Project 03
Chobani Portable Blender
Role: Industrial Designer
How might we translate Chobani's brand values into a handheld kitchen appliance they've never made?
Chobani doesn't make hardware. But if they did, what would it feel like? This concept project started with a question: what happens when you apply a food brand's DNA to a product category they don't own yet?
The Form Decisions
Most handheld blenders have a wide, slippery grip that requires force to hold. I interpreted inclusive as physical accessibility — a slender waist that's easier to grip for more people. The original reference blender was genuinely hard to open. That had to change.
Generous became a structural decision. The blending vessel inverts to become a drinking glass. The product gives you more than you expect from it.
The Process
I disassembled a handheld blender to understand its internal components and constraints, then built sketch models and foam prototypes to explore the form.
This project is a concept.
Form Exploration
Starting with sketch models
Refinement
Final Concept
Brand Analysis
I identified two core Chobani values: inclusive and generous. Inclusive because their products are accessible to everyone regardless of background or budget. Generous because giving is built into how they operate as a company. Those two words became my design brief.
Mechanism Analysis
Before designing the exterior, I disassembled an existing handheld blender to understand its internal architecture.
Key components: a PCB housing the charging port and on/off button, a magnetic activation system that prevents the motor from running when the blade is exposed, two integrated batteries, and a motor with a direct blade attachment.
The interaction logic is simple: aligning the bottle triggers the magnet, which tells the PCB the blade is covered and safe to activate. The button then completes the circuit, powering the motor.
The existing system works. My one change: the batteries are permanently attached, making them unrepairable and eventually disposable. A replaceable battery system would extend the product's life and align better with Chobani's values around giving and sustainability.
Issues with Existing Design
You can turn on the device with the top is open. The magnet activation is only for the bottom. Who wants to see blades while they drink?
It’s hard to open a wide grip especially when wet.
Heavy weight distribution while drinking.