Brand Refresh

Brand Refresh

A refreshed brand to match our best-in-class coffee.

Since we first opened our Venice Beach cafe doors in the early 1990s, we’ve committed to serving exceptional, organic coffee that inspires people to work hard, dream big, and impact the world. Because of a loyal community of coffee drinkers and cafe goers, we’ve been fortunate to expand up and down the West Coast with two thriving roasteries in Los Angeles and Portland. 


When we were offered the opportunity to expand nationally in markets like Sprouts, we knew our company was entering a new and exciting era — but our brand still felt like it was stuck in the past. It was the perfect time for a refresh. 


We partnered with Los Angeles-based creative studio Ludlow Kingsley to establish a brand look that better reflects our community, company ethos, and exciting future. We wanted it to communicate our down-to-earth attitude, eco-friendly practices, and community-driven approach. Sit back (with a good cup of coffee, of course!) and explore the thought behind our rebrand. 


The Look 

A mix of single origin and signature blends in Groundwork's new packaging

 

Throughout the rebrand, we continually returned to the image of “dirt under fingernails” to represent the intersection of humans and nature that’s at every step of the coffee-making process. This is represented with the graphic cutout hand reaching toward the flower that’s echoed across our website, packaging, and environmental signage. 


Our color palette includes earth tones like marigold yellow, faded blue, and olive green, reminiscent of Southern California landscapes, like golden chaparral, coastal oak groves, and shorelines. The graphic, black cutouts stand out against these softer colors. 


We adore our new logo. Handmade and entirely custom, it’s modern while still feeling like us. 


The Website 

In addition to a new look and feel, we wanted to provide an updated website that was easier and more enjoyable to navigate. Each page is carefully designed to give you the best possible experience. Now, you can restock your favorite coffee beans, explore our tea selection, or even sign up for a subscription with just a few clicks. 


The Packaging 

Bag of Organic black gold coffee tipped over to reveal beans inside, spilling out

 

Keep an eye out for our new product packaging, hitting the shelves soon! We color coded each product type and simplified our label content for shopping ease. Because sustainability is one of our core principles, you can now learn more about our eco-conscious approach on our bags. Additionally, we chose earth-friendly Biotrē™ bags to package our beans. These bags are made from 60% renewable plant-based resources by weight, which break down into a healthy compost.

We are thrilled with the results of our rebrand and hope you are too. As always, you can swing by one of our cafes for a friendly face and a freshly brewed cup of coffee, or peruse our many offerings online.


Thanks for stopping by!