ASHLAND, ORE. —Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, a producer of premium chocolate products, has finalized its major brand overhaul after two years.
The rebrand followed Scharffen Berger’s return to private ownership in 2020, having been owned by The Hershey Co. since 2005. As part of the overhaul, the company has updated its imaging, added a variety of new chocolate products and made several additions to its leadership team.
“To date we have been focused on getting our production side squared, ensuring we can deliver the quality and taste profile Scharffen Berger fans remember and deserve,” said Chris Spirko, chief financial officer for the company. “Now we are turning our focus to the demand side of the business, which is going to be bolstered by our updated look, our product innovation and the incredible talent we have been able to bring into the fold.”
At the head of the rebrand is updated packaging that places the title “Chocolate Maker” at the forefront of the brand’s logo, a move Scharffen Berger thinks will help differentiate its product portfolio from competitors.
Starting in fall 2022, the company will offer new baking portions of its Scharffen Berger Baking Chocolate. Containing four, individually wrapped 1-oz bars, the redesigned format will help bakers meet their precise measurement needs and reduce waste compared to the company’s previous 9.7-oz bars.
The new formats will be followed by the addition of four new flavors to Scharffen Berger’s core line of 3-oz chocolate bars at the end of 2022: Milk chocolate with coconut and Costa Rican coffee; milk chocolate with almonds and sea salt; 70% dark chocolate with salted almonds and toffee; and 70% dark chocolate with cherries, almonds and salt.
The company also will launch a line of Chocolate Provisions, a sleeve box of dark chocolate flats for charcuterie boards, in early 2023.
“The board trend is here to stay,” said JP Mackey, president and chief sales officer of Scharffen Berger. “With more people looking for ways to add interest and build boards with quality ingredients, we are bringing the perfect sweet artisanal complement to fine cheeses, imported meats and even marshmallows and graham crackers in our craft Chocolate Provisions flats.”
Mr. Mackey is one of the company’s leadership additions following the 2020 divestiture, bringing 20 years of sales and commercial strategy experience to the brand.
He is joined by other industry veterans including Ray Major, a longtime chocolate maker, and Karin Zanella and Keith Scott, both of whom add decades of marketing experience to the company.