BUY THESE CHOCOLATES. NO, REALLY🍫
THEY'LL MAKE YOUR INNER CHILD HAPPY
Some people say we’re known for covering beauty news the most here at PEOPLE BRANDS AND THINGS, but we’d say food and beverage also ranks high among our most covered industries, and for good reason. There are so many new brands and so many disrupting new categories, but one industry that hasn’t seen a lot of disruption is the chocolate industry. We’re not talking about the everyday chocolate bar, but confectionaries - the nostalgic ones you’d find at Disneyland or in small towns on summer vacation. Sure, there’s Kilwins, the nationwide chain where you can get some of these treats, but their shops feel more corporate than nostalgic, lacking that homemade love. That is, until now. Enter Zac’s Sweet Shop.
For those who might be unfamiliar, Zac’s Sweet Shop is a Black-owned, LA-based chocolate shop beloved by Beyoncé, the President (shoutout to Obama), and the Bachelorette - what a lineup! The brand was founded by Zac Coughlin, who goes by Chief Chocolatier (iconic), Gen Z Willy Wonka (also iconic), and Zonka (the most iconic). The latter is our personal favorite.
In terms of products, they sell all the bite-sized chocolate confections you could dream of, from chocolate-covered pretzels and Oreos to bark, truffles, and cookies. The Willy Wonka reference is no exaggeration - one look at the brand and one taste of the treats instantly transports you into the world that is the movie. Here’s a quick breakdown of everything we love about the brand:
NOSTALGIA, FROM THE INSIDE OUT
They’re a brand with a deeply authentic origin story, and the pictures prove it. Zac’s love for baking started when he was little, and this is a brand he’s poured his entire childhood (and now adulthood) into building. That spirit of childhood wonder comes through in the flavors - from M&M to caramel drizzle - crafted to make you feel like a kid again.
PURE INDULGENCE, ALWAYS
Their ethos centers around an unapologetic celebration of indulgence. It’s a welcome departure from the diet-focused, less-sugar world dominating the CPG landscape, and it’s one we’ve been waiting for. The brand also celebrates everyday indulgence - meaning not only waiting for special occasions to treat yourself, but doing so daily. We all need something sweet to look forward to!
CUSTOM BRAND PARTNERSHIPS
Of course, one of the reasons we were initially drawn to the brand is because of the incredible partnerships they’ve established. It’s not easy for brands to tap into custom products, but Zac’s thrives on them. Here, they’re able to showcase that they’re not just about nostalgia; they’re chic and sophisticated too, which enables them to engage in elevated partnerships.
They’ve done everything from PR mailers to catering events and producing co-branded products. If you’re a brand reading this, it’s something that allows for seamless brand alignment and is an obvious crowd-pleaser - who wouldn’t be ecstatic to receive a package of chocolates?!
This brings us to the question you’re all probably wondering: why cover Zac’s Sweet Shop now? While they’ve been around for a while, they just re-launched their brand last week with lower prices, new packaging, and an entire commercial. The latter we’ll tease this with the teaser they posted a couple of weeks ago:
For a small business, the three-part commercial makes the brand stand tall next to those produced by some industry giants. It’s celebrates the act of eating chocolate at all times of the day - a cheeky breakfast bite, an afternoon indulgence, a late-night craving, and everything in between. The first one debuts tomorrow and you won’t want to miss it.
We had the honor of chatting with Zac about the re-launch. Why invest in an entire commercial? Why lean into the theme of everyday indulgence? And, in classic PEOPLE BRANDS AND THINGS fashion, he shared the people and brands he would love to collaborate with, and we’re manifesting it all for him. Here’s everything Zac told us:
PEOPLE BRANDS AND THINGS: Why was now the right time to invest in a commercial?
Zac Coughlin: As this is the first time we’ve had fully branded packaging (after nearly 5 years since our October 2019 launch), we wanted to showcase it in the best way possible. We invested in a commercial to highlight the quality of our sweets, packaging, and the emotion that ZSS brings to consumers.
PBT: What inspired the theme "everyday indulgence," and how does this concept stand out compared to other chocolate brands?
ZC: Oftentimes, we find chocolate companies to be branded around specific holidays, however, we believe ZSS can and should be an every day indulgence. Our bite-sized sweets make indulging every day easy and guilt-free. We believe people want to indulge as long as its quality indulgence…meaning high quality ingredients, strong flavor profiles, and a fun experience.
PBT: What about nostalgia? How did that influence your campaign, and what about product development?
ZC: All our sweets are made with flavors people know and love and reinvented in ways you haven’t had before. For example, I grew up dipping Oreos in peanut butter - so our Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookie is not only an Oreo dipped in peanut butter, but then coated in a layer of milk chocolate and drizzled with a peanut butter drizzle and flakes of sea salt. We aim to make our nostalgic chocolates a little boujee but always a lot of fun. Also our packaging includes fun nostalgic games that make you feel like a kid again, but in an elevated way.
PBT: What is the one thing you want people to know about your treats if they haven't tried them yet?
ZC: We are proud to create, package, and ship every sweet by hand in small batches from our Los Angeles facility.
PBT: And of course, we have to ask: any dream collaborations?
ZC: YES! We are always dreaming big at Zac’s. The WNBA - imagine custom sweets for our favorite teams, or enjoying Zac’s courtside at your favorite game every season. Then there's AMC, our North Star - who doesn’t want to sit back and enjoy their favorite movie with a chocolate-covered pretzel in hand?! And of course, the iconic Hannah Berner. "Introducing Zac’s Sweet Shop, the official chocolate sponsor of the Giggly Squad podcast" rings in our ears. Also, Hannah, if you’re reading this, we’d love to bake you custom "We Ride at Dawn" sweets because, obviously.
Submit a pitch: peoplebrandsandthings@gmail.com.