Equator Coffees
Equator's packaging had drifted out of sync across formats. I redesigned the entire line into one flexible labeling system spanning 6oz to 5lb — built for production scalability and shelf impact, and delivered in three months.
ROLEPrincipal Brand Consultant & Designer
TIMELINE3 months
DELIVERABLESFamily of Bags + Labeling System
• Information Hierarchy
• Print Production
• Design Systems
SKILLSTHE CHALLENGEEquator Coffees is a beloved Bay Area institution — founded in Marin in 1995 by Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell, women-owned, and the first Certified B Corp coffee roaster in California. Its packaging, though, had drifted: formats had been designed at different times, so the 6oz-to-5lb range no longer read as one family across cafes, wholesale, and retail shelves. The line needed to feel unmistakably Equator at every size, work for the production team day to day, and hold its own against specialty competitors — without throwing away three decades of brand equity.
THE APPROACHI designed a single flexible labeling system rather than a set of one-off bags. A consistent hierarchy and grid governed every label — name, origin, roast level, tasting notes — so any new coffee could drop into the system in minutes. I color-coded by coffee type so the line scans instantly on a crowded shelf, and built the layouts around real production constraints so the system scales cleanly from a 6oz bag to a 5lb bulk format.
THE RESULTIn three months, Equator had one coherent, production-ready system across the full range — easier to manufacture, stronger on the shelf, and true to the brand's legacy. The work went on to win a Sprudge Design Award, the specialty-coffee industry's design honors — outside validation that the system landed not just operationally, but as craft.
“Swasti's respect for Equator Coffees' legacy and keen eye for detail helped shape the new packaging in alignment with the brand's direction. We are thrilled to have partnered with Swasti on this journey. Her creativity and attention to detail were instrumental in bringing the brand vision to life, and we couldn't be happier with the results.”
SHELBY COLLEY
Head of Marketing, Equator Coffees
Family of Bags
Moodboards
