No matter where you’re located, in every corner of the world, it has been a wild last year to be a coffee drinker. But running a coffee brand? Any sort of small business, really? It’s been an unprecedentedly bumpy and at times terrifying 12 months.
But here at Sprudge we like to think about things a little more long-term. A year is a long time, but it’s but a blip in the ongoing growth and success story of specialty coffee around the world over the last two decades. Which is why we love checking in on stories like PERC Coffee out of Savannah, Georgia. We first profiled PERC all the way back in 2013, as part of our then-new Build Outs of Summer feature series (tentatively scheduled to return for 2021). Back then they were working on opening their headquarters in a great big restored warehouse. In the years since PERC has grown through design changes and Good Food Awards nominations, expanding to Atlanta and now, preparing to unveil a new branding and design identity.
In an exclusive for Sprudge Readers, founder and owner of PERC Coffee Philip Brown tells us more about the brand’s new look, and what’s next for PERC.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
A lot has happened since we last spoke in 2016. How has PERC grown since then?
We’ve been growing steadily since we last spoke. We recently opened a retail location in Atlanta, expanded our production to nearly double the size it was previously, and added a new 35-kilo Loring for production roasting. We’ve also been able to grow our incredible team to just over 30 strong!
When did the new package design debut?
It debuted yesterday, January 21, 2021.
Who designed the packaging?
Our longtime collaborator, Kay Wolfersperger, who is the Creative Director at House Of Kindling.
Please describe the look in your own words!
Our amazing graphic designer Kay Wolfersperger and I worked on the new bags for quite a while. We wanted them to have a vibrant, clean, and approachable vibe that looks like what’s inside will be a real good time.
What coffee information do you share on the package? What’s the motivation behind that?
PERC has always strived to speak to both coffee pros and the craft coffee curious, so we wanted to keep the info on the front of the bag minimal. We have the country of origin, very general flavor notes, and the processing. On the back, we include the farm name, roast date, and info about us. We have loads of information about each coffee on our website, and I hope folks make their way over there to check it out.
Where is the package manufactured and printed?
The bags were manufactured and printed in the USA by Roastar.
What type of package is it?
It’s a matte, foil-lined, pouch style bag with a valve and re-sealable zipper.
What’s next for PERC in 2021?
We are in the process of re-opening the shop at our roastery and hope to be back to serving outdoor service soon. We are on the verge of signing an LOI on a second retail location in Atlanta. We’re looking forward to having folks inside the shops so we can share good times and chill. We’re all crossing our fingers that things are starting to look brighter out there little by little.
Thank you.
Visit PERC Cofffee’s official website for current offerings and cafe hours.
Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge.
