Artisan Chocolate Maker Automates Labeling, Boosts Flexibility with Epson Investment
Event summary
- Casa Chocolates, a San Antonio-based artisan chocolate company, has invested in two Epson ColorWorks CW-C6000A label printers.
- The move brings label production in-house, replacing outsourced labeling services that faced issues with print quality, adhesion, and minimum order quantities.
- Casa Chocolates co-owners Derik Swee and Emily Roberts cite flexibility, time savings, and cost reduction as key drivers for the investment.
- The company plans to expand its product line beyond bars to include truffles, fudge, and other chocolate sweets.
The big picture
The investment highlights a growing trend among small-batch manufacturers to bring production processes in-house for greater control over quality, cost, and responsiveness to market changes. This shift is driven by the increasing demand for personalized and niche products, which requires greater flexibility in labeling and packaging. Epson's ColorWorks printers are positioned to capitalize on this trend by offering a solution for smaller manufacturers who previously relied on high-volume, outsourced label production.
What we're watching
- Product Expansion
- Casa Chocolates' stated plans to expand beyond bars into new confectionery categories will require continued operational agility and potentially further investment in production and packaging capabilities.
- Wholesale Growth
- The ability to offer custom-labeled products presents a significant opportunity for Casa Chocolates to grow its wholesale business, but success will depend on securing and managing those co-branding partnerships.
- Epson Adoption
- The success of Casa Chocolates’ ColorWorks implementation could serve as a reference case for Epson to attract other small-batch CPG manufacturers seeking on-demand labeling solutions.
