Two long-term friends were at the beginning of realizing their mutual dream of operating a coffee roaster celebrating co-founder Sang's cultural background from rural Vietnam.
A visual identity helped them tell the most important parts of that story.
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• Imagined as an LA streetwear-inspired coffee brand, there was a lot of respect for the people who farm the robusta beans, a topic which came up multiple times during discovery calls with the client. Both of these cultural touchpoints helped inform the direction of the identity being true to the people behind the brand, not just replicating an aesthetic.

• The past century of Vietnamese history has seen major wars and destruction however the country has an immense culture found in farming, art, and architecture that's been largely lost due to the devastation of multiple colonizations throughout the nation's history. This paralleled the robusta beans, which have been grown in Vietnamese provinces for centuries

• led my research to making sure I was predating all major colonial movements to pay homage to authentic pieces of the people's cultures and practices.

• A written manifesto was the result of the creative strategy, declaring a reason for the brand to exist in the market with confidence, unapologetically true to it's roots. This tool shaped the company’s brand look and tone.

  
  

• The visual design system and packaging, from the geometry to final colour palette, took inspiration from traditional woodblock printing and hand-painted street vendor signage. Originating in rural farming communities, a constraint introduced to the packaging system and greater identity was the idea it should be able to be re-created within a day using traditional printmaking tools and methods.

• Over the course of the project, I worked with the team to develop a visual system that could be expanded across future product launches and marketing channels for long-term growth. All based on a single, easy to understand design language. The results have been national media attention, a recognizable brand identity on shelves and a cult following of loyal customers.