Rocky Mountain Factory reveals complete brand, trade name refresh

Chocolate franchisor pivots to differentiate itself in the premium chocolate market.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. unveiled its transformational brand refresh, including its streamlined trade name, to nearly 200 franchisees, store managers, and employees attending the company’s 2023 Annual National Franchisee Convention held in San Antonio, TX last week. The campaign is part of an overall strategic investment to reimagine “Rocky Mountain Chocolate” and its vision.

Building upon a rich history of bringing the Rocky Mountain experience to consumers over many decades, the unveil carries forward and deepens the authenticity of its Rocky Mountain heritage. It also recognizes and celebrates the company’s three brand principles:

Elevate the Everyday: its premium chocolate products make moments in life memorable and sweeter, making every occasion a special one;
Craft True Connections: Rocky Mountain Chocolate is present when connecting with family and friends, all around sharing and enjoying its products; and
The Rocky Mountain Life: true to its four-decade heritage, it offers unique memories with its premium products and store experience, sharing the beauty and excitement of the Rockies everywhere its products are enjoyed.

“Every Rocky Mountain Chocolate customer has his own personal story and connections to our products and brand,” said Rob Sarlls, Rocky Mountain Chocolate CEO. “Our reimagined brand and store look will deepen and enhance our existing relationships with chocolate lovers and make the Rocky Mountain Chocolate experience available to many others as the company expands its presence across North America. It will encourage existing and prospective franchisees to open new stores in currently underserved parts of the country.”

The brand reimagination and use of Rocky Mountain Chocolate as its simplified trade name reflects the company’s continued commitment to excellence, innovative offerings, and enhanced customer experiences. The company’s goal is to elevate the brand and store experience from top to bottom to meet changing consumer tastes and better reflect its premium chocolate offering. The brand vision has been designed to create substantial value for current and new franchisees aspiring to build upon their existing stores, with the potential to add multiple new stores within the company’s network.

“This rebranding is a profound and critical decision in the company’s journey,” said Sarlls. “Our new brand isn’t just about changing our look. It reinforces our commitment to lead, innovate, and serve our loyal customer base. It builds on our strong foundation and rich Rocky Mountain heritage that continually elevates Rocky Mountain Chocolate to the next level in an evolving market. Our core values that have made our brand iconic remain unchanged.”

The company’s vision is underpinned by market and customer feedback as well as forward-looking business insights. Franchisees, both current and potential, are at the heart of this change. The brand reimagination is expected to usher in fresh and innovative product offerings and a new store design. It will also enhance operational efficiencies, enabling franchisees to gain a greater competitive edge in the marketplace.

“Rocky Mountain Chocolate has a legacy of great products, but we must continue to address every new generation of chocolate lovers, enticing them to become new loyal customers,” noted Andrew Ford, vice president – sales and marketing. “For over 40 years, the company has been blending in; now it’s time to stand out. As the consumer’s taste in retail continues to become more experiential, we will continue to provide an exceptional experience for our current and new customers. Our new visual identity will resonate with today’s consumers, tapping into emerging market segments while strengthening our foothold with existing customers.”

Convention attendees expressed their support. “I’m pleased the company is introducing a logo and packaging that better reflect the premium chocolates people have loved for over 40 years,” said Jay McCosh, a Rocky Mountain Chocolate franchisee for 19 years who is chairman of the Franchisee Advisory Council and operates three locations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. “This presents an amazing opportunity to attract new customers who will discover the Rocky Mountain Chocolate experience.”

“I love our new logo and Rocky Mountain vision,” added Laure Holden, a franchisee for 16 years who operates the Mall of America Store in Bloomington, MN. “I’ve been waiting to remodel; the Rocky Mountain unveil is fantastic.”

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.