31 Degrees Custom Chocolates: The Complete Guide for Australian Brands

When it comes to branded merchandise that genuinely delights recipients, few products rival the universal appeal of premium custom chocolate. And in the Australian promotional products market, 31 Degrees custom chocolates have become a standout choice for marketing teams, corporate gifting programs, and sporting clubs looking to make a lasting impression. Whether you’re planning a trade show giveaway in Melbourne, rewarding staff in Sydney, or building team culture at your Brisbane sporting club, custom-branded chocolates offer something that a branded pen or tote bag simply can’t — they’re edible, shareable, and almost universally loved. This guide breaks down everything you need to know before placing your order.

What Are 31 Degrees Custom Chocolates?

31 Degrees is a well-regarded premium chocolate brand in the Australian promotional products space, named for the precise temperature at which chocolate begins to melt — a nod to the craftsmanship and science behind quality confectionery. Their custom chocolate range is designed specifically for branding applications, allowing businesses to incorporate their logo, tagline, or campaign artwork directly onto or into the packaging, and in some cases directly onto the chocolate itself.

The range typically includes:

• Individually wrapped chocolates – perfect for bulk event giveaways and conference packs
• Custom chocolate bars – full-sized bars with branded wrappers ideal for corporate gifting
• Boxed assortments – elegant presentation boxes for premium gifting scenarios
• Neapolitan or napolitain squares – small, bite-sized squares often used in hotel amenities or at events
• Branded chocolate blocks – thicker formats with embossed or printed branding

The quality of 31 Degrees chocolates positions them firmly in the premium segment of the promotional food category — which matters enormously when your brand is on the wrapper.

Why Quality Matters in Branded Food Products

Here’s something many marketing teams overlook: the quality of a branded food product reflects directly on your brand. Presenting a poor-quality chocolate at a $500-per-head gala dinner in Perth sends a very different message to handing out a premium, beautifully packaged chocolate square at the same event. With 31 Degrees custom chocolates, you’re working with a product that recipients genuinely enjoy — which means your branding is associated with a positive sensory experience. That’s powerful marketing.

How Branding Works on Custom Chocolates

Understanding the decoration and customisation process for 31 Degrees custom chocolates helps you plan your artwork and manage expectations around turnaround times.

Wrapper and Packaging Customisation

The most common form of customisation is full-colour printed packaging. This typically involves:

• Digital printing on foil or card wrappers, allowing photographic-quality imagery and brand colours
• PMS colour matching to ensure your brand colours are reproduced accurately — critical if you’re working with a highly recognisable brand identity
• Full bleed designs that wrap around the entire chocolate bar or box

For best results, your artwork should be supplied as a vector file. If you’re unfamiliar with file format requirements, our guide to what a vector art file is explains the difference between vector and raster formats and why it matters for print quality.

Embossed and Moulded Chocolate Branding

Some products within the 31 Degrees range allow for custom chocolate moulds — meaning your logo is actually pressed into the surface of the chocolate itself. This is a premium option, typically requiring a higher minimum order quantity (MOQ) and longer lead time, but the result is genuinely impressive. Imagine handing out a chocolate square with your company’s logo embossed directly into the surface at your next Sydney corporate event. The impact is memorable.

What to Know About Artwork Requirements

Before submitting your design, check whether your logo includes gradients or complex colour blends — these can sometimes present challenges on smaller format chocolates. Keep branding clean, bold, and legible at small sizes. If you’re unsure about your file’s suitability, it’s worth requesting a digital proof before committing to a full production run. Our article on virtual proofs vs physical samples for promotional products is a useful read before you sign off on any artwork.

Minimum Order Quantities, Pricing, and Lead Times

What MOQs Look Like for Custom Chocolates

MOQs for 31 Degrees custom chocolates vary depending on the product format. As a general guide:

• Individually wrapped chocolates: MOQs often start from 250–500 units
• Custom branded bars: Typically 100–250 units minimum
• Premium boxed assortments: Often 50–100 units minimum, though pricing rises accordingly
• Moulded logo chocolates: MOQs are typically higher — 500 units or more — due to the custom tooling involved

These figures are approximate and will vary based on your supplier and specific product configuration. Always confirm current MOQs when requesting a quote.

Budget Considerations

Custom chocolates are not the cheapest promotional product, but they occupy a unique space in the gifting ecosystem. For individual branded chocolates, expect to budget from around $1.50 to $4.00 per unit at typical quantities. Premium boxed assortments for corporate gifting can range from $15 to $50+ per gift depending on the contents and presentation.

When budgeting, factor in:

• Setup fees for new artwork (often $50–$150)
• Freight costs — chocolate is temperature-sensitive and may require refrigerated shipping in warmer months across Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia
• Shelf life considerations — most quality chocolates have a shelf life of 6–12 months, so plan your order quantities carefully

Turnaround Times

For standard wrapper customisation, expect a production turnaround of 2–3 weeks from artwork approval. Custom moulded products can take 4–6 weeks. If you’re ordering for a specific event — say, a Canberra government department end-of-year function or an Adelaide corporate conference — build in a buffer of at least a week beyond the standard turnaround.

Best Use Cases for 31 Degrees Custom Chocolates

Corporate Gifting and End-of-Year Recognition

Premium branded chocolates are a consistently popular choice for Christmas gifts for employees. A beautifully presented box of 31 Degrees custom chocolates with your company branding and a personalised message creates a tangible, appreciated gift that doesn’t feel impersonal. This format works particularly well for financial services firms, law practices, real estate agencies, and professional services businesses across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Events, Conferences, and Trade Shows

Branded chocolates work brilliantly as conference inclusions or trade show table giveaways. Placed at a booth alongside branded tote bags or promotional umbrellas, a premium custom chocolate creates a multi-sensory brand experience. They encourage people to stop, pick up, and engage — which is exactly what you want on a busy expo floor.

Consider individually wrapped chocolates branded with your logo placed on seats at a Gold Coast conference. Delegates unwrap them during the opening address, your brand is in their hands and on their taste buds simultaneously. That’s effective marketing.

Sporting Club Fundraising and Sponsorship

Custom chocolate bars are an underutilised tool in the sporting club sector. A Melbourne football club or a Sydney netball association can create branded chocolate bars to sell as fundraisers, or distribute to sponsors as part of a welcome pack. Paired with items like event wristbands or custom t-shirts, a branded chocolate becomes part of a cohesive, premium merchandise bundle.

Seasonal Campaigns

Beyond Christmas, consider custom chocolates for Easter campaigns, Valentine’s Day promotions, or mid-winter gifting programs. Our article on winter promotional products in Sydney highlights how seasonal gifting creates timely brand touchpoints — and chocolates fit this strategy beautifully across all seasons, temperature logistics permitting.

Practical Tips for Ordering Custom Chocolates in Australia

Getting the most out of your 31 Degrees custom chocolate order comes down to planning and preparation. Here are some practical tips to guide your project:

1. Start with a clear brief. Know your quantity, target audience, delivery date, and budget before approaching a supplier. This speeds up the quoting process significantly.

2. Consider temperature logistics. Australian summers are brutal. Shipping chocolates to Darwin or Western Australia in January requires careful planning around refrigerated freight or insulated packaging. Factor this into your budget and timeline.

3. Order samples where possible. Before committing to 500 units, request a sample of the base product to assess quality. Our guide on virtual proofs vs physical samples covers when physical samples are worth the extra time.

4. Plan your storage. If you’re receiving a large delivery, ensure you have appropriate cool, dry storage — especially relevant for Queensland and Northern Territory clients.

5. Think about allergen information. Custom wrappers should include allergen declarations (particularly for nuts and dairy) in line with Australian Food Standards. Ensure your supplier handles this correctly on the printed packaging.

6. Bundle chocolates with complementary products. Consider pairing with branded notebooks, USB drives, branded water bottles, or totes and backpacks to create a premium gift pack.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways

31 Degrees custom chocolates represent one of the most memorable and effective options in the Australian promotional products landscape. When executed well, they combine premium quality with powerful brand recall — a combination that’s hard to beat. Here’s a summary of the most important points to carry away from this guide:

• Quality matters — premium branded chocolates reflect positively on your brand, making 31 Degrees an excellent choice for professional and corporate applications
• Plan for lead times — allow 2–6 weeks depending on customisation complexity, and always add a buffer for important events
• Temperature logistics are critical in warmer Australian states and territories, especially for summer deliveries
• Artwork preparation is key — supply vector files, confirm PMS colour matching, and request a digital proof before production begins
• Bundle strategically — custom chocolates work best as part of a broader merchandise strategy, paired with items like branded gym towels, work polo shirts, or event wristbands to create a cohesive brand experience

Whether you’re a marketing manager planning a national product launch or a sporting club treasurer looking for a memorable fundraiser, 31 Degrees custom chocolates offer a versatile, premium, and genuinely enjoyable promotional solution that Australians across every state and territory will appreciate.