BrandOpus Designs New Packaging for Willie’s Cacao by Branding Magazine

BrandOpus has designed the packaging for a collection of gifting NPD from Willie’s Cacao. Wonders of the World and Black Pearls are the latest product innovations from the brand currently rolling out onto the shelves of Selfridges. Black Pearls and Wonders of the World are the first foray into gifting for the brand, which came to public fame through the Channel 4 TV documentary  ‘Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory’.

The design of Black Pearls and Wonders of the World build on the award winning partnership between BrandOpus and Willie’s Cacao. BrandOpus previously designed the identity and brand architecture across the portfolio.

As the only premium chocolate maker in the UK making cacao from ‘bean to bar’, Willie Harcourt-Cooze has been growing the product for the past 16 years at his Hacienda El Tesoro in Venezuela. Willie is continually travelling on a quest for great cacaos and he believes that just like fine wines, cacao beans have amazingly different flavour notes.

Willie Harcourt-Cooze, founder of Willie’s Cacao, says, “I want everyone to experience some of the awakening I did when I first tasted cacao. Our collaboration with BrandOpus  has brought to life the flavours of the different cacaos through design: Wonders and Black Pearls continue this fruitful partnership into exciting new territories for the brand”.

These different flavours can be sampled in groups of either three or five with Wonders of the World gift packs. Both packs take the taster on a voyage of discovery, accompanied by a  beautifully intricate map enclosed in the pack. The map is annotated with Willie’s notes, helping the consumer to navigate their way around the world of cacao flavours, each born of their specific genetics, soil and climate.

Black Pearls are available in two variants: Milk chocolate with a Hazelnut Praline centre and dark chocolate with Sea Salt Caramel.  The pearls are individually wrapped in gold foil and presented in a cube, outer packaging structure with windows into the contents within. The packaging features swirls depicted in a sumptuous spot varnish, increasing luxury cues.

Photos: BrandOpus

Avril Tooley, client services director at BrandOpus, says:  “It has been a fast moving year working with Willie. Our new identity has enabled us to develop a platform for NPD; we are now on the first step of a very exciting journey of brand growth. We are delighted that Willie’s Cacao has moved into the mainstream gifting category only four months after the initial redesign. ”