Elevating DeZaan’s cocoa brand through packaging and digital storytelling that champions ethical sourcing, craftsmanship, and conscious culinary creativity.
Capturing the power of chocolate to enrich both palate and planet meant rethinking how quality, responsibility, and creativity come together in the food industry. As expectations around ethical sourcing and sustainability continue to rise, the challenge was to communicate not just the exceptional flavour of DeZaan’s cocoa, but the positive impact behind it. By bringing the story of provenance, craftsmanship, and responsible production to the forefront, the experience was designed to inspire chefs and makers to create with greater awareness — enriching the dishes they serve while supporting people and the planet at every stage of the journey.
It’s no longer enough for brands in the food industry to rely solely on the highest quality ingredients — responsible and ethical sourcing has become just as important. This was a reality that leading chocolate manufacturer DeZaan was deeply committed to making clear, credible, and tangible for the chefs and restaurateurs using their products, as well as for the producers behind them.
We helped DeZaan give their packaging a stronger role in education and storytelling, turning it into a tool that clearly communicated the provenance, values, and potential of their cocoa beans. Supported by a complementary digital experience, this approach enabled deeper engagement with the chef community, helping them better understand where ingredients come from, how they are produced, and how their choices can unlock both flavour and positive impact.
Chefs and restaurateurs play a critical role in shaping the food experiences they create, and that responsibility begins with the ingredients they choose. DeZaan wanted the restaurant community to better understand what this responsibility truly means — from farm to pack to plate — by making the journey of each ingredient more visible, tangible, and meaningful. This meant not only highlighting the origin of their cocoa beans, but also encouraging chefs to reflect on their own role in how those ingredients are selected, used, and brought to life in the kitchen.
To support this shift in thinking, a new, engaging pack design and dedicated microsite were developed to work seamlessly together. These touchpoints helped drive deeper engagement by combining storytelling, education, and inspiration, allowing chefs and makers to explore the full potential of DeZaan’s cocoa. In doing so, the experience helped the restaurant community better appreciate how their choices can positively influence flavour, people, and the planet.