Narrativa não é adorno: é estrutura de valor para marcas de chocolate e alimentos de origem (Narrative is not an accessory: it is a structure of value for chocolate brands and origin-based foods)
Pilar 2 — Narrativa não é adorno. É estrutura de valor.
por Juliana Recuero Ustra
Ao longo dos últimos anos, acompanhando de perto marcas de chocolate no Brasil e fora — e, cada vez mais observando com atenção a projetos especiais de vinhos, cafés, chás, azeites e queijos de origem — uma constatação se repete nos bastidores:
...algumas marcas ainda trata narrativa como acabamento. - Como algo que entra no fim do processo, como se fosse uma lapidação da comunicação da marca, algo como por exemplo:
...mas isso já não sustenta posicionamento
Hoje, narrativa é fator estruturante do negócio.
E eu vejo isso com muita clareza, .quando acompanho marcas de chocolate que realmente conseguem avançar — inclusive em concursos, novos mercados e canais mais exigentes — o que muda não é só a formulação, ou o rótulo ou o design do produto.
Mas sim vejo que as marcas que evoluem no mercado conseguem uma ação importante: mudar a capacidade de explicar, com precisão, as suas decisões técnicas, e/ou sua fórmula e/ou sua embalagem e/ou experiência de entrega do chocolate ao mercado. Algumas perguntas são respondidas de forma antecipada, antes do cliente ficar curioso, como por exemplo:
Quando a marca não sabe responder questões como estas com consistência, a história fica bonita — mas o valor não se sustenta de forma contínua.
Um exemplo muito concreto que observo no mercado do chocolate bean to bar:
- Quando a narrativa é estruturada a partir de origem e processo, de forma consistente, genuína, realista, constante, ela passa a orientar o próprio portfólio.
Vejo marcas que, depois de organizarem sua narrativa, conseguem:
E isso não acontece só no chocolate.
Vejo exatamente o mesmo movimento em marcas especiais de café, vinho, azeite, queijo e outros alimentos de origem:
" Quando a marca consegue organizar sua história a partir de terroir, do seu manejo, do seu método produtivo e situações reais, ela passa a conseguir explicar — sem esforço — por que uma safra é diferente da outra, por que um lote custa mais, por que um perfil sensorial não é replicável, mesmo que o patamar alto de qualidade seja uma prioridade."
Desta forma vejo que a narrativa de marca, pode ser vista e aplicada como uma ferramenta de gestão, de planejamento e de definições para a produção de chocolates e de outros alimentos.
Outro ponto que sempre reforço:
"Quando uma marca de chocolate consegue traduzir bem os seguintes parâmetros técnicos em narrativa, ela gera confiança."
O mesmo vale para quem trabalha com produção em queijarias, lagares, vinhedos e vinícolas, ou ainda em torrefação de cafés especiais. Estas definições de processo podem ser traduzidas como parte da narrativa de uma marca.
Agora trago uma reflexão: "Origem, hoje, virou palavra obrigatória no mercado. Mas origem sem narrativa continua sendo só uma informação da logística usada para o fornecimento de ingredientes".
Então vamos lá para uma verdade: Somente dizer de onde vem o cacau, a uva, o café ou o leite não constrói identidade. O valor aparece quando a marca conecta: território, pessoas, processo, cultura produtiva, intenção de projeto e outros elementos reais.
É isso que transforma origem em posicionamento.
Na prática, marcas que tratam narrativa como estrutura conseguem algo muito concreto: sustentar preços, dialogar melhor com mercados nacionais e internacionais, construir parcerias mais qualificadas, organizar experiências de visita e/ou de venda, experiências com a degustação e com processos de hospitalidade mais coerentes.
Quando a narrativa falha, os sinais são sempre parecidos: histórias genéricas, muito adjetivo e pouca explicação, desconexão entre discurso e experiência sensorial.
Por isso, sempre deixo uma provocação para quem trabalha com chocolate e com outros alimentos de origem:
Se essas respostas não estiverem claras, provavelmente a narrativa ainda está sendo tratada como adorno, e não como estrutura de valor.
Esse é um dos pilares que vou aprofundar no meu Workshop 10 vetores para o crescimento do chocolate em 2026:
Um encontro construído a partir da minha análise de mercado, da observação direta de marcas, concursos, territórios e projetos de origem no Brasil e no exterior.
Inscrições pelo Sympla: Workshop 10 Vetores para Crescimento
Se este texto fez sentido para você, salve para ler com calma — e compartilhe com quem também precisa estruturar melhor o valor do seu produto.
em 09/02/2026
Pillar 2 — Narrative is not an accessory. It is a structure of value.
by Juliana Recuero Ustra
Over the past few years, closely following chocolate brands in Brazil and abroad — and increasingly paying attention to outstanding projects in wines, coffees, teas, olive oils and origin cheeses — one conclusion keeps repeating behind the scenes:
some brands still treat narrative as a finishing touch.
As something that comes at the very end of the process, as if it were merely a refinement of brand communication.
Something like:
“a better text”,
“a short story on the packaging”,
“a ready-made speech for a trade fair or for the press”.
But this no longer sustains positioning.
Today, narrative is a structuring factor of the business.
And I see this very clearly when I follow chocolate brands that truly manage to move forward — including in competitions, new markets and more demanding channels.
What changes is not only the formulation, the label or the product design.
What actually changes is something more decisive:
these brands improve their ability to explain — with precision — their technical decisions, their formulas, their packaging choices and even the way they deliver the chocolate experience to the market.
Some questions are answered in advance, before the client even feels the need to ask:
– Why this cocoa, this origin or this specific producer?
– Why this fermentation and/or roasting protocol?
– Why this choice of ingredients and/or formulation?
When a brand cannot answer questions like these consistently, the story may sound beautiful — but the value does not remain sustainable over time.
A very concrete example I observe in the bean-to-bar chocolate market:
when narrative is structured around origin and process — in a consistent, genuine, realistic and continuous way — it starts to guide the brand’s own portfolio.
I see brands that, after organizing their narrative, are able to:
– clearly communicate their trajectory and their territory,
– justify (and truly elevate) limited editions,
– design products that highlight origin by harvest, by producer or by territory,
– organize product launches in a more coherent way,
– present their products to buyers and judges with far greater precision.
And this does not happen only in chocolate.
I observe exactly the same movement among specialty brands of coffee, wine, olive oil, cheese and other origin-based foods.
When a brand is able to organize its story around terroir, production management, production method and real operating conditions, it becomes easy to explain — without effort — why one harvest is different from another, why one lot costs more, and why a specific sensory profile cannot be replicated, even when a high quality standard is a constant priority.
In this way, I see brand narrative as something that can — and should — be applied as a management, planning and decision-making tool for the production of chocolate and other origin-based foods.
Another point I always emphasize:
when a chocolate brand manages to translate its technical parameters well into narrative, it builds trust.
The same applies to those working in cheese dairies, olive mills, vineyards and wineries, or in specialty coffee roasting.
These process definitions can — and should — be translated as part of a brand’s narrative.
Now, an important reflection.
Today, “origin” has become a mandatory word in the market.
But origin without narrative is still just logistical information about ingredient supply.
Simply saying where the cocoa, the grapes, the coffee or the milk come from does not build identity.
Value emerges when the brand connects:
territory,
people,
process,
production culture,
project intention,
and other real elements of its production system.
That is what transforms origin into positioning.
In practice, brands that treat narrative as structure achieve very concrete results:
they are able to sustain prices,
dialogue more effectively with national and international markets,
build more qualified partnerships,
organize visits and sales experiences more consistently,
and structure tastings and hospitality processes with greater coherence.
When narrative fails, the signs are always very similar:
generic stories,
too many adjectives and too little explanation,
and a disconnect between discourse and the real sensory experience.
For this reason, I always leave a provocation for those working with chocolate and other origin-based foods:
– does your narrative help the market understand your production choices?
– does it translate your processes — or try to compensate for them?
– does it still stand when the packaging is removed?
If these answers are not clear, your narrative is probably still being treated as an accessory — and not as a structure of value.
This is one of the pillars I will explore in depth in my workshop:
10 drivers for the growth of chocolate in 2026
📅 March 3rd, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
💻 online and live event
A meeting built from my market analysis and from direct observation of brands, competitions, territories and origin-based projects in Brazil and abroad.
Registration via Sympla: https://www.sympla.com.br/evento-online/10-vetores-para-o-crescimento-do-chocolate-em-2026/3279138
If this text made sense to you, save it to read calmly — and share it with those who also need to better structure the value of their products.
—
Juliana Recuero Ustra
Chocolate in Brazil
February 9, 2026
Would you like to know more about sensory experience design and customized projects?
Get in touch: chocolate@ustra.com.br
Follow: @chocolatenobrasil
Listen to the Expedition Cocoa and Chocolate of Brazil playlist on Spotify.
Read the Open Letter of the Expedition:
https://chocolatenobrasil.blogspot.com/2025/07/carta-aberta-expedicao-cacau-e.html
Read the full series here: 10 Pillars for the Growth of Brazilian Chocolate
by Juliana Recuero Ustra
Over the past few years, closely following chocolate brands in Brazil and abroad — and increasingly paying attention to outstanding projects in wines, coffees, teas, olive oils and origin cheeses — one conclusion keeps repeating behind the scenes:
some brands still treat narrative as a finishing touch.
As something that comes at the very end of the process, as if it were merely a refinement of brand communication.
Something like:
“a better text”,
“a short story on the packaging”,
“a ready-made speech for a trade fair or for the press”.
But this no longer sustains positioning.
Today, narrative is a structuring factor of the business.
And I see this very clearly when I follow chocolate brands that truly manage to move forward — including in competitions, new markets and more demanding channels.
What changes is not only the formulation, the label or the product design.
What actually changes is something more decisive:
these brands improve their ability to explain — with precision — their technical decisions, their formulas, their packaging choices and even the way they deliver the chocolate experience to the market.
Some questions are answered in advance, before the client even feels the need to ask:
– Why this cocoa, this origin or this specific producer?
– Why this fermentation and/or roasting protocol?
– Why this choice of ingredients and/or formulation?
When a brand cannot answer questions like these consistently, the story may sound beautiful — but the value does not remain sustainable over time.
A very concrete example I observe in the bean-to-bar chocolate market:
when narrative is structured around origin and process — in a consistent, genuine, realistic and continuous way — it starts to guide the brand’s own portfolio.
I see brands that, after organizing their narrative, are able to:
– clearly communicate their trajectory and their territory,
– justify (and truly elevate) limited editions,
– design products that highlight origin by harvest, by producer or by territory,
– organize product launches in a more coherent way,
– present their products to buyers and judges with far greater precision.
And this does not happen only in chocolate.
I observe exactly the same movement among specialty brands of coffee, wine, olive oil, cheese and other origin-based foods.
When a brand is able to organize its story around terroir, production management, production method and real operating conditions, it becomes easy to explain — without effort — why one harvest is different from another, why one lot costs more, and why a specific sensory profile cannot be replicated, even when a high quality standard is a constant priority.
In this way, I see brand narrative as something that can — and should — be applied as a management, planning and decision-making tool for the production of chocolate and other origin-based foods.
Another point I always emphasize:
when a chocolate brand manages to translate its technical parameters well into narrative, it builds trust.
The same applies to those working in cheese dairies, olive mills, vineyards and wineries, or in specialty coffee roasting.
These process definitions can — and should — be translated as part of a brand’s narrative.
Now, an important reflection.
Today, “origin” has become a mandatory word in the market.
But origin without narrative is still just logistical information about ingredient supply.
Simply saying where the cocoa, the grapes, the coffee or the milk come from does not build identity.
Value emerges when the brand connects:
territory,
people,
process,
production culture,
project intention,
and other real elements of its production system.
That is what transforms origin into positioning.
In practice, brands that treat narrative as structure achieve very concrete results:
they are able to sustain prices,
dialogue more effectively with national and international markets,
build more qualified partnerships,
organize visits and sales experiences more consistently,
and structure tastings and hospitality processes with greater coherence.
When narrative fails, the signs are always very similar:
generic stories,
too many adjectives and too little explanation,
and a disconnect between discourse and the real sensory experience.
For this reason, I always leave a provocation for those working with chocolate and other origin-based foods:
– does your narrative help the market understand your production choices?
– does it translate your processes — or try to compensate for them?
– does it still stand when the packaging is removed?
If these answers are not clear, your narrative is probably still being treated as an accessory — and not as a structure of value.
This is one of the pillars I will explore in depth in my workshop:
10 drivers for the growth of chocolate in 2026
📅 March 3rd, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
💻 online and live event
A meeting built from my market analysis and from direct observation of brands, competitions, territories and origin-based projects in Brazil and abroad.
Registration via Sympla: https://www.sympla.com.br/evento-online/10-vetores-para-o-crescimento-do-chocolate-em-2026/3279138
If this text made sense to you, save it to read calmly — and share it with those who also need to better structure the value of their products.
—
Juliana Recuero Ustra
Chocolate in Brazil
February 9, 2026
Would you like to know more about sensory experience design and customized projects?
Get in touch: chocolate@ustra.com.br
Follow: @chocolatenobrasil
Listen to the Expedition Cocoa and Chocolate of Brazil playlist on Spotify.
Read the Open Letter of the Expedition:
https://chocolatenobrasil.blogspot.com/2025/07/carta-aberta-expedicao-cacau-e.html
Read the full series here: 10 Pillars for the Growth of Brazilian Chocolate
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