Victory! At the Sprudge Design Awards

It is with great joy and pride that I announce that we have won the Sprudge Design Awards 2024 in the Outstanding Packaging, Seasonal / Limited Edition category. Such recognition is much more than just an award: It is the recognition of applied, creative and innovative work.

What are the Sprudge Design Awards?

The Sprudge Design Awards are a competition that recognizes the best designs in the coffee industry worldwide. For this second edition, Sprudge presented 23 categories highlighting presentation and conceptual innovation in the world of coffee.

These include prestigious categories such as Outstanding Design Collaboration, Outstanding E-Commerce / Website, Outstanding Packaging Whole Bean Coffee, Best Home Coffee Design of the Year and, of course, the category we competed in: Outstanding Packaging Seasonal or Limited Edition .

In total, nearly 40 designers and roasters submitted their concepts, with more than 115 unique designs first evaluated by a panel of design and coffee experts and then put to a public vote.

In such a context, winning gold is a real triumph.

The announcement

On January 17, 2025, early in the afternoon, I received a message from Robyn, a communicator at Sprudge:

" Hello and congratulations on behalf of everyone at Sprudge — thank you so much for your participation in our Second Annual Sprudge Design Awards! We are delighted to announce that you are a winner!"

I was simply shocked. I sat behind my screen, rereading word by word to make sure it wasn't just a thank you message for my participation.

Doubt

Honestly, I didn't think I would win.

Part of me hoped I would win the award, and I knew my vision was out of the ordinary (no one had yet explored and presented the world of coffee like I had). And yet, doubt took hold of me.

Thinking differently, proposing something that's never been done before... it can also have the opposite effect of what was hoped for. Is it imposter syndrome that's taken over me? Maybe I just wasn't giving myself enough credibility.

And let's be honest: we didn't have the odds in our favour.

This competition was primarily based on the popularity of the brands, the roasters. As Brûlerie du Quai , a small, isolated speciality coffee roaster in a place where people come first for the beach and the lobster rolls and then discover us by chance, simply because that there are no other good cafes nearby.

To be able to stand out against top-tier rivals like Dayglow, Origin , and Phil & Sebastian Coffee – American and European roasters with communities of between 30,000 and 70,000 followers, while we have barely 5,000. It almost seemed like a lost cause.

The thing is that they also did a very good job. Visually, their products are of excellent quality, their artistic direction, their creative application – everything was of exceptional quality. With all this competition and such professionalism in front of me, it was It was like diving into a pool full of ravenous sharks, wearing nothing but a Speedo. I felt small, slightly scared, but I won't go down that easily. I'm ready to fight!

The victory

[I was waiting to have the trophy before announcing the news, because making a half-hearted announcement, with nothing to prove, is just not my style.]

Despite all the disadvantages

Geographically, linguistically, popularly, budgetarily, it was with my vision, my dedication and my determination that I managed to beat them.

This recognition goes far beyond a trophy: it places Brûlerie du Quai on the international map of exceptional coffee. It opens doors, attracts the attention of enthusiasts, and proves that innovation can come from a small corner of Gaspésie. This is just the beginning.

As Like David against Goliath , like the Gauls against the Romans, one should never underestimate the smaller, supposedly weaker ones. This story is a lesson in humility , but also a lesson in self-confidence, in one's ideas, in one's vision. I never thought I would learn so much by entering this competition.

But what made the difference?

Why did our ensemble stand out against coffee giants? It all goes back to a question Dany, the CEO, asked me three years ago...

The question

"Diego, what do you think of our Advent calendar (2021 edition)?"

He wanted to know what went wrong and, more importantly, what needed to be done to raise the bar. He mandated me to create a version that fused the vision, the values, and the quality of the products.

In my head, my first response was, "Well, those are twenty-thousand-dollar questions... so cough up the cash!" But more seriously, I told him, "That's a tricky one worth thinking about. Give me a few days."

(I also wanted to spare him my comments on the whole thing, because, to be honest, from my point of view, everything was wrong.)

The idea takes shape

Three years later (I'll spare you my thought process, the moments of doubt, creative angst and finally the relief, the epiphany), I present to him something new, something unexplored.

A minimalist, modern and pure version.

01 | sustainability and longevity
A fully recyclable box, without over-packaging, designed to be delivered as-is.

02 | quality and excellence
A case containing 24 exceptional single-origin coffees, including 7 Cup of Excellence award-winning lots.

03 | presentation
A futuristic and refined design, dressed in a charcoal dress and adorned with minimalist iconography inspired by both ancient petroglyphs and the precise lines of futurism.

Accompanied by an immersive graphic guide, exploring the world of coffee on a microscopic scale (from bean to soil, fermentation and other influences essential to the sensory experience). This guide delves into the heart of each coffee tasted: origin, terroir, botanical variety, processing method, and optimal extraction.

 

 

Beyond design, a vision

My goal? To transcend the ordinary and venture where few have gone, to elevate coffee from a commodity to an art form.

Each coffee is crafted with passion, and my work is a tribute to the producers. I wanted a design that embodies beauty and purity. A heightened presentation of these rare and extraordinary coffees.

Thank you very much

I would like to express my infinite gratitude to Brûlerie du Quai for the complete trust they have placed in me. Having the freedom to create and apply my ideas to their products is a gift I will always cherish.

And above all, thank you.

Thank you to everyone who voted for our discovery kit. Your support means the world to me. This award isn't just a medal: it's a reflection of your love for my work, my design, my vision, and, of course, for Brûlerie du Quai.

This award proves that here, in Gaspésie, in Québec, we have our place among the best roasters in the world.

Conclusion: a positive impact

Let's take a moment to watch the confetti fall. This victory, much more than a simple award, marks a turning point. For me, it's a springboard, an impetus to go even further, to innovate and surprise. I realize that my vision is recognized, that my creativity has its place, and I intend to continue pushing it ever further.

For Brûlerie du Quai, this is an important milestone in our journey. This recognition only reinforces our commitment to creating exceptional products and pushing the boundaries of innovation. More than ever, we are determined to reinvent the coffee experience and tell unique stories through our expertise and passion.

The best is yet to come, and we can't wait to share it with you.

Let's celebrate together! Share this news, come see us, and most importantly, continue exploring the world of coffee with us. This victory is yours too.

Thank you for everything,

Diego Salvador
Art Director