To address the unique needs of both buyers and suppliers, we structured the e-commerce platform as a fully integrated two-sided marketplace that streamlined interactions between professional chocolatiers and Belcolade’s supplier network. In doing so, we also repositioned the digital product as a community magnet – bringing together professionals, retailers, artisans, and of course, end customers.

I proposed integrating both buying and selling audiences into a single digital product. Simply put: users would start with a typical e-commerce experience – browsing and purchasing premium chocolate. But since we were targeting artisans and passionate home bakers, we gave them the option to apply to become sellers. Once approved, their account seamlessly transformed – they could now manage not only their purchases but also track their own product listings and sales, all within the same platform.

Me and my team took a strategic, user-centric approach, starting with in-depth research into the needs of professional chocolate buyers. We spoke directly with café owners and leading professionals running their businesses on Instagram. By analyzing both user demands and business goals, we identified key features and friction points in the customer journey, and developed a solution that combined elegance with efficiency.

We established a design system and content bank that included various components and assets – including photography, and a custom icon set to visually represent complex product attributes such as cocoa origin, processing methods, and sustainability certifications.