Coffee brand
BeanBank
A coffee brand with a story worth telling.
Brand identity · Web · Packaging · Instagram grid
Alkeme Design branded Bean Bank, a specialty-coffee roastery with three coffee shops in Zurich and one in Basel, end to end: a character-led identity with a mascot, packaging, merch, collateral, a custom website and an Instagram grid, all one storytelling world.
The problem
Speciality coffee shelves are full of minimalist beige. Bean Bank wanted the opposite, a warm, characterful brand with a story and a face, memorable enough to build a following, not just sell a bag.
The concept
We built Bean Bank a whole concept from the ground up: a logo, Pondu the panda roaster, and an orange-planet universe, tied together by one story so every piece connects, from the pouch to the mug to the cafe sign to the feed. Storytelling you can taste.
Instagram grid
A full-profile grid where Pondu, the orange planet and the roasters story lock into one characterful feed.
Brand identity & mascot
Pondu the panda roaster and the orange-sphere mark, the storytelling world of Bean Bank.
Custom icons
A hand-drawn icon set, social, Google Business and contact, drawn in the same playful hand as the brand, not stock icons.
Packaging
Coffee pouches, craft bags and the retail range, shot in the studio and in real life.
Print-ready artwork
The diecut box artwork, "open and explore the galaxy, where every bean is a star", set up print-ready for production.
Store premises
The brand taken into the space across three cafes in Zurich and one in Basel, plus the roastery: branded deckchairs on the terrace, a pavement sign and in-store posters that make each space unmistakably Bean Bank.
Behind the scenes
The roastery in motion and a first unboxing, where every bean becomes a star.
Brand collateral
Loyalty cards, postcards and a sticker set that keep regulars coming back.
Website
A custom, animated storefront where planets drift through space and Pondu takes centre stage, carrying the Bean Bank story from the first scroll to the shop. The motion is built into the brand, not layered on top.
Stories
Story templates built for launches and events like the coffee fair.
Merch
Branded apparel and extras: galaxy-print t-shirts, tote bags and a sticker set, carrying Pondu across every touchpoint.
Trade shows & events
The brand out in the world: World of Coffee (Brussels, Dubai, Geneva), La Marzocco Out of the Box in Milan, HostMilano, and featured on the Loveramics stand.
What we did
- Brand concept & story
- Logo & identity
- Mascot (Pondu)
- Packaging & limited-run drops
- Custom mug & t-shirt design
- Supplier sourcing & print production
- Seasonal social campaigns
- Instagram grid system
- Trade-show stand (World of Coffee)
- Custom website design & build
- Website UX & motion design
An identity you recognize on sight
Not just a new logo, a whole world. Toggle to the old Bean Bank: a generic coffee badge and a stock panda become Pondu and a galaxy of its own, across the mark, the mascot and the packaging.
Questions we get
What does branding for a coffee brand include?
For Bean Bank it was a full character-led system: a mascot and identity, an orange-and-cream palette, packaging across pouches, bags and delivery boxes, brand collateral, a custom website and an Instagram grid.
Why give a coffee brand a mascot or a character?
Because character builds memory and following. Pondu the panda roaster gives Bean Bank a face and a story, so it stands out on a shelf of minimalist beige and gives people something to root for.
Do you design the collateral and café materials too?
Yes. Bean Bank runs from the pouch, loyalty card, postcards and a sticker set to the pavement sign and in-store posters, so the brand feels consistent in the bag, in the café and on the street.
Do you draw custom icons for a brand, not stock ones?
Yes. Bean Bank got a hand-drawn icon set for social, Google Business and contact, drawn in the same playful hand as the mascot, so nothing on the site or the profiles looks like a stock library icon.
Can you set packaging artwork print-ready for production?
Yes. We prepared the diecut box artwork print-ready, dielines, bleed and all, so Bean Bank could go straight to the printer without a production studio in between.
Can you build the identity, packaging, website and feed as one system?
Yes. Bean Bank was built as one storytelling world so the mascot, custom icons, packaging, collateral, website and Instagram grid all speak the same language.
The result
The brand now runs across three coffee shops in Zurich and one in Basel, and has been present at leading coffee events including World of Coffee (Brussels, Dubai, Geneva), La Marzocco Out of the Box in Milan and HostMilano.
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