Charcoal Crew
Project Overview:
Charcoal Crew is an Australian supplier of premium barbecue charcoal, offering a range of products tailored for grilling enthusiasts, restaurants, and BBQ retailers. My collaboration began with developing their brand identity, starting with a bold, fire-inspired logo design that captured their rustic, no-nonsense personality. Impressed with the branding outcome, the Charcoal Crew team returned for a packaging design project—specifically for their flagship product, BBQ Premium Lump Charcoal. Following the successful packaging rollout, they commissioned me to design and develop their full WooCommerce website, aiming to bring their online presence up to the same professional standard and better serve a growing customer base.
Design Challenge & Goals:
Charcoal Crew wanted to establish themselves as a trusted, quality-first brand in a product category often overlooked online. The key goals across all deliverables were to:
- Develop a strong, recognizable brand identity starting with a logo that reflects the heat, energy, and tradition of real BBQ.
- Create packaging for their BB1 charcoal line that stands out in-store and conveys product quality and purpose at a glance.
- Build a responsive, modern eCommerce website that simplifies product discovery, educates users on charcoal types, and makes purchasing frictionless.
Process:
1. Branding & Logo Design:
The logo was designed to reflect the core product—charcoal—while evoking the experience of live-fire grilling. We used a rugged, stencil-style typeface paired with a stylized flame/grill icon. The color palette focused on charcoal gray, ember orange, and burnt wood brown—a natural, high-contrast mix that became foundational to all future visual assets. The tone was masculine, bold, and unfiltered—true to the culture of slow-smoked BBQ.
2. Packaging Design – BBQ Charcoal:
The BBQ bag design needed to be functional for retail display and shipping, yet visually arresting. We used the established brand colors with large, easy-to-read typography and flame iconography to communicate “premium BBQ charcoal” even from a distance. Design considerations included:
- Strong shelf presence through high-contrast labeling.
- Product specs (e.g., wood type, burn time) made easy to read.
- Heat and fire motifs used subtly to hint at performance.
The result was a modern industrial look that could compete in both local and national BBQ supply chains.
3. Website Design & Development (WooCommerce):
Once the brand and product packaging were solidified, Charcoal Crew needed a website to match. We built a custom WooCommerce site focused on:
- Product showcase: Each type of charcoal (lump, briquettes, blends) is presented with detailed specs, ideal uses, and imagery.
- Conversion-first layout: Clean product grids, comparison features, and fast, mobile-optimized checkout flows.
- Educational content: A “Why Our Charcoal” page and blog articles covering grilling tips, charcoal comparisons, and FAQs helped support SEO and customer education.
Wireframes & UI:
Initial wireframes mapped user journeys from first visit through to purchase or wholesale inquiry. The homepage prioritized bold imagery, quick links to shop, and education. On desktop and mobile, navigation was designed to keep charcoal categories and educational content just a tap away. Visual UI emphasized dark backgrounds with fire-accented CTAs, creating a bold but welcoming interface.
Visual Design:
I translated the brand’s gritty, fire-forward aesthetic into a digital experience using textured backgrounds (charcoal, woodgrain), a bold slab-serif font for headlines, and warm accent tones. Product images featured close-ups of charcoal textures, glowing embers, and fire-in-use scenarios. Design was kept functional, prioritizing product clarity and accessibility for both casual and experienced grillers.
Development & Optimization:
The website was built on WordPress using WooCommerce with:
- Fully responsive design for seamless mobile usability.
- Integrated product schema for SEO-rich listings.
- CDN and image optimization for high-res assets.
The client was trained to manage content, update products, and monitor traffic using Google Analytics and WooCommerce reports.
Tools & Technologies:
- Design: Figma (UI/UX), Adobe Illustrator (logo & packaging), Photoshop (product mockups)
- Web: WordPress, WooCommerce, JavaScript, Yoast SEO
Results:
The Charcoal Crew brand saw immediate traction after launch. The new website became their central sales hub, driving direct-to-consumer orders and inquiries. Customers praised the clarity of product info and the polished, professional presentation. Key outcomes included:
- Positive retail feedback on BBQ packaging, citing shelf appeal and clarity.
- Multiple BBQ retailers and event vendors discovered the brand via the website and reached out for bulk supply.