Makena Chocolate

Design brief

The owners envisioned creating a small, upscale breakfast and lunch café that would serve exceptional food and gourmet coffees, while also offering a unique chocolate experience. Their plan is to sell high-quality chocolates—such as a rich 70% dark cocoa and a slightly lighter 45% roast almond dark cocoa—both as take-away products in the café and through a local supermarket.

Response to the brief

In response to the brief, I created the name Makena, meaning "happy one," to reflect the joyful and indulgent experience the café and chocolate brand aims to offer. The name is paired with a Ghanaian-inspired pattern resembling stylized flowers, each shape meticulously hand-drawn and then digitally transferred using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. To further evoke the vibrant culture of Ghana, I selected a rich color palette of purples and reds, which are commonly associated with the country’s heritage and warmth. This combination of thoughtful design elements creates a strong visual identity that honors the origins of the product while conveying a sense of luxury, craftsmanship, and cultural pride.