Yipao Coffee® Roasters
Designer | Carlos Bahamon / Karla Ponce de Leon
Location | San Diego, California USA
Launch Date | March 1st, 2026
Our intention was to create packaging that does more than contain coffee, it tells the story of its origin.
The illustration translates the spirit of Colombian coffee-growing life into a contemporary visual language. Inspired by Colombian costumbrista art, the design reinterprets everyday rural scenes, mountains, farmers, and the rhythms of harvest, through expressive line work and a restrained palette. This approach allows narrative and craftsmanship to take precedence over decorative excess.
The artwork was created in collaboration with the founder’s brother, Carlos Bahamon, a Colombian artist whose drawings are informed by lived experience in coffee landscapes. This personal connection brings authenticity to every detail and reinforces the cultural roots of the project.
The ivory background functions as a neutral canvas, allowing the illustration to stand with clarity while reinforcing a sense of timelessness. Material choices, including 100% recyclable packaging, reflect a commitment to responsible production from farm to cup.
Beyond aesthetics, the design communicates the extrinsic values of specialty coffee: traceability, provenance, and transparency. Information such as origin, producer, variety, and processing method provides a clear preview of the coffee’s intrinsic quality, aligning the visual experience of the bag with the sensory experience in the cup.
Ultimately, the goal was to create packaging that acts as a bridge between origin and consumer. By combining storytelling, cultural reference, and thoughtful material design, the bag becomes more than packaging, it becomes a quiet tribute to Colombian coffee, its landscapes, its people, and the journey from mountain to cup.
In essence, the bag invites the consumer to hold not only the story of origin, but the quality and care that define every cup.
Sustainability is addressed through both material choice and transparency of information.
The bag is made from 100% recyclable material, ensuring product protection while reducing environmental impact.
The design also communicates ecological awareness through symbolic elements such as the Wax Palm and Andean landscape, subtly referencing Colombia’s biodiversity and the ecosystems where coffee is cultivated.
In addition, the labeling emphasizes traceability, presenting the key attributes that define specialty coffee: origin, producer, region, altitude, variety, process, roast level, and roast date.
These elements communicate the extrinsic values that signal quality to the consumer while providing a clear preview of the coffee’s intrinsic attributes. By aligning with SCA specialty coffee standards, the packaging reinforces transparency, provenance, and accountability throughout the supply chain.
