The Situation. Reunion Coffee Roasters is one of the largest independent roasters in Canada, and a family-owned and operated certified B Corporation. Reunion was founded in the early 90s when Starbucks was popularizing premium coffee, which was a mission shared by Reunion. But the next generation of family ownership was now transitioning into leadership, and they planned to usher in a third wave of coffee that catered to true coffee enthusiasts across North America, while aggressively opening new brick and mortar locations in Toronto.

The Task: To identify a new brand positioning located between intimidating independents and the sterile big chains that would ultimately encourage more people to drink better coffee.

The Action: We targeted early adopters, or ‘socially conscious discriminators’, who want a premium
coffee experience without the presumption of expertise and believe their decisions can have positive outcomes. We got their attention with a brand refresh that focuses on craft, origins, sustainability and coffee culture. The new brand would have to to work across a broad range of executions, from packaging on retail shelves to Reunion’s own store environments, as well as in hospitality, subscription services, digital and a new cold brew line.

The Result: A refreshed identity was created, beginning with a redesigned logo, all new packaging, collateral, environmental design and brand merchandise. The DNA from the original mark was maintained, however, a new colour palette and design system was created. The packaging itself now plays a role in educating consumers on flavour profiles and origin stories, which helps support the new brand positioning.