If you are currently a great chef and you love the idea of selling your edible creations, then you have a lot to think about. Creating a new food product is exciting. The problem is that creating a new product is only half the work – the other half comes in choosing packaging for your food products.
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When you know you’re going to create something that people love, it makes sense that you should earn some cash from the idea. But what about making the right packaging choices? You need your food product to be attractive and durable so that it can be sellable.
Otherwise, you’re going to have something you can’t offload to customers. In fact, we’d be bold enough to say that it can make the difference between whether your business is even viable or not.
Who wants ugly, non-recyclable packaging when you can have something sustainably created, beautiful to look at and with the right labels? People put food into their refrigerators and their freezers and they should look irresistible to them, making them want to eat it.
The right vinyl stickers are as important as the package itself, too, especially with food. Their waterproof benefits mean that you can put these on your food packaging and know that they’re going to stand out without blurring or falling off the packages.
Packaging is an important decision that you have to make for your business, so let’s think about what you need to do to choose the right packaging for your food products.
Choosing the Right Packaging for Your Food Products
Think about materials.
There are so many options for packaging materials to choose from, that you are going to need to think about the actual product first. For example, cakes do much better with plastic containers than cardboard.
If you want to choose glass, for example, you need to make sure that you are choosing dishwasher and microwave safe glass. Some companies pick metal, but choosing a durable and non-reactive option is important, and if you choose paper, you have to make sure that it can withstand the type of food and its weight.
What type of food is it?
Are you bagging and selling candy? Are you making baked goods and selling them by the batch? If your food is perishable you may only have a limited delivery area. If your food is baked, you have to make sure that you’re adhering to ingredient guidelines.
Fresh produce is much better in plastic containers and bags. Plastic containers with lids are great for hot food that you’re selling from a van – you get the idea. It’s a good idea to make sure that you are matching the packaging to the food type.
Consider your brand.
Branding your packaging is so important. The design should be solid, the brand of your business and your logo should appear on the packaging and if you are adding stickers, they should have your contact information. You need to make sure that every angle of your brand is showcased on your packaging.
How long will your product stay fresh?
Shelf life is a vital consideration in choosing the ideal packaging for your food products. You want to think about keeping it as fresh as possible so that it can last as long as your customer wants it to.
The right packaging for your food products can maximize freshness and that can help you to manage your product viability. You can test a range of food product packaging so that you can tell what’s going to work and what won’t.
Do you need a vacuum sealer?
Some products require a vacuum sealer so that they can be as fresh as possible for as long as possible. This is where you consider the permeability of the packaging you choose. Perishable goods need a barrier against light, oxygen and moisture and options like cans and foil pouches are a great option for this.
Can the packaging for your food products withstand transport?
What’s the point of packaging that crumbles when you move it anywhere? More durable packaging for your food products are great for longer shelf life items.
Flexible films are good for shorter shelf lives, but you have to think about the actual food and decide the packaging for yourself. You need to make a point of having the right packaging that can withstand a rumbly van or two!
Should your packaging need temperature control?
Food preservation is so important and if you are planning to pay for refrigerated vans then you should plan to pay for temperature-controlled packaging!
You need to think about insulated bags, freezer boxes and more. Your food product deserves the best packaging to be out there in the world!
