Colectivo Coffee

If you're enjoying a steaming cup of coffee on this cold Sunday morning, chances are you're drawn to that cup of Joe because of its taste and aroma. But also important in building a brews brand is its packaging. In our Sunday morning spotlight, Elie Nakamoto-White introduces us to the talented artists behind the colorful and award-winning designs of Milwaukee's hometown coffee company, Collectiva. Every single day, Milwaukeeans in search of their caffeine fix walk through the doors of Collectivo Coffee, get their favorite brew, and go on their way. But in the back of the store, behind all of the heavy machines and offices, is Kevin Callahan, a man who isn't your average cup of Joe. I've created the brand and managed the brand for Collectivo Coffee. And while you probably don't know Callahan, at least not yet, you definitely know his work. Going to the cafes, any two-dimensional object should hopefully represent some of my work. The UWM grad became a part of the Collectivo team almost three decades ago. I started 24 years ago as the driver, the one driver we had. Working his way onto the design team. I didn't use a computer growing up and I didn't use a computer in college. They sent me to school to learn how to use one and to learn how to use art programs that would go on a computer. From there, the rest became history, now leading the brand as senior graphic designer. It's the longest I've done anything. I feel very proud of the artwork I do for Collectivo Coffee. From the brightly colored designs on the cups and bags to the famous sugar skull. Even down to the logo itself. I took a big pad of paper and I went home. It was over the Christmas season. And I sat at the coffee at the dining room table with my big pad and Sharpie. And I just decided to start signing the name Collectivo as if it was my signature, over and over. And figuring that eventually it would get some personality to it Callahan's creative touches are everywhere. Whenever I look at our wordmark or any wordmark, I think about what could be changed about it. And on ours I feel pretty confident that we got it right. Although the company is turning 30 this year, the ideas Callahan brews are as fresh as your morning cup. I'm constantly doodling and coming up with new wordmarks for Collectivo. I love working in art and I love working with coffee. And as the beans continue turning, so do the images in Callahan's head. This is a prototype that I made. Drawing inspiration from the very people who produced them. I'll find out where a coffee is from and I'll delve into the art and culture and everyday life of the people that create the coffee. Working to reflect and respect its origins. Coffee comes from a band around the world, the tropics. And so there's touches on so many different cultures and people. Because for Callahan it's what's on the inside and on the outside that matters. We work very hard at creating a great product that's inside the bag. And my job is to create the outside of the bag to reflect the inside. A lot of wordmarks on it. Most designs starting from pen and paper. Moving to the screen. Little things, I'm constantly squeezing and skewing and pushing and pulling them to get them just the way I want them. And finally to the cup. In some ways everybody sees our artwork so it's really important that it's exciting, vibrant and as much as any painting could be. I want to make sure that my hand comes through in the final artwork. As new blends come through. Subtle. And the brand itself continues to change and evolve. What does it mean you need to look through? Yeah, it's crazy. It's safe to say that Callahan is colotevo as colotevo is Callahan. Be inspired by what you see. We want people when they see our cup to from a block away to see it and say, wow, okay, so that's a colotevo.