Case study2026

Northline
Coffee.

A brand relaunch for a Manchester roaster — identity, packaging and a store that sells itself.

02 — The brief

Sell more beans to people who already like coffee.

Northline sold through three cafés and a market stall. Their packaging looked like everyone else's, and their online shop converted at under one per cent.

Sales channels
Three partner cafés, a Saturday market stall, and a basic online shop.

The problem
Generic kraft bags, no story on the pack, and a 0.9% shop conversion rate.

The goal
Grow online sales and wholesale accounts without raising the price of the coffee.

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03 — Approach

Three moves, one story.

01

Name the flavour

Each bag carries a tasting note on the front, written by the head roaster in plain language. We tested six note styles with 120 customers; the plainest won on recall and on repeat buys.

02

Make the shelf loud

A single, bold colour per roast, with the roast level printed in large type. Customers can pick a coffee from across the café counter, which matters for the busy weekend trade.

03

Simplify the store

Three product choices on the homepage, a subscription option at checkout, and a delivery promise shown before payment. The shop went from seven steps to four.

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04 — Process

Eight weeks, four stages.

Weeks 1–2

Listen

Twelve customer interviews, a review of 18 months of sales data, and a tasting session with the head roaster.

Weeks 3–4

Test

Three packaging directions shown in the café. We counted reactions and asked buyers which bag they would pick up.

Weeks 5–6

Build

Final bag designs, the label system, and the store rebuilt with the client's developer. Print proofs approved in week six.

Weeks 7–8

Launch

Print run and store relaunch, followed by a two-week check of checkout drop-off before the final handover.

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05 — The work

Packaging that stops people.

Delivered over eight weeks: six bag designs across the core range, a 12-part label system, a 40-page brand guide, and a rebuilt online store with subscription checkout.

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06 — Results

Six months after launch.

4.1×Online conversion, from 0.9% to 3.7%

+62%Repeat subscribers, against the same six months last year

3New wholesale accounts: two cafés and one office

Figures from the client's own store analytics and sales ledger, covering the six months after the relaunch. Conversion is measured as orders divided by unique visitors.

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"They made us look like the roaster we always wanted to be, and customers noticed before we did."

Ruth Okonedo, Founder, Northline Coffee (placeholder testimonial)

Scope: packaging, label system, brand guide, and store redesign.

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