Here at Nice Package, we celebrate all kinds of design—from bootstrap first timers launching with eye catching bags, to brand collaborations with cutting edge design firms. But for the folks at Dillanos Coffee Roasters (DCR) in Western Washington, design is strictly an in-house affair, which gives their fresh packaging look a personal, intimate feel between the roaster, the coffee producers, and you. Plus who else is giving away free chip clips with every pound of sound ground? Now that’s what I call a value add.
As told to Sprudge by Lauren Lyddon.
When did the coffee package design debut?
The package design was released at SCAA 2014, simultaneously at the event and in Cherry Street Coffeehouses in Seattle! The timing was lined up with Laila Ghambari’s run to become the 2014 US Barista Champion using DCR coffees from producer and longtime friend of Dillanos, Emilio Lopez Diaz.
Who designed the package?
The DCR Line packaging was designed in-house by our awesome design team, as are the hand painted designs on the information cards for each new coffee.
Any design highlights you want to share?
The big highlight with the DCR packaging is the unique illustration that you see on the card clipped to the bag. One of our designers, Karlei, begins the process with research about the region where the coffee was grown and insights about the farm or co-op from our Director of Coffee, Phil Beattie. She uses that inspiration to create a unique painting that really gives you a feel for the coffee’s story!
The DCR collection feels handcrafted, high quality, authentic, and downright cool. We can’t all head to origin and experience firsthand the places our favorite coffees come from, so our aim was to make this experience the next best thing. From the moment the package is in your hands, we want you to feel like you’re getting a taste of the places amazing coffees come from.
What coffee information do you share on the package? What’s the motivation behind that?
Of course the package features all of the typical origin information, including the region the coffee was grown in, the estate or co-op that it comes from, elevation of growth, and variety. However, we’re particularly proud that every bag is individually stamped with the name of the roasting team member responsible for that batch, so not only do you know the exact date on which your coffee was roasted, but also the name of the person who meticulously crafted the coffee!
Where is the bag manufactured?
We get the bags from a local company in Woodinville, Washington.
For package nerds, what *type of package* is it?
The DCR Line is packaged in a new type of bag called a block bottom bag. It is much like if you were to combine a traditional side gusseted bag and a stand-up pouch, but it stands narrowly on the shelf, sits square like a box, and doesn’t tip over easily. Each bag has a one-way degassing valve, and 2 millimeter, 3-ply construction that is both adhesive and extrusion laminated, with a 25 μ layer of polyethylene. Kraft paper provides a natural feel and look. The layer of metalized polyester provides a barrier to oxygen and moisture, and provides tear and puncture resistance to the package. The linear low-density polyethylene layer provides additional assurance that moisture will not reach the coffee, provides strength, and makes the package heat-sealable.
Is the package recyclable? Any other pro-environment info about the package you want to share?
Our favorite way to reuse the packaging is to upcycle the clip and hold onto the information card—whether you use the clip to display the art that came along with the coffee once you’ve used it all, as an addition to a bulletin board in your office, or as a good old fashioned chip clip, it’s handy!
Nice Package is a feature series by Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. Gaze longingly at other Nice Packages here.
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