Overview
Haerfest Coffee roasts coffee with COLOR and employs artists with disabilities to run the entire operation. They needed a brand that communicated their real story: moving coffee from a commodity to a movement. We conducted a comprehensive brand analysis, identified their core pillars (Capability, Competency, Compassion), and created a visual direction and homepage mockup that positions them to scale across any market, from Costco to fine dining.
- Strategy
- Design
- Branding
The Challenge
Haerfest Coffee had a unique operation that most people didn't understand. Their entire process is built on COLOR: signifying taste notes, guiding roasting decisions, telling the story of each batch. Artists with disabilities don't just work here; they run the roasting operation. Yet their brand didn't communicate the depth of what they do. They needed a brand narrative that helped corporations and fine dining establishments understand why Haerfest was different, and why choosing them meant creating jobs for people with disabilities across every market they serve.
The Solution
We analyzed their operation and identified the story: COLOR as the hero, the sensory journey of coffee tasting, and the three pillars that separate them: Capability, Competency, Compassion. We built a brand strategy that positioned them as moving coffee from the 'C market' (commodity pricing) to the 'See market' (seeing the real impact). We created a visual direction centered on COLOR with a sensory experience element, then designed a homepage mockup that showcased how every bag of coffee represents jobs created for people with disabilities and the artistry behind each roast.
The Hot Dish
Roasting for 4+ Major Corporations
Concept Stores Opened & Supported
Brand Strategy & Homepage Mockup Delivered
Brand positioning moving from commodity to impact
Homepage mockup highlighting the color-based sensory journey
Visual system communicating Capability, Competency, Compassion
Decision Made.
