INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
ZA-1 Roasters
Redefining the mid-market roasters for ZA Inc.
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01 BACKGRUOND & CONTEXT
About ZA
Founded in 2006 in Fuzhou, China, ZA Technology is one of the earliest companies in the nation to specialize in the research, design, and manufacturing of intelligent coffee roasting equipment.
MANUFACTURING
R&D
The Challenge
“Elevate our roaster design to meet the growing demand for high-performance equipment in China.”
ZA found themselves growingly uncompetitive in a market polarized by price wars and high-end import dominance. They needed a design language that communicated reliability and precision.
02 PRODUCT STRATEGY
Strategic Positioning
The ZA-1 Series avoids the race to the bottom by offering accessible premium quality. We target the "Prosumer" and "Independent Café" segments.
"Professional performance shouldn't require a second mortgage, nor should affordable equipment look like industrial scrap."
PERSONA PROFILE
Henry
OWNER @ COFFEEDAN
Requires a machine that can roast 100kg/week consistently and looks good enough to sit in the front of his cafe.
CORE NEEDS
→ Aesthetics for display
→ Local repairs
→ Data logging
FRUSTRATIONS
→ Import duties
→ Long lead times
COFFEEDAN
(HENRY'S CAFE)
HENRY IS ROASTING COFFEE BEANS
HENRY IS ROASTING COFFEE BEANS
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ZA-1S
Specialty Commercial
BATCH CAPACITY
15 KG
TARGET BUYERS
Specialty cafés wanting high performance without premium import pricing
Café owners upgrading from European brands but seeking lower cost + easier maintenance
Cast Iron Drum
ZA-1H
Home & Sample
BATCH CAPACITY
200 G
TARGET BUYERS
Home roasters testing bean varieties
Small cafés needing consistent sample profiling
Electric
Compact
