Baya Hibe

ABOUT
Francesco’s Cafe and Gourmet Coffee started out as a vision that owners Scott and Sheree Williams had of starting a small upscale breakfast and lunch spot. Their dream was to bring together people with great food and gourmet coffees. A place where groups could come and meet, business meetings could be held, and friends could get together and linger over laughter and long conversations. A place that felt as comfortable as home, with exceptional food. Scott and Sheree Williams reached out and wanted to package designed for their upcoming chocolates.

RESEARCH
To create a unique brand packaging for the standalone product, it was necessary to distinguish it from the general chocolate packaging. I approached this challenge by developing a brand name and concept that captured the distinctive features and cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic. Drawing inspiration from my research and self-reflection, I decided on the name “Bayahibe,” which refers to a vibrant flower commonly found in the region. I recognized that the people of the Dominican Republic express their identity through vibrant and colorful imagery, and thus incorporated this aesthetic into the branding concept.

RESULT
In my role as a designer, I prioritized developing packaging that would endure over time and reflect the Dominican Republic’s diverse cultural heritage. To achieve this goal, I created a repeated pattern of cocoa seeds that could be incorporated across all packaging designs. By using this pattern, I sought to showcase the Dominican Republic’s long history of cocoa production and its significance to the region’s economy and identity. This design approach ensured that the packaging would effectively convey the country’s rich cultural legacy to consumers.