New food initiative Bilder & De Clercq, located in Amsterdam, recently opened its doors to the public, introducing a great range of fresh, homemade dishes to cook in the comfort of one’s own home.

HOW IT WORKS
The idea behind Bilder & De Clercq is simple: a store, arranged by dish, where all the ingredients of that particular dish are offered in the exact amount required for either one or two persons. On the enclosed recipe card, Bilder & De Clercq explains step-by-step how to prepare the dish quickly, easily and in the right way.

Visitors can choose between 14 different dishes, divided over seven presentation tables. Recipes are tasty and healthy and developed by professional chefs with the emphasis on easy, fresh homemade meals. Also available at Bilder & De Clercq: a selection of fine wines, fresh bread, desserts, kitchen equipment and a variety of organic products such as jam and olive oil.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Because people buy the exact amount of ingredients required, shopping at Bilder & De Clercq automatically means spending less on products you’ll never use, thus contributing to a better environment.

CONCEPT & DESIGN
…,staat creative agency developed the total concept for Bilder & De Clercq; from the name, brand, identity, photography and communication to coffee cups and denim aprons (made by students of The Amsterdam Jeans School). The complete interior with bespoke presentation furniture fits perfectly with the store’s innovative character, as opposed to the traditional aisles of a supermarket.

Visitors enter the store facing an inviting counter in which a coffee bar, cash registers and the kitchen are integrated. The double-dish tables are positioned freely throughout the store so visitors can browse for a dish they like, as if they were wandering through a market.

The different colours of grey combined with warm wooden tones and copper green give the store a fresh, tailored look. Hand-crafted tiles, copper fittings, custom-made furniture in wood and steel, a concrete “oor and vintage elements / furniture give Bilder & De Clercq a light, industrial feel whilst keeping that traditional sense of visiting a quality grocer.

Jochem Leegstra, Creative Director of …,staat:
“The quality of the products and the care that goes into the selection of all products at Bilder & De Clercq is reflected in the interior, design and identity of the store. …,staat really has been deployed for what it’s meant for: the complete creative trajectory. Cooperation in strategy, concept, graphic design, interior design and architecture – having all these disciplines in house – is what makes us special. Bilder & De Clercq made 100% use of us.”

Michiel Steyn, Strategy Director of …,staat:
“Initially the name was ‘Grocerease’ which explains the idea perfectly: groceries made easy. However, we had a hard time using it because it seemed like too much of a ‘paper concept’, which we thought wouldn’t work. So we started right at the heart of the business: two fresh, enthusiastic entrepreneurs – Diederik van Gelder and Rogier Leopold – committed to “Making cooking simple & delicious” for everybody. Bilder & De Clercq has a nice, sophisticated ring to it, comes across as appealing and luxurious, and is an ode to the location of the first store: the corner of the Bilderdijkstraat and the De Clercqstraat.”

The collaboration between …,staat and Bilder & De Clercq goes further than architecture / interior and branding alone; also included is the naming, development of the identity on every level, photography direction, online & of”ine communication and PR. The total concept was designed so Bilder & De Clercq can be rolled out to multiple venues without it feeling like a franchise. Jochem Leegstra: “We can honestly say that a lot of love has gone into the details, making Bilder & De Clercq a pretty unique food store in the Netherlands.”