Portland, Oregon mainstay Nossa Familia Coffee celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a new coffee blend and a bold artist collaboration. The team at Nossa Familia teamed up with multi-media artist Mika Rane to create a colorful and bright representation of the brand’s twenty-year history. The special offering also raises funds, with 50 cents of every bag purchased supporting schoolchildren in coffee-growing communities.
We spoke with Jocelyn SyCip, Nossa Coffee’s Marketing Director, to learn more.
What was the core inspiration behind this design?
The core inspiration behind our 20th Anniversary Blend design was to celebrate our roots and journey over the past two decades. We wanted to honor our Brazilian heritage, our home in Portland, Oregon, and the meaningful relationships we’ve built with our direct-trade partners in Guatemala and Nicaragua. The design reflects our commitment to sustainability, community, and the “Full Cycle” of coffee—from farm to cup and back.
Who designed it?
The design was created by the talented illustrator and multi-media artist Mika Rane. Mika’s work, inspired by her Mexican heritage, translates into bold colors and textures with a touch of magical realism, which beautifully complements our brand’s story and values.
How does collaboration play a role in your design process?
Collaboration was at the heart of our design process. We believe in nurturing long-term relationships, whether with our coffee farmers or our creative partners. For this special anniversary blend, we worked closely with Mika Rane to ensure that the artwork not only looked stunning but also authentically represented Mika’s whimsical style, our journey and our values. Mika’s creative hand and our team’s vision combined to produce a design that we’re really proud of and happy with.
From first vision to final product, how long did the design process take?
The design process took approximately four months from the initial concept to the final product. This included multiple brainstorming sessions, thumbnail sketches, several drafts both in black and white and in color, and revisions to ensure the design captured the essence of Nossa Familia’s 20-year journey with enough room for all the text.
How does the package design reflect the company’s overall branding and messaging?
The package design reflects Nossa Familia’s branding and messaging by incorporating elements that symbolize Augusto’s family’s Brazilian coffee farming tradition that dates back to the 1890s, and our commitment to sustainability, community, and quality. The colorful fiesta of Pacific Northwest pines and the Cascade mountain range mixed with notable features from Augusto’s home in Rio de Janeiro symbolizes the union of our Brazilian roots and our Portland home. The waterfall imagery from Fazenda Cachoeira and the sun cheersing with a rain cloud represent our “Full Cycle” philosophy—caring for the environment and community from farm to cup. The design also highlights our commitment to giving back, with mentions of our B Corp certification and support for meaningful projects in coffee-growing regions.
Tell us about some of your favorite design details.
Some of our favorite design details include the depiction of the waterfall from Fazenda Cachoeira, which symbolize our Brazilian heritage and the origins of our coffee. The swirling water flowing into a coffee cup represents our farm-to-cup direct trade model. The cyclist and tennis racket are personal touches that reflect Augusto’s journey to the U.S. on a tennis scholarship and his passion for cycling. Finally, the Brazilian sun and Portland rain cloud cheering together encapsulate the beautiful union of our roots and our commitment to sustainability and community over the past 20 years.
Are there key elements of the packaging meant to educate the consumer?
The packaging design includes a note about the origins and flavor profile of the blend. It also notes that this is a special giveback coffee with 50¢ of every bag purchased supporting improvements to the schoolhouse at Finca San Jose de las Nubes in Nicaragua. Led by our origin partner, Bayardo Reyes, this meaningful project supports the education of coffee farmers’ children. There is a QR code to learn more about this important initiative. The additional side and back panel include a note from Augusto and brewing tips. On the base of the bag we indicated that the bag is made of material that can be recycled with a qr code to a list of drop off locations and a link to learn more about sustainability at Nossa Familia Coffee.
Are any of the packaging materials recyclable or compostable?
The packaging materials are recyclable.
On an entirely different note, we recently made a pivotal shift in our packaging strategy, saying goodbye to compostable bags in favor of renewable and recyclable materials. Why did we make the switch from compostable to recyclable materials? The truth is, while compostable packaging seemed like a sustainable solution initially, we’ve since learned that it’s not always the most environmentally friendly option.
You can learn about our packaging switch here.
Where is this available to purchase?
Currently our 20th Anniversary Blend is available online and in our three Portland area cafes.
Thank you!
Coffee Design is an original feature series on Sprudge curated by Sprudge co-founder Zachary Carlsen. Read more from our Coffee Design archives.
