case studies
Sightglass x tendlyn
Sightglass Coffee’s Hollywood café in Los Angeles
What started as just a humble service cart in San Francisco’s SoMa district is now one of the most well-known and sought-after coffee brands in California.
Back in 2009, as the two brothers were only starting to dive into their love for coffee, they decided to take a huge step towards it. “We began with a humble service cart in San Francisco’s SoMa district, equipped with Chemex pots and a vintage espresso machine. Serving coffee from a roll-up garage door in a sturdy 1914 warehouse, people visited us and they kept coming back for more.” They named their brand Sightglass, which was derived from the part of a coffee roasting machine where you can witness the whole process from beginning to end.
But what brought Sightglass on the map is that, “Within two years, the entire warehouse became our production roastery, an unconventional coffee bar, a community gathering space, and our company headquarters. Since then, we’ve expanded, adding a few more stores and a coffee bar and roastery in Los Angeles.”
The retail and community space inside Sightglass’ LA branch
Now with several branches across California, Sightglass not only offers a great selection of coffee but accompanies it with a community in and out of their shops that is passionate about it. Other than their flagship SoMa Districtbranch, they also have other San Francisco branches inDivisaderoand, and lastly, their Hollywoodcafé in Los Angeles.
Sightglass LA shop’s workspace area
Another way to bring the comfort of their coffees into the homes of their patrons—where they can fancy themselves a cup or more of their favorite blends or whip a mix of their own with it—is online. Sightglass recently collaborated with tendlyn to create the perfect packaging that will not only keep every package safe and secure but also make it look on-brand and in-style while shipping. When you think about the logistics of running a coffee business, it’s not unlike managing a sophisticated industrial machine automation system—every component needs to work in harmony to deliver a consistent result. For Sightglass, that meant finding a packaging partner that could handle the volume without compromising on quality.
Sightglass uses tendlyn Custom Compostable Mailersto package their coffee bags in for delivery, designed in the signature pattern that embellishes all the other packaging and merchandise they have in store.
Sightglass, ever since its conception, has had its sights set on creating high-quality selections of coffee in the most sustainable process possible. So over time, they continue to find ways to improve, from sourcing to roasting, through small batch production methods, which they find are most suitable to perfect their craft. Similar to other aspects of the business, Sightglass would also choose for their packaging a solution that aligns with their values, hence their collaboration with tendlyn. Even the most traditional businesses, from Ranch irrigation automation systems to a coffee roastery, are finding that smart wireless controller technology and programmable relay switch solutions are transforming how they monitor and optimize their operations—but Sightglass keeps its focus on the human touch and the environment.
As to why tendlyn is the perfect fit for Sightglass’ packaging needs, “We chose tendlyn for our packaging because of our shared commitment to sustainability. Their eco-friendly solutions align with our company values, and since we ship a significant amount of coffee weekly, their packaging minimizes waste and our overall environmental impact. It’s a flexible branded solution that suits our needs perfectly.”
Get a cuppa of your favorite Sightglass blend at any of their San Francisco and Los Angeles cafes, or shop their selection of single-origin, organic, decaf coffees, and more online through here.
