A Journey to the Origins of Coffee in China.
In 2017, The Chucola Coffee sought to redefine its brand image and position itself as the origin of coffee in China, and also a top option for those who love coffee. I was commissioned by Chucola Coffee to redesign the packaging. The Chucola coffee is named after the name of the Zhu Kula (a word in the Yi language that literally means “winding path” ) village where it has been planted coffee for more than 100 years.
Client
Chucola Coffee
Year
2017
Category
Packaging Design
Type of Work
Packaging Illustration
Branding
According to the historical record. In 1904 the first coffee tree was brought to China by French missionary Alfred Liétard (Tian Deneng) who came to preach the Christian religion. He not only built a church in the village but also introduced coffee seeding to the village, since then, the locals began to plant coffee trees and drink coffee.
In order to find a personalised visual language that reflects the local cultural characteristics of Chucola Coffee, we identified an opportunity for the brand to stand out in a crowded market by conducting a competitor audit and analysing the current brand.
An exhibition that was shown at the Tate Modern in 2005 caught my eye, the exhibition was French post-impressionist painter Henri Rousseau’s major works show “Jungles in Paris”. I was particularly fascinated by his bold, primitive style and the dream-like nature of his paintings. By contrast, I thought it would be a good way to express Yunnan's natural resources and species and their diversity, while the mysterious stories and legends of the village.
Bring extraordinary wild nature to everyday life.
A rich botanical paradise was created, with many of the creatures and plants in the imagery inspired by the province's snow-capped mountains, true tropical environments, and diverse wildlife."
Chucola 100 Years Old Tree Coffee
Chucola Blonde Roast Bean
Chucola Fruity Coffee Beverages
The other illustration is inspired by the characteristics of the village, covering its landscapes, vegetation, ethnic minorities, historical buildings, and other elements.
Chucola Espresso Pods
Chucola Italian Roast Ready Brew
The Yi people are an ethnic group in southern China. Numbering nine million people, they are the seventh largest of the 55 ethnic minority groups recognised by the Chinese government. They live primarily in rural areas of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou usually in mountainous regions.
Dali, Yunnan Province is a region inhabited by the Yi ethnic group, and most of the people living in Zhukula Village are of the Yi ethnic group, so the packaging design has tried to highlight the characteristics of ethnic minorities as much as possible.
Chucola Freeze Dried Instant Coffee
Chucola Fruit Flavour Coffee
Coffee Shop Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans Packaging
To understand the project and the role of coffee as a common drink in the village of Zhukula for over a century, I visited the village to conduct field research. I explored the coffee forests and spoke with the locals to learn about the impact and significance of coffee in their lives. This research played a crucial role in the presentation of my design.
