Brand Standouts: Cold Brew Coffee

Starbucks, Blue Bottle, Stumptown and Califia

As the “ready-to-drink” coffee category gets even more competitive, the stakes for packaging get even higher. We take a look at four players’ cold brew offerings to see what their packaging is actually saying.

Starbucks: Trying hard to throw off the “bigness” of Starbucks with a minimalist structure and a recessive logo, it’s working to borrow some of craft’s cues and stays deeply rooted in coffee. And in a serious way.

Blue Bottle: A step away from the rest of the category (no brown here!), this can feels whimsical and more approachable than its counterparts — primarily because its accessible size, shape, and the bright, playful blue logo typeface.

Stumptown: From the “badge-like” logo, to the structure shape, to the bottle cap, Stumptown’s offering implies that its craft, small-batch, maybe even a little homey — anything but big and processed. The emphasis on cold brew (like Starbucks) highlights the specialness of the cold brew offering.

Califia: Subtly drawing on its brand equity from its nut milk bottles, the Califia bottle structure feels more innovative and modern (nary a sign of craft). The red and white of the bottle actually feel slightly reminiscent of beer — highlighting the Nitro technology and cold temperature of the drink.

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