Behind Vancouver snack company Ohme!’s quick rebrand

Inspired by their love for oat bowls with lots of toppings, Han and Jenny Yue were excited to jump into their first business venture together in 2023. But three months into launching their healthy snack company, the couple realized that they had made a branding mistake: the name Oatme was causing confusion among customers, who were constantly asking if the products had oats in them. 

They don’t. Instead, the company offers a variety of freeze-dried products—including fruits and yogurt crunches—which pair perfectly with oatmeal but don’t actually contain any oats. 

“I think it was a great decision for us to go into farmers’ markets or pop-up markets around Vancouver because that’s really where we got a lot of feedback,” Jenny says. “We quickly realized the problem and started debating if we should rename our brand [to Ohme!].” 

The pair felt that the new name was similar enough that customers would be able to make the connection. But still, rebranding within a year of launching is like starting from scratch: the Yues would have to rebuild the company’s story and re-establish trust with existing customers, who, despite the confusion, were responding well to the products. The founders would also need to think about changing the brand’s design and consider the financial implications that come with that. Plus, how would retailers react? The products were already in stores across Canada. 

“It was pretty scary because a lot of our customers already know Oatme,” notes Jenny. 

“But these are all good problems to have,” says Han. “We know we’re heading in the right direction, and we just have to get the work done.” 

The Yues revealed their rebrand to Ohme! in July, but they started communicating with customers and retailers long before that. They told their story through emails and social media, at farmers’ markets and in-store visits. 

“We would go to the stores ourselves and give them our new product to see if they were still interested in carrying them,” says Jenny. “Because with the rebrand… it’s basically like introducing a new product to the store. Luckily, most of them were willing to carry it, which was awesome… and at farmers’ markets, we had our new and old products side-by-side so people could associate both products together.” 

According to Han, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. “People are very kind,” he says. The Yues have received tons of compliments on the new design and packaging, and Ohme! is now in over 40 locations in Canada and the U.S. The list includes Killer Ice Cream and Mah Milk Bar in Vancouver and Pomme Natural Market in Nanaimo and Coquitlam. 

Ohme! is also getting more offers for partnerships and collaborations—most recently from local superfood latte company, Blume. “When [Blume co-founder and CEO] Karen [Danudjaja] reached out to us for a partnership, we were really happy,” says Jenny. “I think that means that we are being seen by brands that are our role models, and it’s such a great feeling when your idol reaches out to you.”