nebu: How nebu is scaling its creative brand with Ergon

As nebu evolved from Zurich’s first Creative Bar into a growing Creative Brand, operational complexity increased significantly. Thousands of ceramic pieces had to be tracked, processed and shipped each month, pushing manual workflows beyond what a hospitality team could sustainably manage. 

Together with Ergon, nebu implemented a lean, web-based logistics system that digitally covers the entire ceramic lifecycle. The solution automates registration, matching and shipping, and scales seamlessly with the brand, allowing the team to focus on delivering creative experiences.

A place where Zurich’s creativity gathers

nebu has quickly become one of Zurich’s most recognisable creative spaces. What began as the city’s first creative bar – a place to paint ceramics over a drink – has evolved into a design-driven venue where people slow down, make things and connect. Guests paint ceramics while enjoying natural wines, coffee or snacks. Team events, workshops and private bookings have become essential pillars of the brand and a major driver of growth. 

With this success came an unexpected operational challenge. Each month, around 5,000 ceramic pieces are painted, glazed, fired and shipped directly to guests’ homes. The volume grew far beyond what a hospitality environment typically manages, and the manual process placed increasing pressure on the team.

When creativity meets operational reality

Employees had to match pieces using photos and initials, answer guest emails and manually sort hundreds of ceramics after busy evenings and team events. The growing demand – fuelled by nebu’s evolution into a broader creative brand – made klar: the logistics model had to evolve as well.

“We suddenly had a logistics volume that was completely atypical for our business. We needed a system that grows with us,” says co-founder Constantin Deilmann.

A digital solution that evolves with the brand

Together with Ergon, nebu developed a streamlined, web-based system that supports the entire ceramic lifecycle. After their visit, guests register their pieces via a mobile-optimised interface, uploading photos, entering initials and selecting the ceramic type. The system validates inputs, scales images automatically and is available in two languages.

“We wanted a robust solution that feels as intuitive as taking a photo,” explains Marc Hölzel, Senior Project Manager at Ergon.

For the team, Ergon built an internal interface that provides transparency across all steps. A packaging assistant displays every piece with its photo and details, supporting accurate matching and efficient preparation for shipping. With direct DPD integration, labels can be generated immediately. Even during peak periods, such as after large team events, the workflow remains stable and efficient.

More time for what nebu does best

The new system noticeably improves logistics. Matching is faster, shipping is automated, and the team can refocus on the guest experience. This is especially valuable for team events, where guests expect a seamless and memorable creative moment – from the painting session to the arrival of their final piece at home.

“Our employees can focus on the guests again. That’s exactly what we wanted,” says Seline Burri.

A pragmatic foundation for future expansion

The application was deliberately designed to be lean, scalable and cost-efficient. It adapts to real usage patterns and grows with nebu as the brand expands its formats – from bar experiences to workshops, pop-ups, collaborations and creative campaigns.

Conclusion: Creativity that can grow

The collaboration between nebu and Ergon demonstrates how a creative brand can scale its operations without compromising its identity. The guest experience remains personal and light, while logistics run reliably in the background.

nebu is no longer just a place to paint ceramics. It is becoming a platform for creative experiences – in Zurich and beyond.