01
Audience research & strategy

Our audience research focused on Crafted Liberation’s impact. Our goal was to understand the emotional drivers behind support for this project. We identified two key personas:

  1. The Drivers: Primarily Iranian women living outside Iran, deeply connected to the Women, Life, Freedom movement.
  2. The Drivers: Primarily Iranian women living outside Iran, deeply connected to the Women, Life, Freedom movement.

These insights informed every aspect of our brand strategy, guiding the website and content creation to engage these audiences emotionally and effectively.

01
Brand design & copywriting

The brand design embodies RK Collective’s philosophy of ‘design for function, not decoration.’ The aesthetic for RK Collective is minimalistic and modular, using earthy, neutral colours and a clean, sans-serif font. For Crafted Liberation, we introduced a vibrant Persian-inspired colour palette, reflecting the cultural significance of the project. This differentiation in design helped to establish RK as the umbrella brand, with Crafted Liberation as its signature project.

For Crafted Liberation, we introduced a vibrant Persian-inspired colour palette, reflecting the cultural significance of the project. This differentiation in design helped to establish RK as the umbrella brand, with Crafted Liberation as its signature project.

01
Brand design & copywriting

The brand design embodies RK Collective’s philosophy of ‘design for function, not decoration.’ The aesthetic for RK Collective is minimalistic and modular, using earthy, neutral colours and a clean, sans-serif font. For Crafted Liberation, we introduced a vibrant Persian-inspired colour palette, reflecting the cultural significance of the project. This differentiation in design helped to establish RK as the umbrella brand, with Crafted Liberation as its signature project.

For Crafted Liberation, we introduced a vibrant Persian-inspired colour palette, reflecting the cultural significance of the project. This differentiation in design helped to establish RK as the umbrella brand, with Crafted Liberation as its signature project.

Home > Case studies > Kakawa Chocolates: Shopify website redesign to boost sales

Kakawa Chocolates: Shopify website redesign to boost sales

About

Kakawa Chocolates is one of Sydney’s most loved artisan chocolatiers — known for their handcrafted small-batch creations, inventive flavours, and commitment to quality. Founded by master chocolatier Jin Sun Kim, Kakawa has built a loyal following of chocolate lovers who value craftsmanship, creativity and the art of gifting.

ReCo Digital was engaged to redesign their outdated WordPress site, migrate the store to Shopify and create a streamlined e-commerce experience that could grow with the business.

Project goals
  • Refresh the brand’s online presence to match its premium product range
  • Transition the e-commerce site from WordPress to Shopify smoothly
  • Improve customer experience, speed and checkout flow
  • Equip the client with full control over site management and future updates

01
Understanding the business needs

We worked with Kakawa Chocolates' founder Jin Sun Kim to understand her vision, her products and the current pain points within the existing WordPress site. From there, we mapped out a new website structure that simplified the user journey, streamlined DIY chocolate box ordering, and better supported online sales.

02
Structuring information for clarity & conversion

We optmised Kakawa’s product catalogue — introducing clearer product categories and designing a new mega menu for easier navigation. This made it faster for customers to browse flavours, customise gifts and discover seasonal specials — improving both the user experience and checkout flow.

‍

03
Custom-built features on Shopify

DIY box builder
A highlight of the redesign was building a custom DIY Chocolate Box experience. With over 30 flavours available, we created a system that's easy for Kakawa to update the products, but also for customers to mix and match their perfect box efficiently.

Personalised checkout options
We also added personalisation options at checkout, including birthday card messages and add-on product upsells, helping Kakawa enhance the gifting experience and increase average order value.

04
Shopify development & performance

Performance was a key focus — especially with a product catalogue heavy in imagery. We optimised all assets and achieved a 99/100 Google Lighthouse score on desktop — exceptional for an image-rich store — helping Kakawa’s new website load faster, rank better, and provide a seamless shopping experience.

Behind the scenes, we managed the full migration from WordPress to Shopify, ensuring no broken links, smooth data transfer for all products and clean backend setup, including shipping configuration and product variants.

05
Onboarding & handover support

We equipped the Kakawa team with full dashboard training across product management, order tracking and theme updates. We also provided post-launch troubleshooting support — making sure the team felt confident and ready to manage the store day-to-day.

Project impact

Since launch, Kakawa’s e-commerce revenue has doubled year-on-year — supported by a combination of better website performance, improved customer journeys and increased marketing efforts.

Today, the new website ensures customers can discover, customise and purchase their favourite chocolates faster and more intuitively — driving loyalty, repeat sales and brand growth.

Key takeaway
  • A clean, customer-focused Shopify build dramatically improves conversion and loyalty
  • Speed and stability are critical for image-heavy, premium product sites
  • Migration projects must balance technical precision, UX optimisation and budget
Our services
  • Shopify website redesign and development
  • Custom Shopify development
  • SEO setup
  • Client onboarding, training and post-launch support
Links

kakawachocolates.com.au

Credits

Photos: Kakawa Chocolates

Pitch decks
Can we support your growth journey?

We’re on a mission to help you transform your vision into action, overcome challenges, and co-create a brighter future for all. Contact our co-founder Danling to discuss your project today.

Contact us

Case studies

Crafted Liberation: Audience-led strategy for cultural disruption

How deep audience research and cultural insight shaped a brand narrative around one of the most politically-charged design projects in Australia.
Learn more
Learn more

Flyover: Rebrand through customer insights

Discover how we used qualitative research to transform Flyover’s brand — reshaping perception, redefining its identity and increasing sales.
Learn more
Learn more

Ipoh: Customer and market research to guide reusable lunchbox strategy

From customer interviews to market trends and competitor mapping, we delivered the insights behind a smarter, purpose-led launch.
Learn more
Learn more

Let’s bring your vision to life.

Contact us
ReCo Digital acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, who are the traditional custodians of the land we live and work. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging, and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.
©ReCo Enterprises Pty Ltd 2024. Sydney, Australia.