Tea doesn’t have to be delicate china cups and little sandwiches; it can be wild and adventurous if you let it. Exmoor Tea Co. wanted to stir things up in an otherwise stale area of the food and beverage industry.
Exmoor Tea Co. hopes to break free from the conventional tea industry norms and craft a brand that would disrupt the market. The goal was to position the brand and create a visual language that embodied its bold, rebellious spirit while staying true to its roots in Exmoor, UK. We need the new visual identity to stand out in an overly crowded marketplace and reflect a commitment to sustainability.
Teapot jumped right into bringing Exmoor Tea's bold attitude to life, taking inspiration from the raw, windswept landscape of Exmoor and developing a brand born of rebelliousness and authenticity. The 'X' in Exmoor became a key visual signpost, symbolising the search for treasure and adventure; the tagline 'Hits the Spot' then skilfully ties into both the product's exceptional quality and the moor’s mysterious history of pirates and smugglers.
"Exmoor Tea like to stir things up. They love a good cuppa and believe in honest ingredients that are expertly blended and packed here in the South West. For them, it's about thoughtful living, connected to nature and our surroundings; that's why all their packaging and tea is ethically sourced and sustainable. Get brewing."
Luke, Head of Creative
We developed an engaging, layered design system for the packaging - patterns of intertwining plants from Exmoor in a range of bold colours. Each blend had its own distinct colour palette, allowing for clear differentiation while maintaining a consistent, striking presence on shelves. Our intricate illustrations were inspired by the natural landscape of Exmoor, giving the packaging a handcrafted feel while ensuring it stays contemporary.
The branding and packaging design made a real impact in the food and beverage world, helping Exmoor Tea Co. stand out from other more traditional, conservative tea brands. With a memorable visual identity, bold packaging, and a tone that speaks to its rebellious nature, Exmoor Tea has truly gained a loyal following.
And isn't that exactly what you want you want from this kind of project? The business garnered the Taste of the West gold awards for four years running (2021-2024), which cemented the effectiveness of Teapot’s approach to brand.
Rachel and Kenny, the owners of ETC, infused their commitment to sustainability, covering ethical sourcing, compostable tea pyramids, and packaging from accredited forests. This is furthered with their 'Caremoor' initiative, whereby 5p from every pack goes toward preserving the Exmoor landscape.
"When creating our brand it was really important that the design agency could get into our heads and understand what we were trying to create. Luke and his team at Teapot not only did this, but exceeded our expectations both creatively and professionally."
Rachel McDonald, Owner
Exmoor Tea
Exmoor Tea Co. is the most daring and unconventional tea brand around, standing proudly apart from competitors in tradition. Their distinct positioning challenges the norm and brings some much-needed rebellious energy to the tea industry. It's reflected in the design of their packaging, where each blend has a strong shelf presence and the bright colour ways flow across boxes into a memorable and unique visual identity.
The success of this project, and the ongoing relationship between Teapot and ETC, can be seen in its tremendous track record, with four consecutive Taste of the West gold awards. Recognition like this underlines the effect of their bold branding and exceptional product quality, as well as the trust they put in Teapot.