Ajaw Chocolate
Ajaw
Ajaw Chocolate, established in 2014, is located in San Ignacio, Belize. Named after the Maya word for “elite”, the family-owned business offers its customers an authentic chocolate experience using the same grindstone their Maya ancestors have used for hundreds of years.
Ajaw values the preservation of their history as well as promoting the Maya culture to the people of Belize and beyond. To do this, they offer a class to teach people how the chocolate is made, while also offering handmade chocolate bars, chocolate liqueur, cocoa powder, and traditional Maya hot chocolate.
Ajaw’s goal was to increase sales by introducing a wider audience to the rich history of Maya chocolate. I created a new brand identity for them as well as new packaging for their hand-made chocolate bars that will catch any eye in
the aisle and online.
Ajaw’s New Identity
Ajaw’s new identity truly represents the word, “elite”, and is meant to be displayed at a larger size on their products. The jagged edges and crooked letters symbolize the long and arduous process of making chocolate with the grindstone. The heavy weight and thickness of the capitalized letters creates a sense of strength and boldness. The curved spiral in the J symbolizes the claw of the jaguar— an elite, apex predator, known for it’s power and might in the Maya culture.
Chocolate Bar Packaging
Chocolate Packaging Designs
The Jaguar
The apex predator of Belize who hunts its prey at night, a perfect symbol for Ajaw’s darkest chocolate bar. The color of the jaguar is the deep, saturated Maya blue pigment handcrafted thousands of years ago by the Maya people for use by the elite and noble.
The Harpy Eagle
The harpy eagle. The largest bird of prey in the world. This large and powerful bird represents the flight one’s taste buds will take with this spicy chocolate bar. The Maya people traditionally combined chocolate with chili peppers to give their hot chocolate a slight kick. The vibrant red in Maya culture represents strength, blood, and fire.
The Eyelash Viper
One of the most venomous snakes in all of Belize. This snake’s vibrant scales are as smooth as the sweet, creamy soursop fruit native to Central America, while it’s spiky “eyelashes” resemble the spikes found on the fruit. Green in Maya culture was a sacred color used by their rulers and representing life and nature.
Hot Chocolate Mix Packaging
Hot Chocolate Mix
The art for the hot chocolate mix packaging also features the harpy eagle, to keep it consistent and familiar with the chili pepper flavored chocolate bar.
