Blog – VIBE – From idea to movement

VIBE.

An idea that started with one simple question: “Can you come up with a concept for vocational education?”

So what do you do as a concept developer? Right, you put yourself in the shoes of the target group. No PowerPoints, no brainstorming sessions, just go outside.
I literally visited various vocational education locations to look, listen, and feel. I sat among the students for hours. With a coffee in my hand, a notebook on my lap, observing how they move, talk, eat, chill, learn, laugh, and sometimes just do nothing.

What did I see? Students who crave a place where they can be themselves.
Not a dusty canteen from 1992 with lukewarm toasted sandwiches and fluorescent lighting, but a space that is alive, vibrant, and connects people.
Where you can eat something healthy without spending your entire part-time salary.
Where food not only fills you up, but also nourishes you.

The idea came up during a conversation with a student.

I felt the energy, the curiosity, the need for something new.
My mind went into overdrive. Ideas, names, colors, flavors—everything was flying around. Within a month, I had a concept framework.
And then the unthinkable happened: we won the very first tender. BAM.
And then another one.
That was the moment I knew: this is no longer a concept. This is a movement.

Then the real work began.
What was on paper had to become reality.
A logo. Merchandise, clothing, signage, app development, product range, mood boards, playlists—everything at once.
A race against the clock, but what a race. Because when you believe in something, sleep deprivation suddenly becomes part of the process.

Together with an amazing team, we brought VIBE to life.
Six locations. In one week.
Not just a standard catering venue, but a Vibrant, Inclusive, Balanced, Energized community.
A place where you don't just eat, but recharge.
Where you start the day with a Green Boost and end it in a good mood.

But VIBE is more than just a place with good food and strong branding.

It is built around the students themselves, the generation that is literally shaping our future.
The creators, the doers, the caregivers, the techies.
The people who will keep our society running.
If anyone deserves an environment that energizes, inspires, and makes them proud, it's them.
They are not just a target group, they are the future. 

And that is precisely why VIBE is not a canteen.
We no longer do canteens.
We do hospitality.
We do atmosphere, hospitality, experience.
We do places that invite you in, where you want to be.  Not because you have to eat, but because it feels good.

Conclusion

When I walk through a VIBE location now, I feel exactly what I was trying to capture back then: energy, color, freedom. It's right.
The music, the smells, the smiles of the employees—everything exudes that one feeling: you can be yourself here.

And honestly? That's why I do it.
Because anyone can come up with concepts.
But creating something that people really feel, that's a VIBE.