Dutch Bros Logo

Dutch Bros Logo PNG

The Dutch Bros logo has undergone a significant transformation in a short period of time. It has retained its main feature – authenticity, which has helped the chain become a major American franchise. The emblem played a significant role in this, as the transfer of standard rules involved the transfer of visual identity.

Meaning and History

Dane and Travis Boersma named their company in honor of immigrants from the Netherlands – grandparents who once moved to the United States. The name is a tribute to their ancestry. Over time, they developed a logo because the stationary kiosk required an informative sign. The first emblems were text-based and consisted only of the name. But as the product range expanded, the emblems became more diverse.

What is Dutch Bros?

Dutch Bros is a cafe chain in the United States that has quickly turned into a franchise. They serve several types of coffee with pastries and refreshing beverages. The brand was founded by the Boersma brothers in 1992. The headquarters are located in Grants Pass, Oregon.

1992 – 1993

A simple inscription, “Dutch Bros,” written in thin sans-serif letters, replaced the logo. It served an informative purpose rather than a marketing one. This was a typical sign indicating the name of the kiosk and the type of drink they served: Dutch Bros + Coffee. The second part of the name was separate and executed in a different style, resembling a handwritten italic inscription.

1993 – 1999

After increasing the number of sales outlets and raising the demand for hot and cold drinks, the management decided to work on the brand’s identity seriously. As a result, a real emblem was introduced, taking into account:

• the type of product offered;
• the target segment of consumers;
• ease of reading;
• graphic uniqueness.

All of this was embodied in a text-based emblem with a three-level inscription. In the first line, the word “Dutch” was placed at an angle, most notably in the “D” and “u.” The second row was more level but also had a slight tilt, traceable in the letter “B,” where the left corner was lower than the right one. Both fragments were colored in dark coffee and outlined with a yellow border. The third line consisted of the inscription “Coffee” – less formal than the first two. It was red-gold, handwritten, connected, and italic. The “C” loomed over the “o,” capturing it inside, making it look like an orbit.

1999 – 2016

When Dutch Bros became a franchise, the owners once again focused on its visual identity. To emphasize the high significance of the brand, its popularity, and its uniqueness, they commissioned a new logo. It highlighted the high status of the establishment and marked each location, demonstrating the network’s integrity. This time, the base element was a windmill, indicating that:

• coffee is made from freshly ground beans, so it’s always aromatic;
• the company is connected with the Netherlands, where windmills are an important part of history.

The windmill had the shape of a classic pyramidal structure with four curved blades. The dynamism of the emblem was added by the “grid” of the wings: such improvised squares were once used to make blades that rotated the millstones under the pressure of the wind.

At the bottom was the name. It was typed in a grotesque font. The letters were bold, blue, and had a white outline. Next to each character was a grayish haze, indicating a shadow. The designers kept the tradition and left the word “Coffee” italic, handwritten, red-orange, with an elegant yellow border.

2016 – 2021

The Dutch Bros logo of those years contained a linear inscription with a graphic element placed in front. This role was fulfilled by a miniature windmill, fully colored in blue. In this version, the designers removed all shadows, outlines, and small details. They also designed the inscription in a unified style, removing the italics and red-brick colors. The letters were all uniform: printed, strict, and without serifs.

2021 – today

A vertical stripe now separates the windmill silhouette and the strict inscription. In order not to contrast with them, it is colored in the same blue, supporting the harmonious balance of the composition. At the same time, significant changes are noticeable. For example, the words “Dutch” and “Bros” are almost connected (they are at the top position), and “Coffee” (at the bottom right) has become italic, handwritten, and red-orange again, with a golden frame around each letter.

In addition, separate red, yellow, and blue stripes have appeared. They are successfully combined with the last part of the name, which serves as the apex and direction indicator, adding inner energy to the emblem. The beginning of the triple rainbow line aligns with the letter “D,” and it ends under the “o.”

Fonts and Colors

For the Dutch Bros logo, a strict Peignot Demi/Bold typeface in Art Deco style was chosen. It was developed in 1937 by typographer A. M. Cassandre for the French company Deberny & Peignot. Interestingly, the inscription in the emblem is typed in capital letters, but compared to the large “D” and “B,” all other characters look lowercase. The word “Coffee” has an italic font, reminiscent of a calligraphic inscription made by hand.

The corporate palette of the American coffee shop chain is historically associated with the Netherlands. The brothers sought to emphasize this from the very beginning since red and yellow are the colors of tulip fields. The tricolor stripe is a direct reflection of the long rows of bright tulips stretching across the expanses of the Netherlands. They are a symbol of the founders’ homeland and are closely related to Dutch culture.

The combination of blue and white effectively complements the striking palette. Moreover, two shades of blue are used in the logo: the dark one highlights the X-shaped form of the windmill wings, and the light one colors the vertical stripe, roof, window, and door. Although the eye hardly catches these nuances, they are, according to the designers, present.

Dutch Bros color codes