There’s really never been a more exciting time to talk about packaging in the coffee industry – especially when I’m writing to you from Shanghai, from Hotelex, where countless packaging manufacturers have approached us to try and capture our business and have offered to completely re-invent the wheel. From minimal matte finishes to whimsical illustrations to foil-stamped, embossed, debossed, you’re-the-boss, typographic flexes, it’s safe to say, design is thriving in our space. Packaging is no longer an afterthought; it’s a stage where brands perform and often, separate themselves from the rest of the packs.
As the visual storytelling becomes more seductive, we urge you, the consumer, the producer, the roaster, the industry, to remember:
Great packaging doesn’t always mean great product.
In a world increasingly driven by sensory cues, first impressions and unboxing experiences, our brains are wired to associate well-designed packaging with quality. There’s a psychological bias which we all experience called the “halo effect”. It’s when one positive trait (like a luxurious looking box, with foiled accents, clean type and a premium paper) leads us to assume that other traits of the product will match or exceed in quality, suchas the taste experience, price point and overall quality alignment.
And while beautiful design can absolutely elevate a moment and an experience, it shouldn’t distract us from what matters at the core: the product itself.
The coffee industry is a mixed bag of experiences – pun completely intended – where, the quality of the package and the quality of the product often lack alignment. Why? Well, design is hard and coffee is hard, so to achieve them both with a high level of expertise requires praise and applause. We must remember that coffee and design are not co-dependant – both will exist without one another, and both can thrive in high quality without the other matching it’s level; however, when we can find the harmony, match the qualities and align the stars, the experience as a whole is heightened, and we, the industry should applaud.
To those investing their time in producing beautiful coffee, on farms and in roasting operations around the world, we see you, we appreciate you and wow, do we ever enjoy and savour every last drop of your labour.
And to those going the extra distance, investing their time in producing beautiful packaging, in the same farms and the same roasting operations around the world, we see you, at the top of our instagram feed, and we appreciate the efforts your putting in to create a luxury product out of coffee. Your intention, your efforts, your vision, they inspire us, and so many others to treat coffee as more than just a beverage – an experience, a showcase, a product to share.
I urge you to focus on one, before the other, in your coffee journey. The quality of your product should never be lower than the perceived quality of your packaging, as there’s nothing more disappointing, or stagnating, for a consumer on their journey of coffee to splurge on a beautiful package and find that the product inside does not match the same expectations. It bursts the bubble, it dims the light of the halo in the halo effect, and, it potentially sends a client backward on their journey.
Some of the best coffee experiences I’ve had, come from ziploc bags with hand written markings, packages used a second time, with the original text scratched out, or simple, clean and classic styles of packaging – all of which don’t give heightened expectations to the psychology of the beverage. On the other hand, some of the worst experiences, have come from packages that are over-the-top, with an unsustainable count of packaging touch-points, stickers and easter eggs, and a heavier weight of packaging material than you receive of coffee itself…
This isn’t a critique of packaging, far from it. It’s a celebration of a new era where aesthetics should align with function, where brands are finding new ways to tell their story before the product is even opened. It’s a time to celebrate, as we as an industry re-invent the wheel and really dive into the world of cross-modal perceptions – this is the brain’s ability to utilize different sensory modalities to form what becomes a cohesive experience. As an example, I’m certain you’ve heard the line, “you eat with your eyes”?
This is also a gentle reminder to stay grounded. To ask the deeper questions: Is this product as thoughtful as its packaging?
From our perspective, we like to keep our packaging in each of our brands quite clean and simple, allowing the product to do the talking, with minimal touch points, when it comes to packaging, to make it easier on our team, and easier on the environment. We invest the majority of our budget toward quality of packaging material, ensuring a high barrier of protection toward light, moisture and oxygen. Our focus remains on the quality of coffee, though we love our packaging, in all of it’s forms.
Because while design draws us in, it’s the quality that keeps us coming back.
As a consumer, how do you approach the purchase of a coffee? How much does the package itself have to do with your decision making process?
As a producer or roaster, how do you approach the showcase of your product? When it comes to the package, where do you invest the majority of your efforts?
a weekly shoutout of epic brew bars, be it real life at your home or business, or wherever your imagination takes you.
Our view this week has been filled with Rosso bags and true big brewing energy. We’ve brewed hundreds of cups this last week in Shanghai, with a lineup of 30 (!!) coffees on display at Hotelex. We’ve been brewing and showcasing an incredible range of lots from top producers around the world.
One brand which we admire when it comes to quality of coffee and an exceptional branding experience : Hacienda La Esmeralda
A sensory experience from start to finish, from their cupping lab to the moment you receive their coffee in beautifully designed custom boxes, it all matches and balances with the clarity and vibrancy found in the final cup. It’s a thoughtfully crafted customer journey that continues to blossom at every step.
We featured six of their offerings on our Rosso menu this week, and the SL34 Natural – sweet, bright, refreshing, and creamy – has been the best-seller, with over 100 cups brewed the last three days and only a handful of bags remaining as we head into the final stretch of our Shanghai festivities.
respond with a photo of your brew bar or get creative with an AI generated scene and we’ll feature and share in an upcoming week of BTD
our open accountability structure related to personal, physical or business growth
Distance: Buy the Drip run club. Clocking some kilometers. We’re casual, we’re fun, we’re just out for a run. For us, running has become an easy outlet when on the road, to ensure we’re getting exercise, to get out and explore the city and to simply breath some fresh air and headspace.
Let’s connect on Strava!
There’s really never been a more exciting time to talk about packaging in the coffee industry – especially when I’m writing to you from Shanghai, from Hotelex, where countless packaging manufacturers have approached us to try and capture our business and have offered to completely re-invent the wheel. From minimal matte finishes to whimsical illustrations to foil-stamped, embossed, debossed, you’re-the-boss, typographic flexes, it’s safe to say, design is thriving in our space. Packaging is no longer an afterthought; it’s a stage where brands perform and often, separate themselves from the rest of the packs.As the visual storytelling becomes more seductive, we urge you, the consumer, the producer, the roaster, the industry, to remember:Great packaging doesn’t always mean great product.In a world increasingly driven by sensory cues, first impressions and unboxing experiences, our brains are wired to associate well-designed packaging with quality. There’s a psychological bias which we all experience called the “halo effect”. It’s when one positive trait (like a luxurious looking box, with foiled accents, clean type and a premium paper) leads us to assume that other traits of the product will match or exceed in quality, suchas the taste experience, price point and overall quality alignment.And while beautiful design can absolutely elevate a moment and an experience, it shouldn’t distract us from what matters at the core: the product itself.The coffee industry is a mixed bag of experiences – pun completely intended – where, the quality of the package and the quality of the product often lack alignment. Why? Well, design is hard and coffee is hard, so to achieve them both with a high level of expertise requires praise and applause. We must remember that coffee and design are not co-dependant – both will exist without one another, and both can thrive in high quality without the other matching it’s level; however, when we can find the harmony, match the qualities and align the stars, the experience as a whole is heightened, and we, the industry should applaud.To those investing their time in producing beautiful coffee, on farms and in roasting operations around the world, we see you, we appreciate you and wow, do we ever enjoy and savour every last drop of your labour.And to those going the extra distance, investing their time in producing beautiful packaging, in the same farms and the same roasting operations around the world, we see you, at the top of our instagram feed, and we appreciate the efforts your putting in to create a luxury product out of coffee. Your intention, your efforts, your vision, they inspire us, and so many others to treat coffee as more than just a beverage – an experience, a showcase, a product to share.I urge you to focus on one, before the other, in your coffee journey. The quality of your product should never be lower than the perceived quality of your packaging, as there’s nothing more disappointing, or stagnating, for a consumer on their journey of coffee to splurge on a beautiful package and find that the product inside does not match the same expectations. It bursts the bubble, it dims the light of the halo in the halo effect, and, it potentially sends a client backward on their journey.Some of the best coffee experiences I’ve had, come from ziploc bags with hand written markings, packages used a second time, with the original text scratched out, or simple, clean and classic styles of packaging – all of which don’t give heightened expectations to the psychology of the beverage. On the other hand, some of the worst experiences, have come from packages that are over-the-top, with an unsustainable count of packaging touch-points, stickers and easter eggs, and a heavier weight of packaging material than you receive of coffee itself… This isn’t a critique of packaging, far from it. It’s a celebration of a new era where aesthetics should align with function, where brands are finding new ways to tell their story before the product is even opened. It’s a time to celebrate, as we as an industry re-invent the wheel and really dive into the world of cross-modal perceptions – this is the brain’s ability to utilize different sensory modalities to form what becomes a cohesive experience. As an example, I’m certain you’ve heard the line, “you eat with your eyes”?This is also a gentle reminder to stay grounded. To ask the deeper questions: Is this product as thoughtful as its packaging?From our perspective, we like to keep our packaging in each of our brands quite clean and simple, allowing the product to do the talking, with minimal touch points, when it comes to packaging, to make it easier on our team, and easier on the environment. We invest the majority of our budget toward quality of packaging material, ensuring a high barrier of protection toward light, moisture and oxygen. Our focus remains on the quality of coffee, though we love our packaging, in all of it’s forms.Because while design draws us in, it’s the quality that keeps us coming back.As a consumer, how do you approach the purchase of a coffee? How much does the package itself have to do with your decision making process?As a producer or roaster, how do you approach the showcase of your product? When it comes to the package, where do you invest the majority of your efforts?a weekly shoutout of epic brew bars, be it real life at your home or business, or wherever your imagination takes you. Our view this week has been filled with Rosso bags and true big brewing energy. We’ve brewed hundreds of cups this last week in Shanghai, with a lineup of 30 (!!) coffees on display at Hotelex. We’ve been brewing and showcasing an incredible range of lots from top producers around the world.One brand which we admire when it comes to quality of coffee and an exceptional branding experience : Hacienda La EsmeraldaA sensory experience from start to finish, from their cupping lab to the moment you receive their coffee in beautifully designed custom boxes, it all matches and balances with the clarity and vibrancy found in the final cup. It’s a thoughtfully crafted customer journey that continues to blossom at every step.We featured six of their offerings on our Rosso menu this week, and the SL34 Natural – sweet, bright, refreshing, and creamy – has been the best-seller, with over 100 cups brewed the last three days and only a handful of bags remaining as we head into the final stretch of our Shanghai festivities. respond with a photo of your brew bar or get creative with an AI generated scene and we’ll feature and share in an upcoming week of BTDour open accountability structure related to personal, physical or business growthDistance: Buy the Drip run club. Clocking some kilometers. We’re casual, we’re fun, we’re just out for a run. For us, running has become an easy outlet when on the road, to ensure we’re getting exercise, to get out and explore the city and to simply breath some fresh air and headspace.Let’s connect on Strava! Powered by beehiiv
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