Designer all along the line

Andreas H. Gratze conceived the wide range of Zotter and is in charge of the complete visual Zotter design. The market introduction of Zotter’s new chocolate flavours was pioneering and Gratze’s design was equally groundbreaking as far as publicity and advertisement is concerned.
This assortment of overwhelming flavours that dashingly comes along with an almost granted visual variety is revolutionary indeed. Andreas H. Gratze - stage designer and visual artist -.raised plain packaging to fine art. Together, Gratze and Zotter have created an enormously virtuous liaison of visual arts and chocolate.

Origins and first shapes

Officially, Zotter chocolate manufactory GmbH was founded in 1999. However, the exquisite hand-made chocolates have been invented and produced in a small confectionery in Graz since 1990. Ever since then, Andreas H. Gratze and Josef Zotter, who met and have become friends during their military years, have brooded and fiddled together about new ideas.
Back then, when Andreas H. Gratze viewed the boring designs an assigned agency had offered to Zotter, he went on the warpath. Unquestioned, he created his first packaging designs with enthusiasm and high spirits. The design „Für Schlingel“ captivated everyone by its simplicity and humor. With Gratze’s new packaging design, the breakthrough succeeded and the chocolates were sold out immediately.
Despite the great success, Gratze still had to make a good job of convincing and had met with oppositions from many critics and doubters before his design concept eventually prevailed. The forecasts did not look too well. No one believed that an assortment that bets on visual variety could bear up against the market.