If you’re searching for something a little more grown-up than candies and waxy chocolate, perhaps you oughta give your Valentine something they can sip on. Partners Coffee out of Brooklyn, New York have created a limited edition Valentine’s Day “Be Mine?” specialty instant coffee offering that’s as adorable as it is practical.
Each box comes with six sachets that can be personalized (that’s six potential Valentines!)
We spoke to Rachel Gonzalez, Customer Experience and Marketing Administrator at Partners Coffee, to learn more.
What was the inspiration behind this design?
This product’s design work is inspired by Valentine’s Day card exchanges and the associated classics. Those cheap-as-can-be paper cards emblazoned with “Be My Valentine” that evoke such positivity with their cheeky one-liners, ribboned boxes filled with various chocolates, and chalky heart-shaped candies were key points of nostalgia behind this design.
Who designed it?
Packaging was designed by Sophie Wheeler of Soupie Studios, with additions and assistance from Partners’ marketing team and in-house graphic designer, Drew Bonadio.
From first vision to final product, how long did the design process take?
This project took around 10 weeks from the initial brainstorming of ideas to the receipt of the final shelf-ready product.
Tell us about some of your favorite design details.
The individually-portioned interior sachets featuring a space for personalization are top tier! Coffee can be such an automated experience, something we don’t consider too much, and a customizable Valentine’s Day card seemed like just the thing to elevate a simple act into a timeless and shared experience.
How does the package design reflect the company’s overall branding and messaging?
Partners Coffee is centered on inclusion, sustainability, versatility, and approachability. Be Mine? effectively embodies these ideals in a number of ways. The main design features two different characters interlocking arms, simply enjoying each other’s company. The interior sachets are multi-dimensional in their design with the functional purpose of housing individual portions of instant coffee and their design purpose centered on personalization and shareability. This coffee was designed to share with anyone and everyone, from friends to family to coworkers. With additional information on the reverse side of the packaging, you learn of the sustainably-driven messaging behind the product with elements of fun and personality sprinkled throughout. Great coffee should be great fun, and this product is a perfect example of that notion.
Are there key elements of the packaging meant to educate the consumer?
Each interior sachet includes brew instructions and tips for alternate preparations (i.e.- brew hot or cold, with water or milk). The exterior box also includes brew instructions and a coffee backstory, as well as the Partners Coffee website url where more in-depth information can be found on this coffee’s key points including origin, producers, and process.
Are any of the packaging materials recyclable or compostable?
Yes, the main box is recyclable cardboard.
Where is it available to purchase?
On Partners Coffee’s website and at all cafe locations.
Coffee Design is an original feature series on Sprudge curated by Sprudge co-founder Zachary Carlsen. Read more from our Coffee Design archives.
