Mohawk Blog

Five Deliciously Designed Stocking Stuffers

Words

Jessie Kuhn

December 09, 2015

Chocolate packaging, to say the least, is tasty. It fills blogs, pages of magazines, and influences buying behaviors in grocery aisles, boutiques, and specialty food stores alike.

Something about chocolate and good design just walk hand-in-hand, especially when it comes to gourmet and artisan chocolate. It’s an industry that just seems to “get” the deliciousness of good design and thoughtful packaging. In fact, when Vanity Fair featured chocolatiers and brothers Rick and Michael Mast, founders of Mast Brothers, the article stated: “The hefty paper with its fanciful designs has attracted as much a following as their dark chocolate itself.”

Gourmet chocolate packaging also has seemingly hit a sweet spot as it doubles as a gift wrap for what awaits the recipient inside. And as the holidays approach, you’ll likely find yourself gazing at the sweets when contemplating stocking stuffers or quick gift ideas. In fact, the fun or sophisticated packaging enclosing chocolate bars is enough to make me want to impulse buy my way through each gifting decision. Here are six chocolate bars with scrumptious packaging designs that have caught my eye and sweet tooth.

An arrangement of chocolate bars by Mast Bros

One:

Mast Brothers

Mast Brothers was founded in 2007 with a devotion to craftmanship and an attention to detail that extends from the flavors of each chocolate, with variations like maple, olive oil, and goat milk, to the exterior of each paper package that encloses them.

[Editor’s Note: The Mast Brothers choose Mohawk Via Felt Cream White (Expressive Collection) for their beautifully designed packaging.]

Two:

Maverick Chocolate Co.

Maverick Chocolate Co. is a family-owned and operated Cincinnati-based bean-to-bar chocolate producer. After years of dreaming of opening their own family business, Paul and Marlene Picton along with their family took the plunge into life as entrepreneurs with a suitable name—Maverick—for such a risky endeavor. “Mavericks question the norm … that’s what we’re doing with chocolate,” says Ben Picton, chocolate maker, marketing guru, and son of Paul and Malene. “You can see everything going on [at the storefront and kitchen]. Simple ingredients and ethically sourced beans.” Looking at the packaging, designed by Jessica Jones, you’ll notice an aviation theme that celebrates flying machines as well as the “mavericks” behind each endeavor. This nod to aviation also pays homage to the shop’s founder. “My dad has been an aerospace engineer his whole life,” Ben says.

Three:

Compartés Chocolate Bars

Compartés Chocolate Bars, featured recently on Bon Appétit’s 31 Gifts Under $50 article, are made of organic chocolate and the producer is based in Los Angeles. With wonky flavors like Birthday Cake, Cereal Bowl, and Donuts & Coffee, it’s no surprise that the packaging is just as exciting as what’s wrapped inside.

Four:

Batch Craft

It’s no wonder that the masterminds behind South Carolina-based Batch Craft chocolates are designers. Tamara Lavalla and Zan Maddox infuse not just their small-batch chocolates with craftsmanship, but the sleek and minimalist packaging that encloses the chocolate as well.

Five:

Chuao Chocolatier

Photography and captivating copywriting shine with the packaging of Chuao Chocolatier, with ingredients shown in the most savory ways for creative flavor combinations like baconluxious, strawberry waffle wild, and pretzel toffee twirl. Founded in 2002 by Master Chef Michael Antonorsi and Richard Antonorsi, the Venezuelan chocolatiers and brothers have set up shop in southern California.