We researched the ways to tell a truly Caribbean story without palm trees.

The new logo & packaging we created opened doors to new opportunities.

After researching ways to represent their unique island setting without clichés, we landed on the simple line art illustration of the Bananaquit, a common bird found all over the Virgin Islands. After digging deeper we learned that it also belongs to the Tanager family of birds, an important part of the coffee plant ecosystem. We feel the new logo is more relevant and can compete with the current coffee category leaders. The old logo was too limiting visually & typographically. The new logo features a unique and ownable typeface and iconic mark that is recognizable enough to appear on various materials, with or without the wordmark.

It’s in the Bag

As we finalized the logo we started working with the whole team at Virgin Islands Coffee Roasters to start brainstorming new packaging options. We explored different layouts, materials, and structures as we honed in on the solution that worked best.

Fast and Flexible

Our objective with the packaging design for Virgin Islands Coffee Roasters was to capture the bright, wild, tropical feeling of the Caribbean without feeling too “beachy.”

We created a detailed illustration of the coffee plant with the bananaquit bird fluttering amongst the branches. The bananaquit is a common bird in the Virgin Islands known for its boldness and friendly nature, a perfect symbol for the Virgin Islands Coffee Roasters. The illustration meanders along the left side of the front and continues around the side gussets, frames the back panel content and even covers the bottom panel. We wanted the packaging to feel as though it was nestled amongst lush coffee plants.

All the colors used for the specific coffees are inspired by the landscape of the islands and the water that surrounds. Each coffee category has a subtle illustration of tropical foliage in the background to further deepen the connection with the locale and give the packaging a sense of place.

How did Buttermilk make it better?

“Since we launched the new logo and Packaging we’ve continued an 80% growth year over year. The new logo allowed us the flexibility to use it across the board in many mediums for customers signage, our merchandising and also expand our reach into creating our own brand identity. The packaging was a large scale undertaking that increased our retail sales and opportunities well into the 100% year over year mark. Packaging is a forever changing and very competitive market and having the ready to go support from Andy and Buttermilk allows us to stay ahead of the game.” – RAMSEY SMITH, Owner &
Co-Founder, VIRGIN ISLANDS COFFEE ROASTERS

Capabilities Utilized

Strategy
Identity & Branding Design
Packaging Design System
Communication Design
Environmental Design