Kilian & Close are chocolatiers producing high quality bars out of a workshop in Rostock, Germany. The concept of this small bean-to-bar producer is making finest handmade chocolates in the most natural way by combing simple recipes and finest ingredients with transparency in sourcing. The task consisted of creating a corporate design and packaging in keeping with the brands position in the high-end confectionery market. The company’s philosophy required an ecologically sound design establishing sustainability & neutrality with a luxurious finish.

Focusing on the keywords renewable, replenishable & biodegradable the packaging is built around minimalizing its ecological footprint by combing exceptionally sustainable materials with minimal use of resources. The folding design of the outer box requires no glue, minimizes material consumption and can be used for all the companies chocolate varieties. The box is made from unbleached, uncoated FCS-certified cardboard with the company logo imprinted in gold via hot-stamping process to contrast the natural material of the box. The labels serving both as a seal for the box and to distinguish the different varieties are made from agricultural waste, printed with plant-based inks and are coated with a water-based adhesive making the packaging home-compostable.

The labels themselves sport a base colour (White, Brown Black) determining the type of chocolate (White, Milk, Dark) with an accentuating bright colour specifying the exact variety (i.e. Hazelnut, Pistachio etc.). Cocoa content, type of cocoa bean, origin of the cocoa, variety and a scale for the intensity in flavour are clearly positioned on the front of the packaging providing the consumer with all relevant information while minimizing size.