Case Study — Food & Beverage (DTC + Retail)

Café Diario: From Local Favorite to Scalable Coffee Brand

A rapid relaunch using the ICON Method—modern identity, conversion-first site, and an email-driven growth engine.

↓ 40%

Time to print approval

15%

Pick-up rate

Unified identity → Master dielines → SKU color logic → Vendor-ready print specs.

Press-ready files: Pantone/CMYK locked, barcodes/GTIN, varnish & white-ink layers.

Cost-efficient production: substrate/finish matrix, MOQ tiers, preflight to cut reprints.

Client

Café Diario

The Challenge

Café Diario had loyal customers but a fragmented look. Identity, labels, and print pieces came from different vendors—colors drifted, typography shifted, and packaging wasn’t retail-ready. The brand needed a consistent system that could scale SKUs, shorten print cycles, and cut unit costs.

Symptoms we found

Color management drift: No master Pantone/CMYK/RGB/HEX library; on-press colors varied by vendor and run.
Dieline/version chaos: Multiple unlabeled dielines, outdated Illustrator files, and no single “master” template.
SKU & data inconsistencies: Missing/duplicate GTINs, inconsistent roast/origin fields, and non-standard barcode placement.
Typography & accessibility gaps: Mixed fonts, irregular hierarchy, and small type failing retail legibility tests.
Vendor handoff friction: No print spec pack (substrates, coatings, ink calls), causing rework, delays, and higher unit costs.

Approach

We ran a focused ICON sprint that locked a unified identity (logo suite, color standards across Pantone/CMYK/RGB/HEX, retail-legible type hierarchy), engineered master dielines with SKU color logic and variable data fields, and published a vendor-ready print spec pack (substrates, coatings, ink/varnish layers, barcodes, preflight checklist, RFQ template)—so packaging scales cleanly across sizes and seasons while reducing rework, shortening print cycles, and lowering unit cost.

What we offered

Identity System: Lock logo suite, color master, type hierarchy, and icon set.
Packaging Architecture: Create a label/box grid, SKU color logic, and variable data fields.
Print Production: Press-ready dielines, ink callouts, white-ink/spot-varnish layers, barcodes, and preflight.
Cost Controls: Substrate/finish matrix, MOQ tiers, and a vendor RFQ sheet to compare unit economics.
Governance: 20-page brand/pack guide, print specs, and a templated InDesign/Illustrator package.

Solution

A consistent identity and packaging system that scales SKUs without redesign. We standardized color, type, and dielines; reduced print rework; and cut unit costs by selecting better substrates and finish tiers.

Unified Identity: Refined mark and lockups, tightened spacing, accessible color contrast, and retail legibility standards.
Scalable Packaging System: One master template driving all bag sizes and seasonal SKUs; variable panels for tasting notes and brew icons.
Retail-Ready Print Suite: Shelf talkers, case sleeves, shipper labels, barista cards, and a reorder one-sheet for wholesale partners.