

Chocolate Invader - kizel

I decided to launch a physical product (chocolate invader) and use “the things” I learned building web apps to make it happen. It’s been challenging to work with atoms instead of bits, but still a gratifying process (and I am just at the beginning). I launched yesterday and would love to get feedback from the hacker news community. I’m approaching this as I would any start-up, so please do share your thoughts.<p>A little bit about the project:<p>It started out as an experiment in fabrication at a FabLab. I wanted to learn CAD, CNC machine a few of my own molds, create a negative mold out of silicone resin and have Bryan (my partner and brilliant chocolatier) mold some chocolates. We successfully made a few molds and chocolate bars. They were bad ass, but it was just for fun. Then my obsession with invaders made it’s way into 3D. I thought pixels relate (beautifully) to squares of chocolate. People loved the idea and the experiment began. Fast forward a year, we decided to make it a product.<p>www.chocolateinvader.com<p>What do you think?
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nicwest
love the idea!

quick question: isn't this a packaging nightmare?

And along those lines: how cost efficient is your packaging compared with a
main stream chocolate bar of the same weight/volume?

edit: assuming that the limited edition box isn't the long term plan.

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kizel
Thanks! Glad you like it.

For the time being, we are doing a run with the special edition box. The
future of the packaging is still to be determined, but we will be trying a few
different directions.

But for now, we are really excited to have a box that people can keep & use
after the chocolate is eaten.

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JoeAltmaier
Like to make my own mold, online. So many things suggest themselves!

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kizel
Absolutely! That would be great, and a step we could take the site in the
future.

What sort of things would you like to make? Personally, the next logical step
is a chocolate pacman :)

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JoeAltmaier
Oh, chocolate chessmen for a friend of mine. Chocolate monopoly pieces.
Chocolate tetris.

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SaintSal
Awesome! Is this something you could sell on Etsy or Kickstarter?

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kizel
Thanks!

It might be. I am trying to focus on my own distribution channel at the
moment. I was thinking if people like this, and I need to scale, then I will
turn to kickstarter!

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joshu
Pictures please.

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kizel
Do you think there aren't enough pictures on the site?

Did you see the process section?

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joshu
Either I missed the link or it wasn't there when I said this :)

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kizel
k, cool. Let me know what you think!

