Chocolate itself is a candy, but not a simple candy, it's an experience. And while the recipe is important, so too is packaging. Good planning and packaging holds bar steady in shipping and preserves flavor and communicates brand history before it's ever been taken into one's mouth.

The short answer:

Most of the chocolate bars are covered in plastic film or metallized foil custom chocolate wrappers and often more premium ones can be placed in custom chocolate bar boxes for protection and for display.

1. The Classic Chocolate Bar Wrapper

Chocolate bar wrappers are very commonly used for packaging chocolate bars. The metallized film or foil inner pack is an air, light, and even moisture barrier. The plastic or paper outer pack is for marking stamps since it can be printed upon. It's not something done out of convention; it's done because it is science.

Foil keeps the bar from absorbing odor, becoming soft, and blooming (that white powdery appearance that sometimes happens). Conversely, paper coating offers traction and visual appeal, perfect for logos, proprietary graphics, nutritional labels, warning labels and a clean tear when opening.

Common wrapper materials:

1. Aluminum foil: Great light, oxygen barrier.
2. Metallized PET film: Cost effective and lightweight alternative to foil.
3. Paper laminate: Provides strength and printability to brand graphics.

Specialty finishes may be applied on custom chocolate bar wrappers to enable brands to avail themselves of specialty finishes such as matte varnish, gloss finish, holographic glow, or even embossed details that make the package as decadent as the chocolate within.

2. Chocolate Bar Boxes

For specialty bars or display retail, chocolate bar boxes are the preferred option. They raise the product, making it more gift worthy and providing added protection in shipping.

Boxes also allow brands to push multiple bars as a set, add window cutouts, choose metallic finishes or incorporate inserts for limited edition sets.

Current box styles:

• Tuck end boxes; Serviceable but unadorned and simple to produce.
• Rigid boxes; High end choice for gift or craft design bars.
• Sleeve boxes; Thin outer covering slides over wrapped bar for neat up to the minute appearance.

Chocolate bar boxes are printed using environmentally friendly inks and produced from recycled paperboard or kraft card stock. It is an earth friendly alternative that preserves presentation without compromising environmental responsibility.

Branding and Shelf Appeal

Protective chocolate wrapping is only the beginning; it's all visual language. From texture to scope, it all sends quality, source, and even emotional cues.

A matte plain wrap speaks of "clean ingredients." Gold foil packaging speaks of "luxury" at maximum volume.

Packaging also makes impulse buying possible. 70% of shoppers opt to purchase based on the packaging alone, research shows. If it looks premium on the outside, so does the product.

The global chocolate packaging market is valued at over $9 billion dollars.

Approximately 80% of bars are wrapped in metallized inner wrapper or foil.

Reseal packs extend freshness by 40%.

High end chocolate manufacturers spend up to 15% of product value on packaging.

Colour psychology influences buy intention by as much as 85%.

Green chocolate wrap searches went up 60% year over year.

Gift bought boxed bars receive an extra 35%.

The Best Choice for Your Business

Chocolate bar wrappers are cheapest to launch. You can create small batches and try out designs.

In boutique retailing or business growth, chocolate bar boxes offer elegance and protection that attract high end consumers.

Both can be printed with fully customized artwork, die cuts, and even coatings that make your chocolate stand out.

Chocolate bars typically consist of custom chocolate wrappers that typically are paper or foil, and premium chocolate bars consist of custom chocolate bar boxes for display and gift.