Balaam Cacao Packaging

Sustainable chocolate packaging design for a brand I created called Balaam Cacao. "Balaam" is an ancient Mayan word for a supernatural being that guards the cornfields and villages. Known as Ek Balaam, the representation of this God is a Jaguar. Having worked as an Archaeologist in Belize, and knowing firsthand the quality of Belizean chocolate and its long history, I wanted to create a brand to represent this sacred Maya tradition. I designed the Jaguar pattern and created illustrations of cacao pods and flowers for the box and sleeve packaging shown in the 3D mockup. The idea was to create a colourful and visually attractive design using pattern instead of the physical representation of a Jaguar. After working on several concept sketches, I refined them into this design for it's ability to stand out on a shop shelf and catch the attention of consumers. I wanted to create a beautiful unboxing experience for the consumer, revealing the chocolate squares inside which are infused with chilli and are melted in a saucepan with water as a hot beverage. Only Mayan elites and royalty enjoyed this drink for rituals and special occasions. The idea for this brand was to bring an ancient tradition into the modern day as a way to take time out to relax. I used a play on words by using the representation of a Jaguar and the chilli which adds "bite" to the chocolate.