Fortnum & Mason turns chocolate into music with multi-sensory ‘Bars of Chocolate’ by Otherway
Written by admin on February 2, 2026
For Fortnum & Mason’s newly reimagined chocolate bar collection, design studio Otherway has transformed flavour into melody, pairing each bar with an original piano composition to create a range that’s as much a performance as it is a treat.
We all love a nice sweet treat every now and then, but when you’re really looking to indulge, you’d be hard-pressed to find something truly unique in the category. That’s why Fortnum & Mason set out to do something both beautiful and radical, elevating the everyday chocolate bar into a richer, more memorable experience. Rather than simply describing flavour, the ambition was to expand it, pushing packaging beyond the visual and into the realm of the sensory.
Bars of Chocolate emerged from that desire to create something truly unique. The collection draws on the principles of neurogastronomy – the science of how our senses shape taste – and the deceptively simple insight that sound is often the forgotten flavour sense.
Research shows that what we hear can meaningfully influence how we perceive food, yet it’s rarely considered in packaging design. Otherway seized on that gap, asking how chocolate might be experienced in new dimensions.
The creative response is both playful and distinctly Fortnum’s. Each chocolate bar in the range is paired with its own original musical score designed to mirror the rhythm, texture and emotional arc of tasting that particular flavour. It’s an experience sure to be loved by chocolate and music connoisseurs alike, where taste meets melody and chocolate becomes a performance.
There’s also something really charming about the double meaning of ‘bars’, as it refers not only to chocolate, but to bars of music. It’s a concept rooted in Fortnum & Mason’s long-standing love of music, from its historic archives to the piano that sits at the heart of the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. It’s also the kind of cultured wordplay that feels uniquely at home on Piccadilly.
To bring the idea to life, Otherway partnered with music production company Mcasso, working closely with emerging composers Nathan Britton and Jasmine Meaden. Together, they explored how flavour profiles might translate into sound, composing 16 original piano pieces. Each one was carefully crafted to reflect the sensation of tasting a specific bar, from the first bite to the final note.
The piano was a deliberate choice, according to Mcasso’s managing director, Tom Martin. “As a solo instrument, it is uniquely self-sufficient, capable of carrying both a rich harmonic foundation and melody simultaneously,” he says. “Beyond its musical versatility, the piano is accessible – found in homes, schools, and communal spaces everywhere – making the music playable for almost anyone.”
The packaging inspires awe the moment you see it. The front of each bar features illustrated musical notation, while inside, the full score is revealed, inviting customers to play the music themselves, listen along, or simply savour the idea as they eat. The expressive artwork is illustrated by Victoria Semykina, whose painterly, emotive style helps translate sound into something tactile and human.
Rather than overwhelming the product, the design adds a layer of discovery by turning each bar into something collectable, giftable, and theatrical. Here, cues of luxury and indulgence feel natural rather than excessive.
Fortnum & Mason reveals that the project focused on standing apart in a saturated market without sacrificing the joy at the heart of the category. “Chocolate bars occupy a crowded marketplace where similar design ideas proliferate,” says Yvonne Isherwood, head of product and packaging at Fortnum & Mason. “Our ambition was to re-energise our range in a fresh, unexpected way, creating a collection that celebrates flavour, creativity and the joy of discovery that defines Fortnum’s.”
The approach has resonated both culturally and commercially. Since launch, the new packaging has delivered a 62% increase in sales versus the previous design, while newly introduced flavours have seen a 146% uplift compared to de-listed options, proving that the multi-sensory strategy connects with customers as much as it delights them.
Otherway adds that the project reflects a broader belief in what packaging can do when it’s rooted in experience rather than description. “Great packaging doesn’t just describe what’s inside, it can add value beyond the product itself,” says Tom Moore, design director at Otherway. “By finding an idea rooted in experience, we set out to turn chocolate from a moment of taste into a collectable, multi-sensory performance.”
In Bars of Chocolate, Fortnum & Mason, and Otherway have created something rare. The design concept is clever without being exclusionary or gimmicky. It invites us to slow down, listen closely, and taste with all our senses (which we certainly will be).
