Valour Cacao – Studio Keenan

Case Study: Valour Cacao

Velour Cacao approached me to create a mini brand guideline and packaging concept that refined their existing identity while elevating its premium appeal.

The client wanted to:

Retain their existing brand name and core color palette
Introduce a new wordmark logo that felt elegant and modern
Expand their range with four new chocolate flavors
See mockups of packaging with a minimal, refined aesthetic

The final outcome needed to feel luxurious, cohesive, and scalable across multiple products.

Project Details

Premium chocolate startup is entering the market with a focus on high-quality ingredients, ethical sourcing, and a modern brand identity. The goal is to create distinctive packaging that stands out on shelves while communicating craftsmanship and indulgence.

The Challenge

The project focused on solving two key design challenges:

1. Flavor Differentiation

With the introduction of four new flavors, the packaging needed a clear visual system that allowed customers to quickly distinguish between variants—without losing brand consistency.

2. Balancing Luxury & Modernity

The brand needed to feel premium and elegant, but not overly traditional or outdated.
This required:

A carefully selected typographic pairing
A restrained, minimal layout
A color system that enhanced rather than overwhelmed the design

The Solution

1. Color System 🎨

The original brand colors were retained to preserve recognition:

Deep Cocoa Brown (#2B1E1A) — Primary brand color
Soft Cream (#F5EFE6) — Secondary/background color

To introduce differentiation, I developed a flavor-based color system:

Milk Chocolate — Sea Salt → Slate Blue
Milk Chocolate — Mint → Soft Sage
Dark Chocolate — Orange Zest → Burnt Orange
Dark Chocolate — Raspberry → Dusty Rose

This system allows each product to feel distinct while still belonging to a unified brand family.

2. Wordmark Logo

The new wordmark was created using Gilda Display Regular, chosen for its:

High-contrast letterforms
Elegant, editorial feel
Timeless serif characteristics

The refined shapes of the typeface give the brand a premium, sophisticated presence, while its simplicity keeps it modern and versatile across packaging.