The branding and packaging design for Gran Cruz was created by Shift, a design firm based in Monterrey, Mexico. Gran Cruz is a premium chocolate brand dedicated to the pursuit of perfection through artistry and dedication. From the devoted growth and meticulous selection of Mexico’s best cacao beans, Gran Cruz’ final product is a symbol of Mesoamerica’s powerful tradition and richness. The chocolate itself – seen as a ‘food of the gods’ in Aztec culture – is portrayed as a valued award.

‘With this in mind, we opted to create a visual language that alludes to Latin America’s colonial era’s craftsmanship and military recognitions in the form of a ‘cruz’ or medal, hence the name, ‘Gran Cruz’. The detailed patterns and holograms in both branding and packaging aim to communicate the product’s authenticity and level of attention to detail, effort and demanding selection process. The mixture of serif, sans serif and handwritten texts highlight the brands human aspect and artistry. A modern and vibrant colour palette is contrasted against sober and monochromatic tags as a reference to Mesoamerica’s colorful culture juxtaposed with colonial era’s industrial European influence’.