Donalds Pies

Overview

Donald's Pies had built a loyal following through their Cardiff locations and wholesale partnerships. Their pies were in demand, their brand was strong, but they had no way to sell online. With wholesale inquiries increasing, they needed a complete digital storefront, not a template, but a custom-built platform that matched their bold brand personality.

The Challenge

Time is often the main driver with projects and as time shortens, cost grows and quality can fall below the wayside . So with this one, we had to lock in and also lean on existing infrastructure and software. This is why we went with Shopify. Using Shopify meant we could focus on custom components, theming and getting the feeling and UX of the site dialed in without having to worry about the functionality of the backend, ordering and payments. It was a no brainer with the short timeframe, budget and quality needed.

We wanted to ensure we displayed the playful personality of Donald’s branding an d assets to ensure we could translate that into a digital experience without sacrificing usability. Although we went with Shopify, we didnt want to use an exisiting theme and apply the branding. We worked with Donald’s to try and capture the design, feel and vibe they wanted with the site. Dynamic colour theming needed to work across all components, allowing different sections to shift between brand colours without CSS conflicts. The subscription system had to be flexible enough for both regular customers and "Pies in the Post" subscribers, with custom forms for wholesale partnerships.

Every component had to work correctly on the first build, and the entire theme architecture needed to be maintainable for future updates without our involvement.

The Approach

We started with the brand. Donald's existing identity was confident and playful, the website needed to match that energy while remaining functional for food e-commerce. The colour system became the foundation: dynamic themes that could shift entire sections between their signature brown and cream palette.

The component architecture prioritised reusability. Rather than building one-off sections, we created flexible components that could be configured through Shopify's theme customiser. This meant the Donald's team could add new products, change layouts, or update content without touching code.

Animation work focused on micro-interactions: button hovers, cart updates, and scroll-triggered reveals that reinforced the brand's personality without slowing page performance.

The Solution

The final platform handles everything from single pie purchases to monthly subscription management.

Core Features:

• Dynamic colour theming: Global colour variables propagate through all components, allowing instant theme switching per section
• Wholesale inquiry forms: Conditional routing based on inquiry type (retail partnership, bulk orders)
• Multi-location management: Separate pages for Quay Street and Radyr locations with individual operating hours and inventory with room to expand
• Product showcase components: Scrolling carousels, grid layouts, and featured product sections with custom animations
• Mobile-first responsive design: Optimized for phone ordering (where most impulse food purchases happen)

The theme architecture uses Shopify Liquid templating with vanilla JavaScript for interactions, keeping the codebase lightweight and performant. Custom CSS properties handle the dynamic theming without JavaScript recalculations, ensuring smooth transitions.

All components are built through Shopify's section schema, meaning the client can add, remove, or reorder page elements through the admin panel. No developer dependency for content updates, something we always strive to do where possible.

The Results

Donald's Pies launched on schedule with a complete e-commerce platform that matched their physical brand presence. The subscription system enabled "Pies in the Post"—their direct-to-door delivery service, giving customers access to exclusive specials without managing inventory through third-party platforms.

The wholesale inquiry system streamlined partnership discussions, automatically routing retailer inquiries and bulk orders to the appropriate team members. What previously required phone tag and email chains now happens through a single form.

The custom theme architecture means the Donald's team updates content daily without developer support. New product launches, seasonal menu changes, and promotional campaigns happen in minutes rather than requiring external help.

Most importantly, the site captures the brand's personality. The digital presence feels authentically Donald's, not like every other food e-commerce site.

Key Takeaways

• Speed doesn't mean shortcuts: A two-week timeline demands excellent planning, but a custom solution still beats a compromised template
• Flexible architecture beats feature bloat: Building reusable components with the theme customizer means the client can evolve the site without developer dependency
• Brand personality is a feature: The technical implementation should enhance—not constrain—what makes the client unique