Food

What the Heck’s a Kolache?

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Over the last several years we’ve seen a rise in popularity for the stuffed pastries known as kolache (also spelled kolachekolace or kolacky /kəˈlɑːtʃi, -tʃki/). They’re a type of pastry filled with either sweet or savory ingredients, making this Czech delight loved by many. And when your product is an uncommon delicacy, it’s important to make sure your customers – and potential new customers – know exactly where it’s coming from. That’s why Randy and Lucy Hines, owners of Houston’s Kolache Shoppe, made sure to invest in custom branded packaging. This move proved especially wise after they gutted and rebranded the famous but outdated shop that they took over.

The History

“The guy who sold us the shop was the Grandfather of kolache,” explains Randy Hines. In addition to the café, the dough recipe was also purchased by former owner Erwin Ahrens, who originally opened the shop in 1970. And while the name kolache may be new to many, the pastries are showing up more and more in bakeries around the country. “Every culture has a stuffed bun,” says Hines. “The Chinese, the Polish. The name changes but the idea is universal.”

Rebranding and Custom Packaging

“At first we kept everything the same, then we revamped it all and brought in some branded items. We wanted it to have more of an artisan feel,” says Randy. When asked if the custom printed paper bags and branded stickers make a visible difference in business, Randy says “it definitely does. It adds a level of professionalism. As a business owner, you need all your pistons firing.” he explains. “So if you’re branding, you want everything to come full circle. You can’t do things halfway – like spend more on good ingredients but then go cheap on branding. We want a great look and feel for our great product, and the packaging helps with that.”

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