Chocolate packaging is a food contact job, a heat management job and a gift presentation job in one box. Most of the decisions come down to the tray and the barrier. To order the packaging, see chocolate boxes.
The tray sets the box
In a filled assortment, the tray is the structural component. Its cavity layout decides how many pieces fit, its outer footprint decides the internal dimension of the box, and its depth plus the piece height decides the lid clearance. So fix the tray first: piece count, piece dimensions, cavity spacing, and whether the tray is vacuum formed plastic, moulded pulp or die cut board. Then wrap the box around the tray outline plus clearance.
Grease barrier is not optional
Cocoa butter migrates. Given a few weeks against uncoated board it will show through as a translucent stain, and by then the whole run is unsellable. Options are a coated inner liner, a laminated inner, a glassine or grease resistant paper interleaf, or a plastic tray that keeps the product off the board entirely. Choose one deliberately rather than assuming the tray handles it, because pieces shift in transit and a shifted piece touches board.
Heat, bloom and what packaging can and cannot do
Warm chocolate develops fat bloom, a pale surface haze, and once it blooms it does not un-bloom. Packaging slows temperature swings slightly and protects from direct sun, but it is not a refrigerator. If your product ships in summer, the real controls are insulated shippers, cold packs and shipping schedules, with the retail box doing presentation inside them.
Format choices
| Format | Best for | Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Two piece rigid box with tray | Premium assortments and gifting | Longer lead time, hand assembly |
| Folding carton with an inner tray | Retail assortments at volume | Tray tooling and carton must be fixed together |
| Window carton | Showing the product at retail | Window film choice, and light exposure |
| Sleeve over a tray | Seasonal and limited runs | Less protection in transit |
| Bar wrap with a printed sleeve | Single bars | Foil or film inner does the barrier work |
Seasonal timing
Confectionery packaging is a seasonal business, and the busiest weeks are the worst time to be ordering. Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days in production plus 2 to 5 days for delivery, and specialty imported items such as hand assembled rigid boxes can run up to about 12 weeks. Rush adds a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job, so a seasonal range planned in advance on the cost saver lane is materially cheaper than the same range ordered late.
Print and finish
Chocolate is a gift category, so finishes earn their keep here more than in most food packaging: foil stamping, embossing, soft touch laminate. Keep the finish off any area the product touches. For finish options see foil stamped boxes, and for related formats custom candy boxes.
Ordering
Minimum order is 100 boxes, from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote, with the die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof included. We produce in West Chicago in the US and in Guangzhou in China.
Send your tray drawing or piece count, your artwork and your season date, and we will work back from the date to a lane. Request a quote to start.
