Design Case Study | Kutchibok’s design for Peterson Tea

April 5, 2024

Peterston Tea produces 100% single-estate tea that is completely unique – rich in diversity and aromas, full of character and depth of flavour.

The company is rooted in family and nature – bringing to life all of the artisanal elements of its farm-to-table story. Peterston Tea has now expanded its range to include an array of premium aged Kombucha drinks, along with its prestigious, award-winning, Welsh black tea.

Tell us a bit about the brand – its heritage, its story, and its markets – and the brief for this project. How does the design express the brand’s values? What inspired the design?

We were approached to design their brand and packaging and help bring their product to market and are now looking to help elevate this premium brand to become a nationally recognised one that has strong values and a passion for promoting biodiversity.

Our modern, minimalist, and confident design celebrates Peterson Tea’s enchanting flavours and close relationship with nature. The ‘PT’ icon is shown emerging from the ground, echoed by the landscape horizon line and reflecting the journey from seed to plant which makes Peterston Tea so unique.

Our design choices were driven by a desire to reflect the brand’s premium quality. We have paid close attention to every detail; using a quality, uncoated paper stock to emphasise the tactile nature of the blind embossed pattern; bright colours to reflect the fresh ingredients. We used a combination of silver foil, high gloss varnish and ink in order to heighten a sense of quality and to maximise visual impact and strong shelf standout. We created a flexible packaging solution which allows them to consistently and easily update the seasonal ranges on offer.

Additionally, we developed a flexible packaging solution, enabling seamless updates to seasonal ranges. The range of kombucha provided the opportunity to reinforce the brand positioning; ‘This is Welsh Kombucha’ and better connect the provenance of the ingredients Welsh Tea that is grown in Wales and made in Wales whilst reinforcing the small batch premium nature of these beautifully crafted drinks. It also allowed us to expand the colour range with the introduction of a confident colour palette which reflected the fresh ingredients within each drink.

Environmental sustainability was a key focus, reflected in our choice of:

Sustainable materials throughout production.
Tintoretto paper for eco-friendly manufacturing.
Dark ancient green glass bottles with high recycled glass content.
Smaller wraparound labels to maintain design integrity.
HP Indigo printing for minimal waste.
KURZ foil finishes for recyclability.
KURZ transfer technology for biodegradability.
UV varnish for premium quality without VOC emissions.

What technical challenges did you need to overcome to manufacture this pack?

The main technical challenges included:

Developing a slimline label to conform to the slender, flute-like profile of the glass bottle. By placing the labels at the base of the bottles this allowed for ample visual breathing space. We introduced an embossed, glass emblem for the ‘PT’ logo mark, while focusing on the landscape horizon line theme that is consistent throughout the Kombucha and tea label collection.

Managing various print processes – Achieving a deep embossing on the label to attain the desired texture, overlaying silver foil for the icon text atop the embossed texture, and applying a tactile gloss screen on the letter ‘P’ icon, all within close proximity on the label.

What reactions have you had from consumers?

The brand launch led to substantial growth, with turnover soaring by 60% year on year since and gaining placements at prestigious retailers like Fortnum and Masons. Our design received industry recognition, including a shortlist for the Fedrigoni Top Award 2022 and features in Pulp magazine https://bit.ly/3VqAZkV.

Peterston Tea’s recognition as the Best Food and Drink Producer in Wales Award 2023 validates our ability to blend traditional artisanal elements with contemporary design, aligning with the client’s values and craftsmanship.

Lucy George, the proprietor, praised our innovative approach, solidifying their industry position. Our collaboration not only elevated Peterston Tea’s brand but also solidified their industry position, paving the way for future success.