Terra Kaffe

Outstanding Design Collaboration Finalist

Terra Kaffe x Ammunition — TK-02, Connected Super Automatic Espresso Machine

Terra Kaffe partnered with world-renowned ID agency Ammunition—the design minds behind Apple, Polaroid, Beats by Dre—to create the next big thing for coffee at home. But building the latest and greatest in super automatic espresso machines is more than just about finding a big name and designing a technical maven. No, we knew we would find more than just an impressive resume in Ammunition. Indeed, we discovered a thoughtful design partner that expertly integrated customer feedback.

TK-02 was about more than just making the most capable super auto for the home. It was about speaking directly with the customers of our flagship product, TK-01, and designing based on their needs. Through thousands of hours of meetings, hundreds of interviews, scores of CAD designs and prototypes, we discovered a genuinely revolutionary coffee technology poised to elevate how people brew from home.

As any coffee lover’s preferences and tastes shift, TK-02 can adapt just as quickly. TK-02’s IP is built around espresso extraction control, adaptability by coffee roast profile, and a broad range of drink types. TK-02 further re-imagines the essentials of personal coffee standards by revolutionizing how individual user preferences are set — with tailor made settings for custom drinks, every user can customize their coffee beverage to their liking.

Many of TK-02’s most elegant features provide simple solutions where other clunky machines fall short. This includes a dead fronted touch screen display for push-button brewing; front-loading access to the machine’s waste bin, water tank, and drip tray; and a quick-connect milk carafe that stores easily in the fridge and on top of the drip tray.

A supporting app creates further opportunities for personalization and intuitive use, allowing users to create and save custom espresso and drink profiles, access a wide range of pre-programmed drinks, view at-a-glance status indicators (i.e. cleaning status), and more.

At the time of submission, TK-02’s proprietary load cell is patented by the USPTO and its grind-adjustment motor is patent-pending, we’ve received a total of 3 design awards (IDA, Launch by ITT, House Beautiful), and we have 10,000+ pre-order customers excited to get their TK-02 delivered to their door.

In collaboration with Ammunition and our existing TK-01 community, we have redefined the super automatic category and created the next best thing in at-home coffee with the TK-02.

Additional Notes: Ammunition project landing page.

Visit the official Terra Kaffe TK-02 website.
Vote for Terra Kaffe here.

Equator Coffees

Outstanding Design Collaboration Finalist

This past spring, we joined forces with queer illustrator and muralist Rymie (Lauren Rymer, she/her, @rymie) to bring to life our vision for the Super Bloom campaign. Running from April 3 to July 2, 2023, spanning Earth Month through Pride Month, our 2023 Super Bloom collection emerged as a profound design collaboration that skillfully interwove sustainability, diversity, and social responsibility into a delightful blend of art and coffee.

At the heart of this limited-edition collection was a custom 12oz. coffee bag designed for our spring seasonal coffee, Super Bloom Blend. The design of this limited-edition bag celebrates the origin of the hero coffee within (Nicaragua), our home state (California), and our commitment to diversity and inclusivity. In partnership with Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples Sacaclí in Nicaragua, we introduced the first-ever harvest of Regenerative Organic Certified™ (ROC™) coffee, forming the core of this year’s Super Bloom Blend. Complementing this hero coffee, we sourced sustainable beans from Thailand and Java, to create a celebratory and diverse profile with flavors of Confetti Cake, Cherry Blossom, and Starfruit. Drawing inspiration from the blend’s namesake—Super Bloom—a rare botanical phenomenon that occurs when dormant wildflower seeds germinate in unison, bringing the desert landscape to life in a riot of vibrant color, the design and campaign concept embodied the notion that when we bloom together, we have the power to transform entire landscapes.

Rymie’s artistic journey began in Brooklyn, NY, but it has since taken her to the breathtaking landscapes of the Bay Area. Her work is a fusion of her connection to nature, modern mysticism, and her unwavering love for coffee. What sets Rymie apart is her deep curiosity about how nature can teach us to be more humane—a question that beautifully aligns with the Super Bloom Blend project.

Rymie’s artistry isn’t confined to a studio; it’s woven into her life as she explores forests and embarks on adventures with her faithful companion, Otis. Her affinity for wild, open spaces resonates profoundly with our commitment to sustainability and our belief that coffee can be a transformative force, much like the Super Bloom transforms arid deserts.

The result of our collaboration with Rymie is a visually stunning design that captures the essence of Super Bloom. The coffee bag’s front features our brand logomark, symbolizing grace, strength, and rarity, and is encircled by native flora from California and Nicaragua—an ode to the coffee’s origin and our Marin County roastery. On one side, a queer interracial couple raises their coffee-filled tumblers in a toast, while on the other, a chemex adorned with flowers stands tall, proudly bearing the phrase “Proud Since 1995” to celebrate our commitment to LGBTQ+ representation. The bag’s reverse depicts a woman hiking amidst Pride Poppies, a tribute to LGBTQ+ pride inspired by our founders, while a parrot soars overhead as a nod to Nicaragua.

5% of sales from the Super Bloom Blend and merchandise were directed towards supporting our producer partner, Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples Sacaclí, in Nicaragua. This contribution helped fund the purchase of equipment for their newly-built coffee quality control lab—a need identified by cooperative members. The collection also included a custom 16oz. Fellow Carter Tumbler and an enamel pin, both part of our 5% giveback program, further enhancing our capacity to make a meaningful donation. Coupled with our Cup For A Cause program, which involved donating $1 for every pour over sold in our cafes during the campaign’s launch month in April, we collectively raised $4,291.98 for the cooperative. This collaborative effort reinforces our commitment to supporting our partners and driving tangible change in their sustainability and social equity initiatives.

Equator Coffees’ Super Bloom collaboration with Rymie isn’t just about coffee; it’s a masterpiece of design, diversity, and impact. It celebrates the possibilities when two creative forces merge, using their talents to tell compelling stories and make a difference—one cup at a time.

Additional Notes: Equator Coffees x Rymie collaboration post on Instagram
Rymie visit to EQ Roastery on Instagram

Visit the official Equator Coffees website.
Vote for Equator Coffees here.