Thaan Charcoal / How a chef-born, sustainably-sourced charcoal brand quadrupled its revenue after a rebrand — with new strategy, identity, and packaging that carried it from pro kitchens to home grills.

Billboard with the words 'LOW SMOKE HOT AS HELL' in large blue and yellow letters, featuring a bag of charcoal with illuminated yellow lines and a sunset with palm trees in the background.
Billboard with the words 'LOW SMOKE HOT AS HELL' in large blue and yellow letters, featuring a bag of charcoal with illuminated yellow lines and a sunset with palm trees in the background.
Yellow outline of a coffee mug against a dark brown background.
Yellow outline of a coffee mug against a dark brown background.
Stacked black charcoal briquettes with cardboard boxes labeled "Thaam Charcoal" and "Thaam Grill" in the background.
Stacked black charcoal briquettes with cardboard boxes labeled "Thaam Charcoal" and "Thaam Grill" in the background.
A cartoon illustration of a matchbox with flames, featuring the text 'I HATE CHARCOAL' in large letters.
A cartoon illustration of a matchbox with flames, featuring the text 'I HATE CHARCOAL' in large letters.
Colorful boxes labeled 'Thaan Charcoal' and other words, stacked on a wooden surface.
Colorful boxes labeled 'Thaan Charcoal' and other words, stacked on a wooden surface.
Boxes of charcoal labeled 'Thaan Charcoal,' plus a small orange grill with a black grate on top, set on a wooden surface outdoors with potted plants in the background.
Boxes of charcoal labeled 'Thaan Charcoal,' plus a small orange grill with a black grate on top, set on a wooden surface outdoors with potted plants in the background.
A store display with large bags of charcoals labeled 'Thaan Charcoal' in bright blue and orange colors, set against an industrial-style background with a high ceiling and exposed pipes.
A store display with large bags of charcoals labeled 'Thaan Charcoal' in bright blue and orange colors, set against an industrial-style background with a high ceiling and exposed pipes.
A box of matchsticks with yellow tips and a partial label reading 'PERFECT MATCH' with a matchstick illustration.
A box of matchsticks with yellow tips and a partial label reading 'PERFECT MATCH' with a matchstick illustration.
Billboard advertising Low Smoke Hot Ash Hell charcoal with a stylized image of a package of charcoal and the text "Come Together Around Food" and "Thank Charcoal"
Billboard advertising Low Smoke Hot Ash Hell charcoal with a stylized image of a package of charcoal and the text "Come Together Around Food" and "Thank Charcoal"

Project Information

Stage

Early

Industry

Food & Beverage

Services

Brand Strategy
Branding
Packaging

Impact Points

Sustainable Sourcing
Fair Wages

  • As a B Corp, Odd Notion only partners with founders building products that benefit people and planet. We sort that commitment into three tiers:

    • Measured impact — brands with verified, certified outcomes, like a fellow B Corp.

    • Unmeasured impact — brands doing real good that haven't yet quantified it.

    • Do no harm — brands we're proud to build because of how they operate.

    Thaan sits in our unmeasured-impact tier, and its impact runs on two tracks — environmental and social. Every Thaan product traces back to a renewable or byproduct material: rambutan trimmings from Thai fruit orchards, oak offcuts, pecan shells — never live forests, and a deliberate alternative to the mangrove swamps most binchotan depletes. On the social side, Thaan ensures fair wages for the Thai craftspeople who make its charcoal — a relationship it honors quietly rather than advertises — and gives 1% of net revenue through its One Percent for Industry program to the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides emergency relief to food and beverage workers in crisis. The good is built into how the company sources, pays, and gives; it simply hasn't been formally measured across the board.

Situation

Thaan Charcoal, a unique brand offering charcoal made from a renewable resource, rambutan wood, had already established a successful niche supplying their innovative product to chefs and restaurants. However, as they looked towards the future, Thaan saw an opportunity to broaden their market reach. The goal was to bring their product into the homes of everyday grill enthusiasts, not just professional chefs.

Problem

The challenge was twofold. Firstly, Thaan needed to reposition their brand to appeal to a wider consumer base while still retaining the quality and uniqueness that made them a choice pick among professionals. Secondly, they wanted to pay tribute to the Thai workers who were integral to their success. Balancing these two aspects while elevating their product's unique benefits posed a unique challenge.

Solution

Our team dove into the task with passion and methodical planning. We conducted a brand workshop and unearthed key insights. Thaan Charcoal was not just a sustainable product, it was superior. It was reusable, produced hotter heat, and required less cleanup. Despite its higher price point, the benefits clearly outweighed the cost. We decided to emphasize these points and the brand's Thai heritage in our rebranding efforts. The result was an identity system that was playful, accessible, and exuded quality.

Credits

Strategy: Eleazar Ruiz
Creative Direction: Eleazar Ruiz
Graphic Design: Eleazar Ruiz
Illustrations: Lisa Orona
Photography: Christine Dong
3D: Matt Gilbert

Impact since rebrand

Revenue increased by

400%

market traction

Dramatically more positive responses from chefs and restaurants considering the product.

Toby Roberts, Founder at Thaan Charcoal

“Working with Odd Notion on our rebrand was a transformative experience for Thaan Charcoal. Their team guided us through a thoughtful, intentional branding process that helped us clarify who we are, who we serve, and how we want people to feel about our products. The results have been dramatic—our customer engagement has soared, especially among chefs and restaurants, and our revenue has quadrupled since the rebrand. Odd Notion’s attention to detail, from color choices to visual storytelling, brought our values of sustainability and togetherness to life in ways I never imagined possible. I’m grateful for their partnership and highly recommend them to any business looking to elevate their brand.”

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