For more than 20 years, Maryland-based Ceremony Coffee Roasters has been sourcing, roasting, and selling some of the country’s best coffee. Though they had a loyal customer base in the Mid-Atlantic region when we were began working together, they were relatively unknown elsewhere.

Over the years, we've helped Ceremony go from a small online player to an ecommerce leader that was recently acquired by FairWave Collective.

In our research, we identified two major customer groups–adopters and experts. It was important to create a compelling and accessible experience for this range of specialty coffee drinkers. More than just beautiful imagery, product pages include the key details coffee experts need to know, along with helpful definitions for those looking to increase their knowledge.

Our approach was to keep the design restrained and let the photography take center stage. Minimalism was a key driver of the aesthetic and a stripped-down UI helps keep focus on the products. We also included small details (like definitions of key coffee terms on product pages) to aid users in better understanding the intricacies of each coffee.

When it came to product photography, we chose to be very literal in depicting coffee flavors. This way customers can visualize the specific flavors they are going to experience. When we thought about the person who enjoys coffee, but doesn’t know the difference between a washed and natural process or how origin affects flavor, we still wanted them to easily find a coffee to enjoy.

With more than 70% of customers hitting the site from their phones, mobile design and usability was also a key focus. Regardless of device or screen size, it was vital that every customer got the full Ceremony experience in a way that was tailored to them. Now, more than 6 years since the site launched, mobile continues to be the leading driver of ecommerce sales.

In recent years, we've worked with Ceremony to expand on the initial web brand and bring it to physical packaging. Our deep experience in the world of food and beverage packaging design have allowed us to create unique bags, cans, and more for Ceremony that build the brand and create memorable visuals on store shelves and in customers' homes.