In 2025, the premium Belgian chocolate brand Centho was awarded Best Chocolate Brand of Flanders by Gault&Millau. Building on this recognition, we proactively initiated a rebranding project aimed at further elevating the brand’s premium positioning.

Centho is one of the most established Belgian chocolate brands in Japan and enjoys strong recognition in its home market, where it competes with iconic names such as Neuhaus, Pierre Marcolini, Benoît Nihant, and other renowned local players.

The project began with an in-depth brand positioning exercise. We analyzed the brand’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as consumer perception across both European and Asian markets. Based on these insights—and supported by our cross-cultural expertise—we jointly defined Centho’s future brand objectives and the action plans required to achieve them.

The rebranding started with a refinement of the brand’s baseline, evolving from “Chocolates” to “Premium Belgian Chocolates”. We introduced a more sophisticated typeface and upgraded the hot-foil finish, replacing silver with gold to reinforce premiumness.

A key component was the creation of a new brand icon—more distinctive and ownable than the existing cacao bean symbol. The design drew inspiration from Belgian Art Deco, luxury fashion brand codes, and traditional Asian visual symbols such as Hanko stamps and interior design elements.

Following this, we developed a new packaging range adapted to different international markets, including various box formats and ballotins. While retaining Centho’s recognizable blue background, we introduced a refined Kurz matte gold hot-foil for the logo and key graphic elements.

A comprehensive brand guidebook was created to document the new identity and its applications across all touchpoints.

Beyond the core praline assortments, we redesigned the exclusive retail range, including new chocolate tablets and printed sleeves for prefilled praline boxes.

The project also extended to the digital sphere, with a redesigned website layout featuring an improved user experience, as well as a dedicated visual asset guide. Using AI tools and Photoshop, we produced new imagery for social media and digital communication.

Coinciding with Centho’s 25th anniversary, the rebranding provided the perfect opportunity for celebration. We supported the organization of a public relations event, inviting chocolate experts and key clients to discover the renewed brand identity and the latest product innovations.