Hacea Coffee Source is a family-operated specialty coffee importer. They have decades of industry experience in sourcing, logistics, roasting, and consulting. Through shared coffee experiences they cultivate loyal relationships. Now, they're a passionate community of coffee enthusiasts, budding startups, microroasters, and responsible producers.
Their desire to open up shop comes when the United States is second only to the European Union for coffee imported annually: 25 million bags. Nevertheless, Hacea faces a market saturated by local competitors with years of brand equity established through their expansive operations. So their chief concern was getting their brand off the ground as if they'd operated for years. Wanting to hit the ground running, the team at Hacea figured they'd need a logo to start but understood their growth potential at the same time. So after partnering with Playstead, we set out to build their brand for scale.
That began with deep dives into their operations which helped synthesize their core purpose. We realized the project's scope went beyond a logo during that time. Playstead's new role meant distinguishing Hacea Coffee Source as a trusted mentor by fostering a mature image valued for the level of engagement with its community, forward-looking environmental initiatives, and open-book services devoid of clichés. It included creating everything from the brand's identity to packaging designs, info sheets, merchandise, web graphics, and all other touchpoints in between.
RESULTS
368%
Year-Over-Year sales increase
Year-Over-Year sales increase
24+
Months of consecutive growth
PRESS
Packaging of the World, 2022
Digital Design Awards 2022, GDUSA
CQ67, Creative Quarterly Journal
Design in Coffee, Specialty Coffee Association
Packaging of the World, 2022
Digital Design Awards 2022, GDUSA
CQ67, Creative Quarterly Journal
Design in Coffee, Specialty Coffee Association
DISTINCTION
Digital Design Awards 2022, Winner, GDUSA
Creative Quarterly 67, Winner, Creative Quarterly
2021 Coffee Design Awards, Shortlisted, Specialty Coffee Association
Digital Design Awards 2022, Winner, GDUSA
Creative Quarterly 67, Winner, Creative Quarterly
2021 Coffee Design Awards, Shortlisted, Specialty Coffee Association
Hacea's logomark is dense!
Its curvilinear shape features three strokes revolving around a center. At the same time, the symbol suggests a chain around two sprockets—a nod to the Hales family pastime, motocross. The three strokes symbolize the producer, roaster, and importer, in addition to the three founding brothers and the three tenets of the brand—service, education, and collaboration with real stories of real people radiating from its core. The shape is infinite, signaling unending relationships and mentor-mentee associations shown through its scale from large to small.
Importantly, it's devoid of industry clichés. Hacea's color and logotype link their commitment to authentic humanness to the emotional effects on trust and dependability. The symbol ties in their forward-thinking initiatives visually through its arrow shape pointed right toward progress. It signals their commitment to developing the roasting community.
