Twenty Below Coffee Company is a Cinderella story. The rise of the roastery and retail coffee shop began from the basement of co-founders Ty and Elisha Ford. Curiosity and a desire to do their own thing prompted the Ford’s to experiment with roasting at home. While they were busy raising a new baby and getting the bean roasting time and temps just right another couple was dreaming of a similar adventure.

Enter, Michael and Denae Moran. Privy to the Ford’s entrepreneurial aspirations, the Moran’s began to focus on ways the roastery could add a retail shop. Both couples were all in from the start with an unmatched commitment and passion for the industry, which is how Twenty Below went from basement to brick and mortar in less than a year.

The Challenge

Despite their passionate commitment to producing high-quality coffee, Twenty Below Coffee Company faced a pressing issue. Their roasting products were struggling to gain recognition within the competitive wholesale market. To address this challenge, the Good Kids were brought in to analyze the underlying reasons for this reluctance among potential clients and to make them stand out from competitors in a meaningful way.

The Solutions

The Good Kids wanted to use a holistic approach to understanding the hesitation among prospective customers. To collect honest feedback from potential and past customers, an anonymous survey was shared. Surprisingly, the survey revealed that the hesitation stemmed from a lack of brand recognition and a disconnect between the perceived value and the premium price point.

The Good Kids set out to develop a brand strategy for the roastery and emphasize the value delivered by Twenty Below wholesalers in exchange for the premium pricing. This strategy included the creation of a “roasting” sub-brand, a refined target audience persona, brand personality, market analysis, and the creation of a unique differentiator and a compelling tagline.

In addition, a distinct logo was crafted to represent the roastery portion of the business. The established coffee shop logo features a mug with a blue ice-capped mountain, cleverly playing on the brand’s name “Twenty Below,” while the new roasting division’s logo hosts a roastery symbol, symbolizing their commitment to coffee quality. Finally, the product packaging and collateral were also reimagined and created to align with customer expectations of a higher price point.

The Results

After the brand was solidified, a comprehensive brand guide was created to provide Twenty Below with transparent directions on how to execute each aspect of their brand. Twenty Below’s brand guide encompassed not only the brand created by the Good Kids, but also the subdivisions of the company. The guide was rich with established details and information, as well as new guidance regarding the recently created brand visuals. 

The collaboration with Twenty Below Coffee Company extended far beyond the realms of brand strategy and visual identity to transform the entire customer experience. The Good Kids took everything they learned from the strategy and implemented it to create a stand-out packaging experience for customers. Because of the detailed strategy executed by the Good Kids, the packaging reflected what their target audiences would seek in coffee products.

This packaging collection included eye-catching coffee bags that told a visual story, captivating customers from the moment they laid eyes on them. A packing tube was also introduced to enhance the customer experience, by adding a special and distinct touch. In addition to the unique nature of the tube, it also served a purpose by encouraging sustainability. Stickers for the tubes and customized packing tape reinforced the brand’s image, making the unboxing experience memorable and highly shareable.

Today, Twenty Below is well-equipped to deliver a phenomenal customer experience with a consistent brand and packaging suite. The once-small coffee shop has blossomed into a brand that’s recognized for more than just its brew; it’s renowned for its commitment to excellence in every aspect of the coffee experience. Twenty Below Coffee Company has truly found its niche and continues to thrive in a competitive market.