” Artisan coffee company Redemption Roasters has unveiled a new brand identity by Here Design. Each batch of Redemption Roasters coffee is prepared by inmates enrolled in a training programme at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute, which aims to reduce reoffending rates through purposeful activity in an otherwise aimless confinement.

Through a partnership with the Ministry of Justice, Redemption Roasters operates a roastery and barista academy within Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute, delivering freshly roasted beans to their coffee shop in Bloomsbury and network of wholesalers and consumers.

Here Design took inspiration from this powerful story of redemption through skill-building within the inmate population in the design of the new Redemption Roasters identity, following the journey with a series of colourful graphics, symbols and illustrations.

The power of process

Underpinning the ethos of Redemption Roasters is the power of process. As the coffee beans are redeemed into a tasty, warming beverage through the process of roasting, so purposeless time can be redeemed by mindful work.

Following a period of incarceration, young offenders often need to work twice as hard to demonstrate their viability in the working world, and by learning new skills through the Redemption Roasters training academy, inmates leave with a formal certification and support from Redemption Roasters in finding a work placement.

Unlocking potential

Here Design introduced a strong, simple logo that brings together the two ‘Rs’ of the brand name into a keyhole form to represent the unlocking of a prison door and the unlocking of untapped potential. The logo design also reflects the silhouette of a coffee roaster as an additional nod to the process behind each cup of Redemption Rosters coffee.

A secondary language uses a playful mix of colours and symbols to ensure that the Redemption Roasters brand stands out in a category dominated by craft brown – and more recently black – packaging, whilst telling the story of the beans from roast to cup.

Whilst the new identity highlights Redemption Roasters as pioneers for purposeful activity, the design also speaks to the redemptive powers of coffee as a restorative drink for the weary, appealing to a wider consumer audience.

A story of cause and effect

Tess Wicksteed, Strategy Partner, Here Design, says: “Redemption Roasters is a story of cause and effect, so we introduced a dynamic brand identity that follows this journey and enables the consumer to be part of this powerful redemptive process.

“Despite the incredible volumes of coffee consumed every day, many people still don’t understand how it is made and how the process relates to the taste of their cup of coffee. The new identity tells this story through a beautiful and descriptive design system that is a celebration of the working community behind each cup of coffee.”

Ted Rosner, Co-Founder, Redemption Roasters, says: “When we started working with Here Design we were keen to ensure that the core story behind each cup of Redemption Roasters coffee was made immediately apparent – this is coffee from a prison.

“Here Design has captured this brilliantly and we’re now finding that some of our regular customers have learnt about the origins of our coffee through the new branding, so it’s already having an impact.

“Everyone from the trainee roasters and baristas in the prison programme to the staff in our coffee shops and regular customers are really pleased with the new look and feel, and it’s great to see such pride within the whole Redemption Roasters community.” ”