Culture Coffee / Reference Project

Coffee concept | Culture Coffee

for Schärf & Sons

Culture Coffea is an inclusive coffee concept that tells the fascinating story of the coffee bean's journey to Europe. At its heart are six key countries of origin – Ethiopia, Yemen, India, Martinique, and Brazil – which serve as cultural highlights and central marketing pillars.

The concept

A flexible, scalable design system was developed around these countries, prioritizing visual storytelling. This includes:

Menu boards & menu cards – clearly structured and visually appealing
Shopfit elements – modular building blocks for different locations
Promotional materials – for products and brand communication
Custom fleet design – branded vehicles as mobile brand ambassadors
Coffee bar for trade fair & showroom – an experience space for visitors
B2C mug folder – for direct sales to end customers

Objective

Culture Coffea is intended to be perceived as an independent brand or concept by Schärf & Sons . The project relies heavily on visual storytelling , which impressively showcases the origins and diversity of coffee culture.

Culture Coffea

Concept brochure

"From the cradle of coffee"

The concept brochure deals with the journey of coffee – from its country of origin Ethiopia through five other stops, until it finally arrived in Vienna and shaped the world-famous coffee house culture there.

The six countries that played a crucial role in this process are Ethiopia, Yemen, India, Martinique, and Brazil. Based on these countries of origin, specially designed coffee cups were created, their oval shape intensifying the perception of the coffee's flavor.

The six patterns and color palettes that characterize these collectible cups express the respective local culture and give each cup a distinctive identity. These cups form the foundation for a new, inclusive coffee concept from Scharf & Sons that combines tradition and innovation.

The patterns, taken as a whole, created a homogeneous impression, while individually they gave each country its own style guide. These individual design principles served as the basis for coffee packaging, merchandise, uniforms, and even shopfitting elements, thus opening up a wide range of possibilities for visual product diversity and storytelling.

The development of the menu boards

Visual orientation with creative ambition

To give consumers a quick overview of the product range, the menu board was conceived as a central design element behind the bar. The aim was to create a visual highlight that not only attracts attention but also creatively blurs the lines between a classic menu board and shop interior design.

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Scalable and flexible design with high recognition value

The Culture Coffea menu boards were developed according to a scalable principle that adapts flexibly to different spatial conditions and space requirements – without losing brand identity and recognizability.

The product presentations of the offered product groups are visually based on classic, hand-painted advertising styles and represent a design highlight in themselves. The style combines the time-honored Viennese coffeehouse culture with the aesthetics of modern coffee bars – a tribute to past and present that creates atmosphere and character.

culture Coffea

A Remix of Exotic Flair and Viennese Tradition

Based on test visuals and planned marketing materials, the colorful, exotic cup DNA was reinterpreted together with the traditional Viennese DNA. This remix resulted in an imaginative visual language that preserves traditional nuances while presenting a distinctly progressive character.

Culture Coffea

Coffee menu

The coffee menu – history and identity combined

The coffee menu is designed to tell the story "From the Cradle of Coffee." It is supported by six country-specific cups with distinctive patterns – inspired by Ethiopia, Yemen, India, Martinique, and Brazil – as well as a pure white cup representing Vienna and its world-famous coffeehouse culture.

Furthermore, the card reflects the customer's identity and strengthens the corporate identity as well as the recognizability of the establishment. For this purpose, a customized card program was developed that actively involves the guest in the design and use of the card.

The coffee menu is simultaneously infotainment, edutainment, and an ordering tool. Designed like a picture book for coffee, it visually correlates with the menu boards, creating a harmonious overall impression. Like the menu boards, it is based on a scalable yet flexible design principle that seamlessly adapts to different customer requirements while always remaining a creative highlight.

View card as PDF

Culture Coffea

Coffee card cover

Custom Cup Type Program

To actively involve Schärf customers in the concept and make them part of the visual DNA, an individual custom cup art program was developed.

The structural features of the location, the type of business, and its corporate identity were interpreted in the form of a cup graphic .
This graphic forms the cover of the menu and reflects the unique connection between space, brand and concept.
Furthermore, the graphic was integrated into various positions and applications within the overall concept to merge the coffee concept with the operator of the location .

The result: A visual language that combines architecture, identity and enjoyment – and makes the customer an active part of the concept.

Culture Coffea

Shopfit program

The Shopfit program was developed to give customers the opportunity to simultaneously present high-quality promotional materials for the coffee product in the café.

High-quality prints and canvas pictures can be hung directly in the room, creating a visual connection between the product and the ambience.
The program is based on the picture-book graphics of the menu , which have been transformed into a segmented concept.
The goal is to stage infotainment, edutainment and product advertising on the walls, thereby achieving maximum advertising effect .

This creates a holistic experience where architecture, brand identity and product communication merge seamlessly – and the customer actively becomes part of the concept.

Culture Coffea

Uniforms

Culture Coffea

Coffee bus

Culture Coffea

Coffee bar & trade fair stand

Concept development for trade fair appearance & coffee bar

As part of the concept development, a modular exhibition stand and an integrated coffee bar were designed – both in an elegant black and anthracite style guide. This minimalist design deliberately creates space to effectively showcase the colorful cups and vibrant marketing visuals.

The bar concept aims to make the comprehensive expertise and the entire value chain surrounding the journey of the coffee bean, as well as the underlying machine technology, quickly and intuitively accessible to visitors. This creates a place that not only offers enjoyment but also imparts knowledge – clearly, modernly, and invitingly.

Culture Coffea

coffee cans

To visually and emotionally expand the concept, exclusive, limited-edition coffee tin designs were developed based on the six country patterns.
This results in stylish packaging – in addition to the cups – that is far more than just a container: it is a true collector's item that uniquely blends enjoyment, culture and brand identity.