If you run any kind of manufacturing business, you understand the importance of packaging. Its main goal isn’t only to protect your goods and make sure they arrive safely to your clients, but its design also has to catch the shopper’s eye. The former feature becomes even more critical if you sell food.
It doesn’t matter if you run an online store or offer your products in traditional grocery stores. Choosing the proper packaging is vital. In the following article, we will provide you with some tips and tell you about the things you have to consider before making the final decision.
Why is it so important?
First things first, let us break down the importance of food packaging. First of all, its primary goal is to protect the food and ensure its quality over a more extended period. This is especially important if your merchandise is sold in grocery stores, meaning that it may be on the shelf for quite some time. On the other hand, if you have a pastry shop and deliver your cooks and baked goods to clients’ homes, you have to be certain that they will arrive in perfect condition.
Then, there is the matter of design and marketing. Generally speaking, people are attracted by unique and intricate styles and designs of products. Finding a company that can provide you with the best packaging design can give you a competitive edge when it comes to your rivals.
Consider the material
When looking for a company, the first thing you have to investigate is the packaging materials they offer. As you know, you have multiple options to choose from, but not each of these is the right fit for your goods. For example, glass can protect items from heat and moisture, but it is very brittle, and it can easily be damaged. On the other hand, paperboard is lightweight and cheap, but it cannot guard food against moisture and humidity.
What’s more, you should also go with a company that offers recyclable packaging. This is a vital requirement nowadays, and your customer will appreciate the fact that you care about the environment. In some cases, people may exclusively buy products that come in recyclable packaging, meaning that if you go with an option without this feature, you may end up losing clients.
Packaging size
The next thing you have to think about is whether you require custom packaging. Naturally, we are talking about the size. If you have just started your business, this may not be essential, but this requirement definitely needs to be at the top of your list if you offer a wide range of products.
The golden rule is to ensure your merchandise is packed conveniently so that your customers can easily use it. According to Rootree, due to this reason, you need to get the packaging that matches the goods perfectly, and sometimes, it means that you need to go with custom items. Our advice is always to inquire if this is an option when communicating with several companies.
Design
We have already mentioned several times how important branding is. You probably use several marketing techniques and strategies to promote your goods. However, this doesn’t mean you don’t have to work very hard on the overall style of the merchandise. It is one of the most significant branding rules you have to follow, so you probably already have a design in mind. Naturally, you have to create something with the packaging type in mind, but you also have to find a company that can provide you with it. Because of this, it is another thing you have to inquire about. Ask them whether they offer this service, whether they use digital printing, inquire about the colors you can include, and don’t forget to check if there are any additional expenses.
Customized options
We have already mentioned the importance of custom sizes, but we also have to say that you should collaborate with a company that can provide you customized options. Maybe you have come up with a unique shape of the box or container or want to include some additional features that will further boost the clients’ satisfaction. If this is the case, you need to find a manufacturer that can build what you want. Obviously, you need to be realistic, so you have to work with them. Let them explain why they cannot build your design. Most people’s first thought maybe that they aren’t really good at what they do, but the truth is that there may be several other reasons. What’s more, if it turns out that your design isn’t very good, you can explain your idea, and they will provide you with different suggestions and options.
Order samples
That’s right. You can, and you should order samples. This can turn out to be quite important if you need to hire someone online, meaning that you cannot go and inspect their merchandise firsthand. Nowadays, most companies offer samples to their clients, and you should take full advantage of this.
Contact them, introduce them to your products, tell them about your requirements, and send the design to them. Now, it is up to them to create a sample and send it to you for inspection. Most of them will do this free of charge, and you only may have to pay for the delivery. However, make sure to confirm that this is the case with the company of your choice.
The overall cost
Last but not least, you have to inquire about the cost of the service. You probably already have a budget, and if you have just launched your business, the chances are that it is a tight one. The last thing you should do when starting your business journey is to exceed the price range you initially determined.
Today, numerous companies can provide you with this service, meaning that you might need to invest some time into finding the one that meets all your requirements. However, you have to remember that this is not an impossible task. On the other note, if you have already found one, but their fee is too high, you can communicate with them and learn whether you can omit some non-essential features to lower the cost.
