Modernizing Kafekopteia Loumidi

The client

In 1920, Kafekopteia Loumidi was born out of a passion for high-quality coffee and a shared vision of three brothers to provide rich coffee blends to their Greek neighborhood. More than a century later, Kafekopteia Loumidi is the most well-known coffee brand in Greece and has become synonymous with coffee. Currently, the brand owns a network of 10 retail stores. Now, in the hands of the family’s third generation, the brand approached STIRIXIS Group to be their partner in innovating and expanding their business by transforming their brand identity and creating a new retail concept that will lead them to True Prosperity.

The project

The aim of our collaboration was to transport our client into a new, modern era, ensure their appeal to more modern and younger audiences and create an identity that strengthens their position in the market. For this reason, every design decision has been strategically chosen to (1) showcase our client’s brand heritage, know-how and long experience, whilst (2) communicating a young, modern and strong brand that is innovative.

Starting from branding, the logo that we designed is utilises recognisable elements from the previous design and modernises them. The traditional dark blue color has been replaced with a more lively shade, a new font is used with minimal and rounded letters, creating the perfect balance between modern and classic. The shape of the coffee mill has also changed and appears softer and minimal, as its harsh edges were removed and replaced with rounded ones.

Our graphic designers built on this new image and introduced the complimentary color – a soft coral –  which creates a modern twist and communicates optimism, freshness and innovation. The patterns our team designed are all of symbolic relevance; the round circle is a reference to the 360 degree experience that the new concept will now provide to customers, while the three thick lines act as a subtle reminder of the three generations that the brand is built on. The mill is a reminder of both the brand’s deep passion for coffee — as it resembles a coffee mill — but is also a metaphor for ‘the winds of change’ and the brand’s constant desire for evolution. Many more messages are hidden behind the geometric symbols, which you can explore below. 

Using this new image and our team’s in-depth knowledge of retail trends we also designed the brand new concept that has already been applied to our client’s flagship store in Omonoia and the new store at the International Airport of Athens “Eleftherios Venizelos”. 

The new store in Omonoia serves a two-fold goal: to boost the returning customer’s experience by offering them a 360 degrees experience that ignites all the senses, whilst giving new customers an access point where they can try the products and build a trusting relationship with the brand, contributing to the business’ new era. 

With both goals in mind, our team decided to creatively use one of the two window fronts of their existing retail store to install the coffee brew bar. This way, the new services are accessible from the street to potential customers passing by. At the same time, the layout of the store would not be disrupted, maintaining the sense of familiarity to loyal customers. Once you step inside, the brightness and freshness that the coffee corner adds to the store (and brand) is evident. The ceiling incorporates elements such as daylight shade lighting and biophilic design, which create a contrast from the outside urban ambiance, immediately inducing feelings of happiness and wellbeing to both customers and employees. Furthermore, to seamlessly transition between the old store and the new shop in shop, the materials chosen are modern, yet consistent to the look and feel of the store. The granite that is prevalent in the coffee brew bar is a classy, yet minimalistic and modern choice that adds light to the store and pairs perfectly with the marble in the rest of the store.  

Watch the store come to life below!

Similarly, the store at the International Airport of Athens combines classic, retro elements with a minimal design and bold colours. New products are displayed in custom-made furniture that was inspired from the rounded, fresh identity, whilst products such as the grinder, silos and coffee mugs are found on the service station which is dominated by classic elements with wooden finishes, metallic surfaces and the classic blue of Kafekopteia Loumidi.

Finally, we applied our strategic understanding of retail trends and utlised technology in the store, to make the user experience faster and memorable. Monitors and ipads can be used around the store to showcase new products and help new and returning clients familiarise themselves with our client’s e-shop. A tasting point was also introduced to provide added value to consumers and help them establish a loyal relationship with our client!