Taste of Havana

Design: Kaitlyn McKamey
Location: United States
Project Type: Student Project
School: Ball State University
Course: Design: Research and Professional Practice
Tutor: Shantanu Suman
Packaging Contents: Truck, Food Packaging
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Paper

Taste of Havana provides authentic and traditional Cuban Cuisine to the Indianapolis area. The restaurant is run by a father-daughter duo who strives to reflect their Cuban heritage and the traditions through the menu. They are most known for their sandwiches, black bean soup, and Cuban coffees. My research of the Taste of Havana included browsing their website, direct contact with the owner, research of Cuban food, and visiting the restaurant itself.

When it came to the identity for Taste of Havana, I wanted to make a more simplified and universal identity than their current branding. The typeface I chose is to reflect the text found of traditional Cuban travel posters. The logo can be used vertical and horizontal lockups and includes a tagline. The food truck is wrapped in illustrations inspired by criollo which is the traditional Cuban ingredients used when cooking. The style of the illustrations reflects some of the linework also found in Cuban travel posters. The name is visible on all sides of the truck and the back advertises their social media accounts as well.

Through online research and speaking to the owner, I condensed the menu down to the most popular items. It included sandwich options, a variety of sides, drinks, and kid-friendly options. The packaging, design-wise, is similar to the truck wrap with the same color use and the illustrations. The packaging elements include a sandwich box, coffee cup, and bowls for the various sides.

What’s Unique?
What makes this design unique is the use of illustration and color. The colors are reflective of their current branding and make the truck and packaging stand out among other food trucks. The illustration takes inspiration from Cuban culture but is not overwhelming.