Fresh Look, Same Great Brew: The Story Behind Our New Coffee Packaging
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Time to read 3 min
The Story Behind Our New Coffee Packaging
We are proud to celebrate 45 years in business – a rollercoaster journey marked by a willingness to embrace change and innovation – so we are supremely excited to introduce our new coffee and tea packaging.
This blog shares the rationale behind the redesign — the “why” — how we got here, and our desire to let the packaging tell our story.
The Early Years (45 years ago…)
From the very beginning, we understood the importance of branding. The wolf logo, taken from our family crest, has been at the heart of our identity. It has been with us through many different looks.
It has appeared on everything from letterheads and vans to packaging. While the design has evolved over time, the wolf has remained a constant symbol of who we are. We look forward to sharing examples of how the wolf logo has changed through the years.
The First Retail Range (10 years ago)
When we launched our first retail packs a decade ago, sustainability was already at the core of our thinking.
We opted for a plain black and white design, using minimal colours, believing this reduced the use of excess ink on the bags. It served us well and helped us win plenty of awards for the coffee — which, ultimately, is what it’s all about.
Learning & Evolving
Over the years, we came to see that packaging is more than just a wrapper — it tells our story.
- Being rooted in our community — our location close to glorious Arundel gives a true sense of place. The new visuals include our Sussex barn HQ, Arundel Castle, the famous flint stone, and of course our trusty wolf, interspersed with images of people enjoying our brews.
- Being real people — not hidden away on an industrial estate, but part of a genuine community. We’re here online, on site, and always available for a chat.
- Celebrating our heritage — 45 years of roasting, blending, and still innovating for the future. A true family‑owned business with people at its heart, now with a new look and feel.
- Exceptional quality — multi award‑winning coffees and teas, hand‑roasted and blended daily on site with expertise and care.
Community at the centre — people enjoying our brews, as shown in our new designs.
Celebrating our Heritage - A true family owned business routed in the community.
Meeting New Standards
With new EU regulations on packaging coming into force, this was the right time to take stock. These changes are designed to encourage businesses to think more carefully about materials, waste, and the wider impact of packaging.
For us, it was also a chance to reflect on the steps we’ve been taking for many years. Our 1kg bags have always been part of the range, helping customers cut down on packaging by buying larger volumes. We were pioneers of the Coffee Keep system for wholesale customers — a reusable container scheme that, over its lifetime, has already saved many thousands of bags from going to waste. And for just as long, our in-store refill system has rewarded customers for reusing their bags, reducing waste while keeping their favourite coffee topped up.
Now, with this redesign, every bag is made from 100% recycled materials and FSC®-certified paper. FSC certification guarantees that the paper we use comes from responsibly managed forests, protecting biodiversity and ensuring forests can thrive for generations to come. By combining recycled content with certified sources, we’ve created packaging with a lighter footprint that still keeps your coffee fresh.
There has been much debate about compostable versus recyclable packaging. Compostable sounds attractive, but in reality it only works if customers have access to industrial composting facilities — which most do not. At home, many compostable packs don’t break down properly. Recycling is more accessible, but by choosing recycled and FSC-certified paper, we’ve focused on reducing impact from the very beginning: sustainable sourcing, meaningful waste reduction, and a genuinely practical way for our customers to enjoy coffee more responsibly.
Closing Thoughts
This redesign is about more than just a new look — it’s about telling our story, staying true to our roots, and continuing to evolve for the future. For 45 years, our passion for roasting great coffee, caring for our community, and driving sustainability has guided everything we do. From being the first roastery to open a café and store on site, to pioneering refill systems, bigger pack sizes, and sustainable packaging, we’ve always believed in making choices that matter.
A special thank you goes to Neil Pendrey of Visual Assets, who has worked with us for more than 20 years and played a vital role in shaping this new design. Our new packaging reflects both our heritage and our future — and we’re proud to share it with you. We’d love to hear what you think, so drop us a comment or message and let us know.
Illustration of our Sussex Barn — part of the community story shown on pack.
The Author: Alice Edgcumbe-Rendle
Alice is co-owner of Edge Tea & Coffee, continuing her family’s 45-year legacy in roasting and blending. Passionate about quality, sustainability, and community, Alice helps steer the business into its next chapter while staying true to its heritage.
