The Coffee Design feature series on Sprudge showcases coffee companies worldwide that create beautiful packaging and branding design. This ongoing feature series has been published in one form or another for the last decade on Sprudge, and since 2023 it’s been part of a new initiative called the Sprudge Design Awards, honoring the very best in coffee design around the world.
Coffee Design is proudly presented by TricorBraun Flex, and today on the series we’re taking a closer look at a new tasting set from Corvus Coffee Roasters in Denver. This is no ordinary coffee box, as we learned from speaking with Corvus’s marketing manager Maxwell Frost. Let’s dive in.
What was the inspiration behind this design?
Inspired by the sloth’s patience, this Everyman tasting set celebrates the beauty of slowing down. Featuring Geshas from the legendary Hacienda La Esmeralda, it highlights how time and precision reveal otherwise hidden layers of flavor. Using pioneering techniques like controlled cooling during fermentation and drying, this trio offers a clear, complex tasting experience where innovation meets tradition in a very unexpected way.
Who designed it?
These boxes were designed by the incredibly talented Shannon Bonatakis, a Colorado-based artist whose work continues to inspire us. We’ve had the joy of collaborating with Shannon and her husband Josh—together known as Love Alchemy—for several years now, and each project with them brings a fresh new wave of inspiring creativity and depth.
From first vision to final product, how long did the design process take?
One year.
Tell us about some of your favorite design details.
Everyone loves the sloths on this tasting set. Inspired by the sloth’s unhurried grace, each coffee in this set reveals a unique expression of terroir: from Aguila’s laser-focused citrus, to Guabo’s soft, floral harmony, to Mario’s intricate cascade of fruit. Everyman is a masterclass in slowing down, and a reminder that extraordinary flavor lies in the deliberate.
How does the package design reflect the company’s overall branding and messaging?
At Corvus, we base most of our decisions on the belief that excellence is worth pursuing—and packaging is no exception. We aim for our packing to mirror the same care and intention that define our coffees, honoring the trust our producers place in us.
Are there key elements of the packaging meant to educate the consumer?
Something unique about these sets is that we do a dial video for each set, with our trainer, to ensure our customers feel confident brewing these tasting sets. That video is linked with a QR sticker inside each set.
And with this one, we did a collab video with the producer Rachael:
View this post on Instagram
Are any of the packaging materials recyclable or compostable?
They are not recyclable, although we’ve discovered that many of the customers who purchase these sets keep the packaging on display long after they finish the coffee.
Where is it available to purchase?
These tasting sets move fast, so at the time of posting this Everyman set may be sold out. But we will have another tasting set that will fill its place if that happens.
Visit the Corvus Coffee Roasters official website and follow them on Instagram @corvuscoffee.
Read more Coffee Design on Sprudge, presented by TricorBraun Flex.
