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Vindilá Café
I cherish good coffee, good people, and good business. And all of these came together in this project for Vindilá Café.
The invitation came from Pedro Kastelic (Pavio), who brought Luana Alahmar and me on board to craft a coffee brand for Maria Eugênia and Eduardo. This marked a new chapter in a story that began in the 1980s, when her grandparents, Paulo and Alzira, planted the first coffee trees at Fazenda São Paulo in São Sebastião da Grama, Brazil.
Maria Eugênia and Eduardo took over the farm, committed to carrying the legacy forward. Through study and dedication, they refined their processes, earned the Gourmet Coffee certification, and soon approached us to create a brand, identity, and packaging that would reflect their quality and journey.
My role:
Project's designer
Deliverables:
Logo · Packaging · Social media template · Visual identity
Turning a family dream into coffee.
First, we need to highlight the name. Created by Pedro, Vindilá (a playful contraction of "Vim de lá"—"I came from there") quickly won the hearts of Maria Eugênia and Eduardo.
And for good reason. Spoken in the first person, Vindilá transforms coffee into a character. Written as it’s spoken, the name feels approachable and down-to-earth. It carries familiarity, echoing its presence in Brazilian cultural gems like Alguém Me Avisou and Mistério da Raça. But it also sparks curiosity: Vindilá... what does it mean? The answer lies in its origin—a poetic nod to the farm’s legacy and the journey of the beans.
A name rooted in story.
I aimed to embody the name’s essence in the logo’s design. A hand-drawn line was chosen to humanize the brand—featuring rounded, slightly slanted letters connected by a uniform stroke, recalling a handwritten signature. The result is a logo that feels warm and balanced, much like Vindilá coffee itself.
Subtle connections to the brand’s universe were woven into the design:
The dots on the "i"s are shaped like coffee beans.
The continuous, wavy stroke mirrors the coffee’s journey—beginning in the mountains, traversing Brazilian roads, and culminating in the steam of a freshly brewed cup.
A logo that carries the story forward.
To make it clear: Vindilá comes from São Sebastião da Grama, Brazil. What you might not know is that this municipality lies within the Região Vulcânica (Volcanic Region)—a territory renowned for producing exceptionally high-quality coffees. With such a distinctive origin, it felt natural to weave it into the visual identity.
That’s why I created this illustration, inspired by the region. It serves as the project’s cornerstone: it is on the front of the packaging, and its colors, strokes, and wavy graphics are used throughout the entire visual identity.
So... Where does it come from?
The packaging was the main element of the project. After all, it needed to stand out on the shelf, promote the brand, and drive sales, all at once.
The first decision came from Maria Eugênia and Eduardo. The previous packaging, made of paper, was fragile. After consulting other coffee growers, they decided the new packaging would be made of flexible plastic. They selected a supplier and, to save costs, negotiated the smallest print run and the fewest ink colors possible.
To ensure a feasible project, I thoroughly studied labeling regulations and discussed technical details with the printer. With the ink limitations, I chose only three colors: coffee, white, and orange (used in their pure form and in lighter percentages to create lighter tones).
The project was approved immediately, along with the visual identity. We reached the final version after presenting the design to the printer, who suggested adding yellow (for lighter tones) and black (for the barcode) at no additional cost.
A package that invites you to taste.
With the brand’s personality carefully crafted by Luana and Pedro, selecting a typeface that embodied Vindilá’s essence became crucial.
Whenever possible, I prioritize fonts designed by Brazilian and Latin American creators. After exploring hundreds of options, I landed on Amostra by Brazilian designer Sofia Mohr.
It was the perfect fit. Amostra’s savory curves harmonize with the rest of the visual identity. It is versatile and works well for both headlines and body text. And equally important: it fit within the budget without sacrificing quality.
A typeface that tastes as good as the coffee.
I created exclusive icons for Vindilá, inspired by the brand’s core themes. They were crafted with care: sharing the same curves as the rest of the identity and drawn on a geometric grid, ensuring they look sharp at any size.
Icons that speak volumes.
Through photographs, I came to understand how colorful life on the farm is. From the greens and blues of the landscape to the hues of coffee itself, everything I needed was already there—it simply required filtering and organizing.
The colors coffee, cream, and orange were drawn directly from the packaging. To these, I added white, black, and subtle shades of orange, which became the brand’s primary palette.
To infuse more vitality, I introduced red, yellow, greens, and blues, always used sparingly. These act like delicate accents, reminding us that behind every cup of coffee lies a farm brimming with color.
Colors that bring the farm to life.
For small businesses, I firmly believe a visual identity should be easy to maintain. That’s why I adapted the project for Canva, a tool Maria Eugênia and Eduardo were already using. I created templates for posts, stories, and other assets, along with a Brand Kit featuring logos, colors, and graphic elements ready to use.
To complete the package, I developed a brand manual outlining visual identity guidelines and key aspects of the brand strategy and verbal identity. Everything Vindilá needs to grow with autonomy and consistency.
Templates that make work a pleasure.
Finally, a few heartfelt words from Maria Eugênia and Eduardo:
"Our biggest concern was that the final result might stray too far from our expectations, to the point where we’d need to seek another professional. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised. The choice of colors, the typography of the name, and how the packaging stands out among others in the market were what delighted us most. The idea of using the brand name itself as the logo was very interesting and reshaped how we view visual identity. We’d also like to highlight:
Agility and precision: We loved the project from the first draft, with no need for revisions.
Cohesion between the visual and verbal identity: It perfectly conveyed what we aim to communicate through the brand.
Impeccable post-launch support: Ensuring the packaging was flawless, with no errors or imperfections.
We hope to collaborate with you on future projects and thank you for all the care, dedication, agility, and attention you’ve given our brand."
Client
Brand strategy
Luana Alahmar and Pedro Kastelic (Pavio)
Verbal identity and naming
Visual identity and packaging design
Diogo Aso
Packaging production