Chocolate Packaging Design Ideas

Chocolate is arguably one of the best and easiest gifts one could give. Chocolate works for any occasion or holiday and comes in a variety of different flavors and shapes. In 2014 alone, the chocolate industry was worth $100 billion, increasing by $20 billion from the previous year. So it’s hard to argue against chocolate’s global impact.

It is just for that reason that it's essential to protect chocolate at all costs. But, there are plenty of things businesses can do to make the outside of chocolate packaging as appealing as what's inside.

Why Chocolate Packaging Is Important

Many believe that consumers don't care about the shipping boxes or packaging and rush to eat the chocolate inside. However, that’s not accurate. 

Research shows that chocolate packaging and its marketing play a much more significant role in consumer decisions than one might realize. These aspects on the packaging include;

• Color
• Information on packet
• Percentage of chocolate
• Nationality of chocolate
  
  

All play important roles as deciding factors for purchase and who the chocolate is going to.

These days, there are so many different brands of chocolate that it is no surprise that people are having a more challenging time picking. The chocolate industry is estimated to have grown to a worth of about $137 billion and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. 

As a result, it's becoming more important for chocolate companies to separate themselves from the mold and not solely rely on their product.

Chocolate Packaging Explains Intent

And just as versatile as chocolate is, its gift purpose can be easily skewed to mean many things based on the packaging. You want to give a heart-shaped box of chocolates to your significant other but want to avoid that same gift for your boss when invited over for dinner. 

The chocolate is delicious in both instances, but one chocolate package is more appropriate than the other. 

However, this also benefits companies and marketing. For example, changing the box design choices for the packaging for specific events gives consumers a better reason to purchase your product. 

Holidays like Valentine's Day, Halloween, and Christmas are typically the most popular occasions where someone purchases chocolate. As a result, companies make the most bang for their buck when investing in different package designs to fit these occasions.

Chocolate Packaging and Brand Identity

While chocolate packaging should emphasize the function and protection of chocolate, it is equally vital that it gives a personality to the product and company. 

Unfortunately, research shows that many companies are not taking full advantage of logo descriptiveness when communicating company ideals, whether familiar or unfamiliar logos.

The top companies spend a lot of money researching the perfect logo and brand. Your company can do the same. 

People make subconscious connections to the shapes and colors seen in logos. For example, buyers typically associate companies with circular logos as kind-hearted. Whereas consumers usually connect companies with angular logos as serious and methodical.

Whether a company decides to go for either side of the spectrum is up to them. Although, it is essential to make sure that the company's intent isn't lost in translation.

Standout Chocolate Logos

While the company logo and chocolate box must convey the proper intent of the chocolate, it is equally important to break through the mold. Unfortunately, there are too many chocolate bars these days that are beginning to mesh with each other. Whether or not they all taste great, the problem is that it's hard to differentiate between them.

Taking the time to create an original, memorable chocolate logo and package is key to remaining in consumers' heads long after they have devoured your product. The best chocolate companies only have to make minor updates to their logos and packaging because they know how deeply ingrained it is to their audience. The perfect logo should have:

• An Aesthetic Appeal: Customers should easily look at the packages and understand the message.
• Versatility: The perfect chocolate box should look great on paper and factories, delivery trucks, and even magazines. It should especially look great on shelves in grocery stores.
• Relevance: If the chocolate company's packaging does not immediately explain the gift's intent, try incorporating other aspects of the industry into the design choice. If the company has something to do with a different country, try incorporating that into the design.

Examples of Great Chocolate Packaging

To get the ball rolling on some creative packaging ideas, here are some great design choices that will inspire the production process.

Utopick Chocolates

Utopick Chocolates goes for a more minimalistic design approach to its chocolates. Each chocolate gift is packaged simply in white wrappers with simple accent colors, ribbons, and minimalist packaging. 

The packaging communicates that the company is distinguished, doesn't rely on flashy colors to sell its products, and cares for the environment.

More often than not, minimalist packaging puts consumers at ease because less clutter leaves a better impression of the quality of the product.

A good minimalistic designed package conveys the company message or intent without superfluous content. This works because there are fewer distracting factors to consider when studying the box.

Arcobaleno Chocolate

Arcobaleno Chocolate is shipped in boxes of its signature black. The impression is left after you open the box and the bright fruit colors jump out. The company specializes in imaginative fruit-flavored chocolate candy, so it incorporates the colorful design of the fruit in the middle to pop off the black wrapper.

The combination of the plain black background sharply contrasted by the colorful fruit is an excellent example of a middle ground between minimalist and bright design. It's simple and effectively communicates to consumers what fruit flavors to expect from the chocolate.

Beau Cacao

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Beau Cacao uses complicated geometric maze designs on its packages. This can work because the wrapper and chocolate’s pattern complement each other. Not only that, but the labyrinth is a light gold color, which draws in the consumer's gaze almost in a hypnotic way. 

The inside chocolate formation also compliments that outside pattern. The chocolate is cut into different diamond shapes, with a square piece in the middle that has the company logo. The chocolate shapes effectively stand out from the typical rectangle shapes most people expect from chocolates.

But notice Beau Cacao’s multipack packaging. It’s simple with a white background and its signature deep-purple font and logo. So every step of the unboxing journe of this chocolate is taken into account. You start minimally, gasp at the wrapping, and then find a unique piece of chocolate inside.

Chocolate Packaging Representing Your Brands Voice

A decent chocolate box is worth a thousand words, communicating everything about the quality of the chocolate and the company. The chocolate brand’s shipping package, and it’s display packaging must be taken just as seriously as what's inside.

Remember, custom designed shipping and displays help your chocolate stand out in the sea of competitors which is why the companies we’ve referred to put so much thought into every step of their chocolate’s journey, not just the chocolate itself.

Your next step is to Visit Box Genie and start designing your custom chocolate packaging today. 

Sources:

1. Cocoa prices and income of farmers | makechocolatefair.org 
2. (PDF) An empirical study on the relationship of purchasing a chocolate based on its packaging | researchgate.net 
3. Let the Logo Do the Talking: The Influence of Logo Descriptiveness on Brand Equity - Jonathan Luffarelli, Mudra Mukesh, Ammara Mahmood, 2019 | journals.sagepub.com