ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Natalia Balabash Designs Sample Box for Foundation Coffee Roasters

other · 2026-05-13

Natalia Balabash came up with a unique packaging design for Foundation Coffee Roasters' sample box, treating it as a detailed layout task. The box features a sturdy metallic slider and displays a striking graphic—a scorched amber-and-blue pattern on the lid, with a bold grotesque wordmark on the base. Inside, there are four brushed-silver pouches, each showcasing a variation of the burn mark; Brazil’s is darker while Ethiopia’s is lighter. Each bag has a blue label at the bottom with clear white text indicating its origin and small tags for tasting notes. The design maintains a consistent grid, and still-life photos enhance the labels with props that reflect the flavors. Balabash’s approach creates a strong brand identity focused purely on pattern and text.

Key facts

  • Natalia Balabash designed the sample box packaging for Foundation Coffee Roasters.
  • The rigid metallic slide-open box has a scorched amber-and-blue thermal pattern on the lid.
  • A condensed grotesque wordmark anchors the lower panel of the box.
  • Four brushed-silver foil pouches inside each carry a version of the same burn mark.
  • The diffusion of the burn mark shifts per variety: Brazil darker, Ethiopia lighter.
  • A structured blue label panel on each bag has bold condensed white type for origin at 28pt.
  • Small rounded pill tags carry the tasting notes.
  • The grid is consistent across all four bags and the outer box.
  • Still-life photography stages each variety with props reflecting its tasting notes.
  • The design uses only pattern plus wordmark, no illustration or secondary palette.

Entities

Artists

  • Natalia Balabash

Institutions

  • Foundation Coffee Roasters
  • Behance

Sources