Description:

Supplying the South Coast community with responsibly-sourced specialty coffee, there’s more to Alfresco Coffee Roaster’s mission than delivering on flavour and good vibes alone. Guided by a passion for sharing quality coffee, the brand is committed to improving farmers’ access to the resources needed to produce and receive a fair price for specialty-grade coffee. As an extension of the recent rebrand, the new website’s design and development reflect the superior quality, transparent supply chain practices, and community values that set the team apart.

In a saturated market, repositioning Alfresco required crafting a distinct, compelling identity and digital presence rooted in its founders’ coastal upbringing and connection to nature. A complete overhaul of the existing brand and ecommerce experience was necessary to rebuild an authentic presence, drive subscriptions and generate wholesale leads. The aim was to elevate the brand beyond the quality of its product, without appearing overly polished or out of touch. A cohesive UX design that speaks to everyday coffee drinkers would need to balance personality and professionalism to maintain approachability. The site needed to handle a large volume of rotating inventory, support a seamless shopping experience, push subscriptions, share the Aflresco story, and detail the team’s initiatives while remaining grounded in the South Coast.

Channelling Alfresco’s adventurous, outdoorsy spirit, the website tells a story of conscious and purposeful procurement, industry expertise and love for community. This fortified story builds loyalty and sets Alfresco apart from its competitors, particularly those with a surface-level presence in the market. Upbeat language combines education and ecommerce, stepping visitors through the bean-to-cup journey to communicate expertise and impact. Tracing key relationships across the globe, content pinpoints the projects and initiatives of specific growing regions. Art direction grounds the UX in the coastal lifestyle, with imagery capturing relaxed moments between the surf. A digital extension of the packaging, product listings utilise block colours and a taller, condensed typeface suited to product names of varying lengths. Colour-blocking as a graphic device is elevated by subtle hover effects and fluid animations mimicking the motion of coffee filling a cup to create a warm, immersive digital experience.

The site sets a new standard for the category, proving that values like community, sustainability and transparency can be as engaging as product. It shows how design, messaging and digital tools can work together to support ethical business models and build stronger customer relationships. More than an online store, the Alfresco site is a window into the brand’s world. It invites people in and gives them a reason to stay. This is an example of design with depth. It is not just about looking good. It is about making meaning visible.