Founded in 1976 by Ralph Colonna, John Farrell, and Jeffrey Caldewey as Colonna, Caldewey, Farrell: Designers, CF NAPA got its start as a design agency working with local companies in the Napa Valley. The proximity to wine country made the agency a natural choice for local wineries seeking design services. In 1982, Caldewey started his own company, and the design agency was renamed Colonna Farrell Design. Colonna & Farrell continued to forge relationships with Napa Valley icons such as Beringer, Robert Mondavi, Joseph Phelps, and Jordan and expanded their client base within the wine industry. In 1999, the agency moved their office from St. Helena to the city of Napa and was renamed CF NAPA.
In 2001, David Schuemann joined CF NAPA as the Creative Director shortly after the company had been acquired by the consumer packaging agency, Lipson Alport Glass & Associates (LAGA). During that time CF NAPA expanded into gourmet food, health and beauty, and spirits working with such companies as Anheuser-Busch, Diageo, William-Sonoma, and McCormick Spices.
In 2002, LAGA made the decision to divest several of their offices including CF NAPA, their west coast office. David and his wife, Lisa Schuemann, purchased the assets of CF NAPA from LAGA and made the strategic decision to pivot the focus of the agency to exclusively alcohol beverages. Over the past 24 years, CF NAPA has grown to be recognized globally as an expert in the alcohol beverage category.
For 50 years, CF NAPA has played an integral part in developing what is considered today the contemporary wine label. Their work has been featured in several museums including the MOMA and is part of the AIGA Design Archives and permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Today, CF Napa continues to work in wine, beer and spirits and in recent years has expanded into the exciting new subcategory of non-alcoholic wine and spirits. The firm’s capabilities today include Brand Strategy, Story Development, Naming, Logos, Primary & Secondary Packaging, Custom Bottles, Print Materials, and Websites.
