VANESSA VALLEJO CUNILLERA

(ART DIRECTION, COMMUNICATION DESIGN & SELF-PUBLISHING)


Kahkow USA:
Craft Chocolate Packaging System

Art Direction / Packaging /  Brand Identity

BACKGROUNDKahkow is a premium bean-to-bar chocolate brand from the Dominican Republic, renowned for its organic cacao, carefully cultivated through sustainable farming practices. As cacao growers, processors, and exporters, the company crafts exceptional products that honor the heritage of Dominican cacao. For their Brooklyn concept store, Kahkow needed a flexible packaging system that would represent the unique qualities of their 17 craft chocolate bars while maintaining a unified and authentic brand image.


SOLUTIONI developed a flexible packaging system that highlights each bar’s unique flavor profile. Each label showcases the distinctive tasting notes at a glance, making it easier for customers to explore and compare the bars. The design integrates vibrant colors that reflect Dominican culture, paired with textured elements that evoke the brand’s rustic, artisanal roots.

KRAFT BOXES:Base containers for each product, containing common information.

CUSTOM LABEL SET:Designed to highlight the specific details of each bar, enabling the seamless addition of future products to the permanent collection.

SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION
The packaging system also served as the foundation for visual identity elements used in information pieces about the bars.
BUNDLE PACKAGING 
For the anniversary bundle, I applied the cacao pod shape also used in the packaging cutout. The symbol was repeated 365 times to mark the anniversary, connecting the bundle to the main collection while creating a distinct graphic style that reinforces the brand’s identity.



Cacao pod image by Mirel Maldonado
Packaging images courtesy of Kahkow 
Custom illustrations by Lizander Jiménez 


ABOUT ME    ABOUT CRAFTING YOUR MESSAGE WITH CARE    ABOUT CRAFTING YOUR MESSAGE WITH CARE    ABOUT CRAFTING YOUR MESSAGE WITH CARE    

   HONEST BRAND COMMUNICATION: LETTING ESSENCE LEAD

   THOUGHTFUL PACKAGING: FOR LASTING IMPRESSIONS, BEYOND CONSUMPTION

   DESIGN FOR CULTURE: SYNCHRONIZED WITH ARTISTS, MAKERS, AND FELLOW DREAMERS

   SOCIAL DESIGN WITH AN ACTIVIST EDGE: ECHOING CAUSES, CHALLENGING SYSTEMS

   HANDMADE GRAPHICS: REFRESHING, UNPRACTICAL AND TOTALLY WORTH IT

     SELF-PUBLISHING: NO NEED FOR PERMISSION, ONLY A PRINTER (AND NOT EVEN THAT)


   ▷   AUTONOMOUS EXPERIMENTS: SELF-IMPOSED PLAYGROUNDS


BLOG    WORDS & REFLECTION BECAUSE PURELY VISUAL SEEMS REDUCTIVE    BLOG    WORDS & REFLECTION BECAUSE PURELY VISUAL SEEMS REDUCTIVE