Dwell Dripper Kit
2024 | Verve Coffee Roasters
Role
Lead structural designer (Zenpack)
Graphic design by Verve Coffee Roasters
Development
13 months
Verve Coffee Roasters is coffee roaster based in Santa Cruz, California, founded by Colby Barr and Ryan O’Donovan. Verve opened in November, 2007 and currently operates in more than 10 locations in California, including four in Santa Cruz, four in Los Angeles, one in San Francisco, one in Manhatthan Beach, one in Palo Alto, and two in Menlo Park at the campuses of Meta and SLAC. Verve Coffee was named the roaster of the year in 2024.
The Problem
The packaging brief called for a solution that would prominently showcase the product on shelf, creating a theatrical retail presence while ensuring adequate protection during transit. The system also needed to balance structural integrity with cost efficiency across both production and logistics, while enabling customers to visually and physically engage with the product in a retail environment.
The Outcome
Using only E-flute cardboard and printed SBS, we created a single-part dieline that folds into a triangle structure with an easy-grab handle. It’s a cozy home for the Dripper, designed as both stage and storage to highlight the product colors and features. There’s even a separate compartment for the Zenpack-designed coffee scoop. Freshly made drink in one hand, Dripper in the other, customers leave the store with the coolest new brewing device (and packaging).
Challenges
The project began with a general exploration of the packaging form. We wanted the packaging to feel like an accessory bag—something people could carry out of the store with pride, as if they were showing it off. Strong shelf presence, product reveal, protection, and a pleasant unboxing experience were the key pillars of our design approach.
As the design progressed through various form factors, we landed on a triangular shape inspired by paper bag lunches. The form quickly evolved with unique yet functional attributes, including a large, sturdy handle, a side-locking mechanism, and a platform that not only served as a locking feature for the Dripper but also provided simple storage for the scoop. While the Dripper is sold online, we wanted to catch people while they waited in line at Verve. The extra bottom layer puts the dripper center stage, perched on the shelves like a freshly bagged lunch with the customer’s name on it.
Solution
During the packaging design process, the Verve team approached us about designing the coffee scoop. While it crossed into product design, we treated it as an extension of the unboxing experience, expanding the overall branding from the product to its packaging and accessories. They initially wanted a metal scoop with a thin wire handle, but we continually returned to the curves and edges of the silicone dripper. The Verve product designers maximized silicone’s best features, so we matched their approach with a scoop with the same angles, shapes, and radii as the dripper.
The packaging engineering process focused on production efficiency. We developed a single-part dieline to streamline the design into a few simple folds. The result was a flattenable die-cut structure, allowing for maximum shipping efficiency per container. Even though the dieline is intricate, the manufacturing team can layout the T-shaped dielines like puzzle pieces to minimize raw material waste during the printing and die-cutting process.
The packaging is made using E-flute with white kraft and a 250gsm SBS facer, lithographically printed in CMYK with one spot color. We incorporated a slightly thicker medium liner to ensure the intricate cutouts were well-supported. The entire packaging was paper-based, containing approximately 60% recycled content, making it easily recyclable in curbside programs.
Result
The Dwell Dripper itself has received lots of positive reviews in the coffee world, with CNET noting that “coffee brew-at-home newbies and seasoned coffee snobs will both get a lot out of it.” As for the packaging, the Dieline Awards 2025 has awarded the Dwell Dripper packaging with a 1st Place Award in the Household Maintenance & Home Improvement category. The packaging was also named to the Pentawards 2025 Platinum in the Household Goods category.