Zest micro-lot rebrand: Packaging that paints the picture.

Communicating coffee to coffee enthusiasts is a constantly evolving art.

The narrative within has become dense and complex. And rightly so! We are, after all, talking about a global industry where a plant produces a seed that is pulped, fermented, dried, transported, roasted and brewed – with every part of the process having significant implications on the final flavour.

At Zest, we wanted the complex narrative to be represented in our micro-lot series branding, but in a language accessible to all.  

Our objective was to take all of the information and distill it to its essence; to capture the important information – the genotypes, processing, terroir and flavor – with one single brushstroke, and present it in a format that is fun, engaging and that resonates with real people.

And this is where the concept of our info-graphs was born – employing colour, shape, form and icons to paint an all-inclusive image of the quintessential coffee experience.

So, what is a micro-lot?

The definition of a micro-lot is not all that easy to pin down but we can say that a micro-lot is:

    · High quality coffee that tastes distinctive
    · Traced back to a single farmer
    · Often processed/fermented in a specific way
    · Often a specific botanical variety

The highly distinctive flavour of a micro-lot is its most notable trait. Flavour profiles of a micro-lot coffee take in everything from the climate, the soil, the terroir, the coffee variety, to the farmer’s distinct and sometimes creative execution of the processing.

This is the place where art meets science in coffee production.  And why we, at Zest, are really excited about the future of this fast evolving and innovative niche.

What does the new branding mean for you?

At Zest we have a mission to make exemplary coffee approachable to real people.

Put simply, we want you, at home, to make a Colombian ‘Quisabony – pink bourbon’ Stove Top or French Press in the morning and not only have the spectacular flavour of the coffee contribute to your ‘coffee moment’ but also be able to comprehend the flavour of the farm, the producers, and the terroir that made the coffee what it is.  

To invite this deeper experience we recognised the need to communicate the complex narrative of specialty coffee in a simple, clear, colourful and engaging way.

We want this understanding of micro-lot distinction accessible to all.

You will find in the new packaging, a clean, fun and easily digested translation of the journey of some of the best coffees in the world.

Our microlot range now has its own distinguished place on the Zest table.

Our new micro-lot info-graphic concept reflects our journey as a company, while the artistry in the process and design reflects the coffee’s journey.

Each pack illustrates the origin of the coffee, the process and the flavour notes, through a hybrid of animated and ‘real’ photography. Icons reference cultural and environmental elements, and the colour palette is derived from the new SCAA ‘coffee tasters flavour wheel’.

A design for a deeper coffee experience.

While developing the new design, our marketing team collaborated with the fabulous design team from The View From Here. It was a meticulous process. Together we came up with packaging we feel represents everything about the magic of the micro-lot.

Flavours of distinction, taste journeys – postcards from producers and micro regions that are crafting some of the most standout coffee in the world.

I think the best way to give you a ‘feel’ for our new packaging(and the product it’s supporting) is to quote our head roaster and creative director, Rob McDonald, when formulating the initial design brief…

“It should feel professional and elegant, embody the craftsmanship inherent in the specialty coffee industry and reference the image of the coffee producing regions and the pioneering work of the coffee producers. Finally, it should be bursting with flavour and evoke an ephemeral coffee tasting experience of a high quality, distinctive nature.”

Personally, I think we nailed the brief, but we’d love to hear some of your feedback on our new approach– and on the product itself.

Our micro-lot series affords us, as a roaster, an opportunity to discover new coffee (which is where the true reverence lives) and package these discoveries in a way that educates, stimulates and translates our passion for coffee to you.

Take a tour of taste with Zest!