Superlatte wins Pentawards 2018 Food Trends Category

Cape Town beverage brand picks up bronze at 2018 Pentawards Ceremony, New York City Packaging designers from around the world had a chance to be honoured at the 2018 Pentawards Gala Ceremony, held September 6th at New York Cityʼs Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Among the entries was Cape Town based company Superlatte – which picked up the Bronze award in the Food Trends Category. Launched in 2007, the Pentawards is considered to be one of the most prestigious worldwide competitions, devoted exclusively to packaging design.

Each year, packaging from around the world is submitted and judged by an international jury of 12 respected designers, packaging design directors and marketing chiefs from major global brands.

Entered by Cape Town packaging designers, MARK Studio, the Superlatte 200g range scooped a Bronze Pentaward in the Food Trends category.

The award is a major achievement for the 2016 launched Superlatte, and MARK Studio – heralding the first win for the design shop, and the first win of its kind for a South African studio. Superlatte was also the only South African winner in the 2018 competition.

Founded in 2016 by advertising exec turned entrepreneur, Michelle Legge, Superlatte has become known for its Turmeric Latte Blend, a powdered beverage mix which features the anti-inflammatory powers of turmeric along with antioxidant spices. Turmeric as a ʻfunctional foodʼ is enjoying its moment in the sun, but the fascination is far from a passing trend.

The global rise of Turmeric Lattes, along with other Superlatte wins Pentawards 2018 Food Trends Category healthy latte creations like Beetroot and Matcha lattes has drummed up headlines in foodie, health and lifestyle publications alike.

What started in 2016 as a market stall at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market at Granger Bay serving batches of stove-top brewed almond milk turmeric lattes, quickly grew into a food service, and then retail oering. Market customers were asking about the recipe and how they could make our blends at home. From having been through the arduous recipe creation process, Legge knew that whipping up a perfectly balanced turmeric latte was no easy feat. The spices could fast become overpowering, so it was many nights of trial and error to get it right.

Market customer interest coupled with the upward trend around turmeric – Google reported a 56% increased in turmeric related searches in 2016, provided the encouragement to move from ready-made drinks served on Saturdays only, to a powdered version of the latte – on shelf in a 200g foil pouch.

Next followed a range of 3 avours, soon to be joined by 3 new adventurous plant-based blends. From humble beginnings at Cape Town farmers OZCF Farmers Market, today, Superlatte supplies over 170 cafes in South Africa, as well as retailers including Spar, Wellness Warehouse, Dischem, Yuppiechef, Faithful to Nature, and independent health food shops and delis. In late 2017 Superlatte started exporting to UK, where the self-funded startup supplies 60 cafes and counting. Superlatte also managed to crack Amazon.uk, and now Amazon France and Germany – no ordinary feat. See all the Pentawards 2018 winners here.