Stephanie Holt

UX Designer

Designing The Whole Bean Logo

Designing The Whole Bean Logo

A logo built on warmth, community, and creativity.
A logo built on warmth, community, and creativity.

The Challenge

The Challenge

The Whole Bean needed a visual identity that could immediately express its mission and values to a growing community of customers.

The Whole Bean needed a visual identity that could immediately express its mission and values to a growing community of customers.

My Role

As the UX designer, I was tasked with creating a logo that feels as intentional and inviting as the mission itself.

Deliverables

Final Logo Design

User Testing Feedback

Logo Assets Package

Style Guide

How Might We Create a Logo That Conveys the Brand's Core Values?

The Design Process

Research & Analysis

To create an effective logo design, I analyzed popular coffee shop logos, including Caribou Coffee, Starbucks, Peet’s, and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. These logos share common design elements that appeal to customers:

Simplicity

A focus on a memorable image

The use of earthy colors like blues, browns, and greens

A collage of popular coffee shop logos used to inspire The Whole Bean's logo.

These insights guided my approach to developing a logo that embodies The Whole Bean’s core values while standing out in a competitive market.

Group Persona

Group Persona

I worked closely with the shop owners to understand the vision and core values. Using insights from CRM data, I created a group persona that reflected The Whole Bean’s loyal customer base. This alignment between audience and brand helped guide a logo design that truly captured the shop’s essence.

I worked closely with the shop owner to align the design with The Whole Bean’s core values. Using CRM data, I created a group persona based on loyal customers, helping shape a logo that truly reflects the brand’s essence.

Key Values

Enjoy high-quality, well-brewed coffee that feels crafted, not mass-produced.

Value sustainability and brands that reflect a creative, modern lifestyle.

Logo Design Insights

Soft neutral palette with a bold accent to reflect both calm and energy.

A warm, inviting style that signals connection, care, and individuality.

meet the whole crew

While The Whole Bean’s values guided the logo concept, I wanted the design to reflect the people who bring its atmosphere to life. The Whole Crew represents the shop’s heart—diverse, intentional, and full of personality. Their shared love of quality, connection, and creativity helped shape the tone and warmth of the brand’s identity.

Symbolism & Creative Elements

I designed a mood board blending earthy tones, communal scenes, and sustainable elements to spark creativity. This visual foundation translated the personas’ values into The Whole Bean's warm personality and principles.

I designed a mood board with earthy tones, communal scenes, and sustainable elements to reflect the brand’s personality. It brought the personas’ values to life and laid the foundation for the logo design.

A moodboard featuring warm tones, natural textures, and cozy coffee shop imagery. Designed to reflect The Whole Crew’s values—creativity, community, and sustainability—this visual set the tone for the logo’s style and personality.
A moodboard featuring warm tones, natural textures, and cozy coffee shop imagery. Designed to reflect The Whole Crew’s values—creativity, community, and sustainability—this visual set the tone for the logo’s style and personality.
Capturing The Essence
Capturing The Essence

I chose a gorilla and a coffee plant as the focal point of the logo design to represent The Whole Bean’s principles.


I chose a gorilla and a coffee plant as the focal point of the logo design to represent The Whole Bean’s principles.

The gorilla reflects the shop’s creative use of the entire coffee plant—just as gorillas make use of every part of their food.

Like the gorilla’s nutrient-rich diet, the shop focuses on high-quality coffee beans packed with antioxidants.

The gorilla also symbolizes community and strength, echoing The Whole Bean’s mission to create a welcoming space for coffee lovers.

Creating The Logo

To bring the character to life, I hand-traced reference images and combined key features into one cohesive illustration—a gorilla with a warm expression, savoring a cup of coffee. The design was meant to reflect The Whole Bean’s comforting and approachable personality. I then refined the sketch in Adobe Illustrator, shaping the details and adding color.

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For the coffee plant, I explored multiple styles—starting with early motifs in Canva, then building the final version in Illustrator using simplified elements of beans, cherries, and leaves. I completed the design in Canva, experimenting with typography and layout to create a logo that feels friendly, confident, and balanced.

Variations
Six logo variations exploring plant detail and gorilla color—from warm brown to cool teal. The top and middle rows show detailed coffee plants with different leaf textures. The bottom row features a simplified circular layout with a stylized leaf, coffee bean, and cherry beside the gorilla.
Six logo variations exploring plant detail and gorilla color—from warm brown to cool teal. The top and middle rows show detailed coffee plants with different leaf textures. The bottom row features a simplified circular layout with a stylized leaf, coffee bean, and cherry beside the gorilla.

After reviewing the final logo options, the owner recommended adding a circular background in #09435F with a metallic #23b7b0 border to boost visibility and impact. These refinements shaped the final two logos, which were presented for A/B testing.

Circular logo variations showing two gorilla color options—warm brown on the left and cool teal on the right.
A/B Split Testing

A/B Split Testing

A/B split testing helped determine which logo variation best captured the company’s values and strengthened brand connection. While both sparked discussion, 86% of participants preferred the brown gorilla, citing its warmth, friendliness, and alignment with the company’s authentic, welcoming personality. These results validated the design direction and reinforced the brand’s identity through visual storytelling.

A/B testing results comparing two final logos: brown gorilla (score 86) vs. teal gorilla (score 14). Six of seven participants preferred the brown version for its warmth and friendly tone.
Usability Testing

Usability Testing

To evaluate how effectively The Whole Bean's new logo communicates its core values, I conducted usability testing.


Test Scenario:

Participants were asked to provide feedback on the logo’s design through targeted questions:


To evaluate how effectively The Whole Bean's new logo communicates its core values of quality, community, and sustainability, I conducted a usability test.


Test Scenario:

Participants were asked to provide feedback on the logo’s design through targeted questions:

What values or messages do you think this logo is trying to convey?

Does the logo make you feel connected to the brand? Why or why not?

What part of the logo stands out most to you, and what does it make you think of?

What part of the logo stands out most to you, and what does it make you think of?

Participant feedback on the final logo. Many said it conveyed quality and community through a warm, trustworthy vibe. The gorilla was seen as unique and welcoming. Colors supported a natural coffee feel. Some suggested removing “coffee shop” for clarity and a more modern look.

Based on the feedback, I simplified the logo by removing 'coffee shop' from the text, enhancing its adaptability and focus.

Two circular logo variations. Left shows the original with “Coffee Shop” text. Right shows the updated version without it. The change improves clarity and scalability, while preserving the brand’s visual identity.
Outcome Summary

Outcome Summary

After simplifying the logo, 57% of participants recognized all three brand values: quality, community, and sustainability.

Feedback confirmed the gorilla’s warmth and charm made the design memorable, while removing “Coffee Shop” added clarity and a more modern appeal. These insights shaped the final version and strengthened the logo’s emotional impact.

Style Guide

Style Guide

To ensure consistency across digital and physical touchpoints, I created a lightweight style guide outlining The Whole Bean’s core colors, typography, logo usage, and spacing. This guide supports clear, cohesive brand expression wherever the logo appears—from packaging to social to merchandise.

View Full style guide

Final Design Presentation

Final Design Presentation

Instagram post on a mobile mockup announcing a collab between The Whole Bean and Scoop & Co. The logo is centered beneath two featured treats—Harmony Bean (coffee-infused ice cream) and Scoop Symphony (vanilla iced coffee). Both debut at Java Jam, a live event celebrating local talent. Logo placement aligns with spacing guidelines, reinforcing flavor, community, and brand unity.
Responsive website mockup displaying desktop, tablet, and mobile views of The Whole Bean site. A rich latte art image and coffee plant leaves set a cozy, craft-coffee tone with the message “Welcome to The Whole Bean.” On desktop, the logo is centered in the nav bar—snug between menu items—respecting clear space rules and reinforcing the brand’s clean, balanced feel.
The Whole Bean’s logo pops on two eco-friendly packages: a brown kraft coffee bag with a peek at whole beans inside, and a teal tin canister of Cascara tea. Designed to feel fresh and intentional, the packaging balances sustainability with shelf appeal—sticking to clear-space rules without losing charm.
A tall, sleek mug cleverly delivers The Whole Bean’s brand message. On the front, “But first” appears above the logo—styling the message in a way that’s playful, spatially aware, and unmistakably on-brand. On the back, a blur of hectic morning phrases—“Get the kids ready,” “Where’s my socks,” “Get to work by 9”—builds tension that the front gently resolves. It’s a visual reminder that before the chaos, there’s always The Whole Bean.
A navy blue T-shirt delivers The Whole Bean’s brand message with crisp, clever style. On the front, “But first” appears above the logo, using scale and placement to turn the shirt into a walking invitation for calm and clarity. The rich navy tone flatters all skin tones and elevates the everyday, while the logo’s metallic border pops against the fabric—blending cozy comfort with a polished, intentional look.
A business card for The Whole Bean, showcasing a clean, confident brand presence. The front displays the logo centered on a rich brown background, with scattered coffee beans adding warmth and texture. Strategic margin spacing lets the logo shine. On the back, the brand message “But first,,, The Whole Bean” is styled in text. Just below, a short tagline—“Fresh-roasted. Flavor-rich. Unforgettable.”—offers a glimpse of the brand’s personality and promise. Followed by contact details.
Accessibility Considerations

Accessibility Considerations

Accessibility was thoughtfully integrated into both the case study and supporting brand materials. My goal throughout was to make the experience enjoyable and engaging for both listeners and viewers—using inclusive, user-first language to reflect how people interact with content in different ways. Since this project is highly visual, I focused on crafting alt text that supports non-visual storytelling—descriptive, emotionally aligned, and paced to echo the onscreen experience. I wanted screen reader users to feel the same warmth, charm, and design personality that visual viewers experience. I also used strong color contrast in text for legibility, and designed the logo to remain readable across varied backgrounds.

What I Learned

What I Learned

Working on this logo was an enriching journey that immersed me in the world of coffee lovers. I visited local shops, sampled blends, and observed how atmosphere, flavor, and branding shape the customer experience.

Through each iteration, I learned to align design with meaning—crafting a logo that reflects the brand and connects with real people. This project deepened my empathy, adaptability, and belief in the power of thoughtful feedback—skills I’ll carry into every future project.

Working on this logo was an enriching journey that immersed me in the world of coffee lovers. I visited local shops, sampled blends, and observed how atmosphere, flavor, and branding shape customer experience. This hands-on research showed me how UX blends visual creativity with practical purpose.

Through each iteration, I learned to align design with meaning—crafting a logo that reflects the brand and connects with real people. This project deepened my empathy, adaptability, and belief in the power of thoughtful feedback—skills I’ll carry into every future project.