Chocolate Packaging: Finding both Beautiful AND Sustainable

In the world of chocolate, packaging does more than just protect what’s inside; it tells a story, preserves flavor, and builds trust with every unwrapping moment.

But here’s the caveat: To do its job well, chocolate packaging must shield the bar from heat, humidity, and tampering. It must extend shelf life. And yes, it must look fantastic. Because, like it or not, we eat with our eyes first.

So, how do origin-based chocolate makers, often operating from regions rich in biodiversity but limited in access to high-tech materials, navigate these demands while staying true to their environmental values?

The answer: innovation, creativity, and a deep respect for the land they work with. At Cocoa Future Collaborative, we’ve seen firsthand how small and mid-sized makers are flipping the script,  leading the charge with earth-friendly packaging choices that blend aesthetics, function, and sustainability.

Here are some exciting trends we're seeing directly from origins:

Upcycled Packaging Materials

Why create new waste when you can give new life to old resources? Some makers like Sibo Chocolate in Costa Rica are using upcycled paper pulp and agricultural byproducts (like cacao husk fibers¹) to create outer wraps that are not only durable but uniquely beautiful (above and top header photo👆🏼). These materials often carry the texture and story of the land they came from, giving consumers a tactile connection to the product’s origin.

Compostable & Biodegradable Films

Innovative compostable inner linings are emerging as a smart alternative to plastic. Made from biodegradable plant starches, cellulose, or sugarcane, brands like To’ak in Ecuador use these films to make bags for its Essentials Drinking Chocolate² (above). The bags mimic the barrier protection of conventional plastics, but break down harmlessly in water, soil, or composting systems. 

Recyclable Solutions That Actually Work

While recyclable packaging is common, not all materials are recycled equally. Smart origin makers choose monomaterial solutions like pure paper or aluminum for their bar boxes or bags, so their product packaging can be sorted for easy recycling in most markets worldwide.

A few of our favorite examples include:

• Mashpi Chocolate in Ecuador's stand-up pouches made from upcycled sugar cane³ (above), and
• Kakoa Bean-to-Bar in Mexico's recyclable bar wrappers.

Low-Toxicity Inks & Earth-Friendly Printing

Yes, the ink matters too. Forward-thinking brands like AWKI Chocolate in Ecuador (above) are switching to soy-based or water-based inks⁴, reducing their toxic load and improving compostability. Some use minimalist printing or embossing to avoid ink altogether, relying on texture, cuts, and folds to make a bold impression with less impact.

Saying No to Plastic, and Meaning It

Plastics may be cheap and common, but origin makers are proving that beauty doesn’t need to be sealed in polyethylene. Brands like Paccari Chocolate from Ecuador show that you can respect the planet without compromising quality:

• Replacing foil or plastic bar wrappers with cartonless bars in compostable liners 
• Swapped plastic bubble mailers for recyclable kraft paper for its web orders in the UK and Ireland markets.⁵

In some origins, plastic-free solutions may not yet be easily accessible or affordable. But, makers like Cacao Mae from the Dominican Republic (above) are reducing plastic usage by using paper-lined pouches (above) to provide a sturdy stand-up structure to lighter-weight, generally recyclable Polypropylene (♻️5). Many curbside collection programs accept these pouches. If yours does not, simply drop your zip code into Earth911⁶to locate the nearest recycler.  

Giving New Life to Cocoa By-Products

According to a 2023 article in Unsustainable Magazine⁷, the restaurant industry generates millions of tons of plastic per year - primarily from single-use plastic items, such as utensils, cups, and straws. Helvetas Vietnam, in partnership with AirXCarbon, has successfully piloted a biodegradable Cocoa-PLA⁸ product using cocoa pod husks. It’s a win-win solution for single-serve utensils and serveware - eliminating plastic while also upcycling a portion of Vietnam’s 50,000 tons of cocoa pod husks produced annually. 

Similarly, Marou Chocolate out of Vietnam released special chocolate bar packaging in celebration of Earth Day both in 2023⁹ and 2024¹⁰. Both packages use cocoa husk paper to beautifully wrap their equally sustainable and delicious chocolate bars. Added bonus - the wrappers smell like chocolate too! 

Why this Matters - Especially at Origin

For makers at origin, packaging isn’t just about branding. It’s about cultural identity, resource responsibility, and economic resilience.

When origin-based chocolate companies adopt sustainable packaging, they’re: 
✔️ Reducing waste in their own communities
✔️ Creating demand for local, eco-friendly materials
✔️ Educating consumers around the world
✔️ Building competitive advantage in a sustainability-driven market
These aren’t small decisions, they’re acts of stewardship. And they represent the leadership we believe Earth Day is all about.

The Role of Consumers

As consumers, distributors, and chocolate lovers, we have a role to play. Let’s celebrate and support innovative brands from the ground up — literally. The same brands that are proving that chocolate can be as kind to the planet as it is to our senses.

Happy Earth Day 2025 from all of us at Cocoa Future Collaborative 

Authored by Nathalia Padilla from AWKI Chocolate in Ecuador, April 2025

 

References

1. Sibö Chocolate. (n.d.). Sustainability. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://www.sibochocolate.com/pages/sustainability

2. To'ak Chocolate. (2024, July 3). How To'ak Is Pioneering Sustainable Chocolate. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/how-toak-is-pioneering-sustainable-chocolate

3. Mashpi Chocolate. (n.d.). Step by Step. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://mashpichocolate.com/en/pages/step-by-step
   
   

4. Instagram. (2025, April 22). [Post]. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://www.instagram.com/p/DIwh9O7R9Ge/
   
   

5. Pacari Chocolate UK. (2019, May 20). Recyclable, Compostable, Plastic-Free Postal Packaging from Pacari Chocolates UK & Ireland. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://paccarichocolate.uk/blogs/news/recyclable-compostable-plastic-free-postal-packaging-from-pacari-chocolates-uk-ireland

6. Earth911. (n.d.). Search.earth911.com. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://search.earth911.com/

7. Unsustainable Magazine. (2023, May 2). Restaurant Plastic Waste Guide. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://www.unsustainablemagazine.com/restaurant-plastic-waste-guide/

8. Helvetas. (2025, April 1). Transforming Cocoa Husks into Sustainable Bioplastics. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://www.helvetas.org/en/vietnam/who-we-are/follow-us/news/Transforming-Cocoa-Husks-into-Sustainable-Bioplatics_pressrelease_13063
   
   

9. Instagram. (2023, April 21). [Post by Marou Chocolate]. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://www.instagram.com/marouchocolate/p/CrUuJ0ly57X/

10. Maison Marou. (n.d.). Roasted Buckwheat 55% Dark Chocolate. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://maisonmarou.com/products/roasted-buckwheat-55-dark-chocolate