renamed Hanko Aasia in response to the increasingly diverse and growing demand for Asian food. The change is based on a survey in which the restaurant chain investigated Finns' attitudes towards Asian food.

"We researched and tested what Finns think is the best Asia. If Hanko Sushi focused on Japan, Hanko Aasia will also open its doors to India, Korea, China and Thailand," says Rainer Lindqvist, Commercial Director of Noho.

The renewal is by far the largest in the concept's history, and it has been visible to customers in many ways during the year 2024. Now all restaurants conform to the new concept inside and out, the service experience has developed in an excellent direction according to research, and the menu reflects the diversity of Asian food culture to suit Finnish palates.

A visible part of the brand renewal is the staff's clothing. "We wanted to communicate Hanko Aasia's quality through clothing, but to do it in a relaxed way that suits the brand," says Vilma Eklund, Restaurant Group Director of Hanko Aasia restaurants.

"The goal was to create an image of professionalism, uniformity and cleanliness. You have to look good at work, and no one needs to be ashamed of their outfit. It is also important to show customers who is part of the staff with the overall outfit," Vilma Eklund continues. On the other hand, the casualness was also emphasised by abandoning the traditional chef's jacket and choosing a chef's t-shirt as the top.

Hanko Asia's brand image is beautifully realised in workwear. All clothing is embroidered with the impressive Hanko Asia logo. The black color of the shirts has also been carefully chosen. Black not only looks dignified, but is also practical for a sushi chef's job. Soy sauce spilled on white workwear can make an outfit look untidy in an instant.

Good workwear should last a long time, and workwear is to be washed constantly. The choice of materials has taken into account the fact that employees wash their own clothes. This emphasizes the ease of care of the clothes and the fact that the clothes do not need to be ironed. Restaurant workwear also requires a high level of hygiene. Medanta's antimicrobial materials help with this, because thanks to our antimicrobial treatment, the surface of the textile does not provide a breeding ground for microbes, and our technology increases the freshness of the garment by removing unwanted odours.

 

“We have many units and choosing suitable clothes is made easier by the clothing fitting set, which we receive when needed. This makes it easy for everyone to get clothes that fit and suit them. A wide range of sizes and the employee's own freedom of choice, for example regarding the mandatory headgear in the restaurant, are important. Previously, Hanko Sushi did not have matching trousers, but now they wanted to include trousers in the workwear range. All of this makes the employee's everyday life easier, as the workwear comes from the employer,” continues Vilma Eklund.

 

Our contract customers can always order a fitting set for the unit if they wish, to make it easier for everyone to find the right sizes, says Karolina Eroma from Medanta.

 

There are 12 Hanko Asia restaurants, all of which are located in shopping centers on the Helsinki-Espoo-Vantaa-Raisio-Tampere-Oulu axis.