Food packaging is not just a means to storing the food your sell, it's a marketing tool as well. A well designed food package will influence buyers to purchase a product and increase product recognition through image. Adding special features to food and beverage packaging is another way to influence consumers to purchase your product over another.

Important elements to consider when designing food packaging are the type of packaging, special features on the package and the graphic design of the product label. Making the most of food packaging may include:

1. Choosing the appropriate food packaging supplies;

2. Using special features to draw buyers in;

3. And hiring a packaging designer.

Action Steps to Make the Most of Your Food Packaging
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Pick the best food packing material for your product

The most common materials used by food packaging companies are aluminum, plastic and cardboard. Aluminum packaging works well for beverages, canned perishables and bakery items. Plastic food packaging has the most varying uses. Its structure works well for frozen perishables, fresh perishables, snack food, bakery items and more. Cardboard packaging works for frozen and fresh perishables, dry goods and more.

I recommend: Graham Packaging is a flexible packaging specialist that works with the food industry. Its customers include several companies with nationally sold products. Another food packaging supplier is Crown Holdings. Its packaging choices consist of aluminum, plastic and cardboard.

Find food packaging suppliers that carry special feature packaging

Packaging food in packages that have special features is another way to market to customers. Special features may include eco-friendly materials or resealable bags. Use as many features as possible to increase your customer base.

I recommend: The Brenmar Company manufacturers food packaging from corn. It has a large variety of food packaging products to choose from that are environmentally friendly. LPS Industries sells resealable packages. Its zipper packages are easy to seal and open.

Increase your marketing by working with food packaging designers

Designing food packaging is not an area to scrimp. The presentation of a food product can make or break it. Spending the money on a qualified expert is well worth it, if your food packaging helps a consumer choose your product over the one next to it one the shelf. When possible, ask for referrals from business contacts in order to find a reputable design consultant.

I recommend: Kristof Creative is a food packaging designer. Its portfolio includes designs and development of top-selling food packaging. Richardson and Edwards offers food packaging services for gourmet foods and candy. It develops a 3D promotional prototype and emails it to you to share with clients and product developers.

Tips & Tactics for Packaging Food Products

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before settling on a food packaging designer, ask to see examples from his or her portfolio in order to get a good idea of the quality of work provided. Avoid companies that do not have portfolios or that try to side step this request.

Picture a supermarket shelf. There are two products on the shelf—same price, same quality. Which one will customers purchase? Most likely, they’ll choose the one with the best packaging. Great food packaging can influence buying decisions and increase brand recognition. That’s why you should spend as much time developing your packaging design as you spend on your pricing strategies, recipe preparations and marketing efforts. When packaging food:

1. Choose food packaging that showcases your brand.
2. Include nutrition labels.
3. Highlight the features that make your product unique, such as organic, whole grain or low fat.
4. Choose food packaging boxes and containers that stand up on the shelf.
5. Pick the appropriate packaging material for the type of food you sell.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Packaging food for takeout

If you sell fresh food or gourmet-to-go that is made in-house, packaging food in the appropriate takeout containers is essential.

I recommend: Choose aluminum oven-ready, plastic, Styrofoam, cardboard and Chinese type take-away containers at CreativeFoodPackaging.com. The Brenmar Company sells takeout containers including pizza, donut, cake and bakery boxes and bags and lidded containers for deli items.

Food packaging equipment

Sealing and packaging food on-site can be achieved in a number of ways. Heat-seal food packaging equipment removes most of the air from packages, such as salad bags, to reduce spoilage and extend shelf life. Other food packing options for your assembly line include lidded containers, standup pouches, lamination roll stock and bags.

I recommend: Doug Care Equipment has a full line of shrink wrap machines for foodservice applications. Heatsealco.com offers heat-sealing food packaging equipment for supermarket applications. Cello Pack Corporation makes equipment for food packaging companies and food manufacturer’s assembly lines. Find more food packaging equipment at Business.com.

Food packaging boxes

Sometimes your food packaging can be as simple as a box imprinted with your company logo—for example a pizza box.

I recommend: US Box has a variety of food packaging boxes for pizza, bakery or Chinese takeout. To find more manufacturers and dealers for food packaging boxes and cartons, check out Business.com.

Unique food packaging options

There are times when it’s good to think outside the box for food packaging options. If your product is one that won’t be consumed in one sitting, consider resealable food packaging. Other foods and beverages require tamper-resistant packaging.

I recommend: Zip-Pak custom bags are ideal for anything that needs a resealable package, including snack foods, such as cookies. Portola Packaging manufactures a full line of tamper-evident bottles and beverage cartons. Business.com has a long list of beverage filling and bottling equipment dealers.

Hire a food packaging designer

The colors, images and copy that appear on your packaging can make the difference between a sale and no sale. Take the DIY route on food packaging design and you risk making costly mistakes. This is where professional packaging designers come in. They study the marketplace and know what sells and what doesn’t in package design.

I recommend: Beacon Branding specializes in designing food packaging that includes everything from beer bottles to potato chip bags to canned vegetables. Goodwin Design Group, which specializes in products aimed at kids, has designed labels for Campbell’s soup cans and RainMaker tea bottles. Search the “Packaged Foods and Snack Items” category in Package Design Magazine’s directory for more food packaging companies that offer design services.

Food packaging labels

If you plan to sell your goods at retail stores other than your own establishment, there are two important labels your food packaging must include. One is the FDA-regulated nutrition label, the other is a UPC barcode.

I recommend: Learn what details you need to provide in your nutrition label in order to comply with the Food and Drug Administration requirements at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition website. Get help from the pros by having your food products lab-tested for nutritional content. Intertek tests food for FDA compliance to assist food manufacturers from pricey recalls for incorrect nutrition labeling. Learn how to obtain a UPC barcode for your products by checking out Work.com’s guide to “Using Barcodes in Your Business.”

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Have your food analyzed by a professional lab that has expertise in FDA nutrition guideline compliance to prevent costly recalls and/or fines.
• •  Check with your local health department for county guidelines on food packaging, manufacturing and shipping. Regulations differ from county to county and state to state.
• •  If you’re packaging food within your restaurant or store, cut costs by purchasing generic food packaging boxes and bags and by simply placing a label with your logo on them.

Understand food packaging basics to make the best packaging and marketing decisions for your food products. There are three basic types of food packaging: aluminum, plastic and cardboard. Each of these items is customizable to have a company logo, picture and any other information deemed necessary. The greatest difference between the three types of food packaging is the type of food it can safely store.

Aluminum food packaging works well with beverages and canned perishables. Plastic food packaging works well for many items including frozen perishables, chips, candy and more. Cardboard boxes are great for dry goods and fresh and frozen perishables. While some foods will have an option of packaging materials, the majority of food will determine the type of packaging.

1. Use plastic food packaging for snack foods, perishables and produce.

2. Package beverages and perishables in aluminum food packaging.

3. Use food packaging boxes for dry goods and frozen perishables.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate plastic food packaging suppliers

Plastic food packaging companies are widely available to companies. Some types of plastic food packaging available are custom food bags, poly food bags and beverage packing bags. Each type of bag targets a certain type of food category, such as bread, frozen foods and snack foods. Along with packaging, food packaging services may include custom printing.

I recommend: Crown Poly is a plastic food packaging supplier. It is an environmentally conscious company that practices source reduction. Another plastic food packaging supplier is Multivac. It offers packaging solutions for meat, dairy, vegetables and many more perishable foods.

Work with aluminum and metal food packaging companies

Aluminum is a common material for manufacturing food storage containers. Because aluminum food containers are easy to manufacture, they are inexpensive. Sealed aluminum food containers can safely store food for long periods of time. Aluminum containers are an environmentally friendly option; manufactures make them from recycled materials, and used aluminum is recyclable.

I recommend: Ball has been in the food packing business for 125 years. It carries aluminum packaging for both beverages and food products. Independent Can is a food packaging company that offers solutions for aluminum food packaging. It carries stock and custom containers.

Find suppliers of food packaging boxes

Food boxes offer attractive and functional packaging for perishable and nonperishable foods alike. Food boxes also offer a level of protection to food goods while they are in transit. Another benefit of boxes is that manufacturers can make them from recycled materials and you can recycle them again after use.

I recommend: Paper Mart sells food packaging supplies for dry goods. Browse its website to find boxes for pizza, bakery goods, wine and more. PacMoore is a contract packaging service. Work with this company to custom design food packaging boxes.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consult with a packaging designer to make the most out of product packaging. Packaging designers are experts in product package design and marketing and can help you market your brand through your food packaging.

Packaging often protects food from damage and spoilage. Packaging must also be designed to keep away anything that affects the quality of the food, such as extreme temperatures or excess moisture. In addition, food packaging functions as a barrier against dust or other particles. Materials and chemicals for food packaging should also be safe and compatible for different types of foods. Examples include aluminum cans for soups and vegetables, plastic bags for snacks and salads, and seal-tight glass containers for marketing jams and sauces. Ensure quality and marketability in your products by studying basic food-packaging terminology.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Tamper-evident technology

Tamper-evident technology prevents food sampling or tainting of food, beverages, personal care and pharmaceutical products. Food manufacturers create special seals, tapes or shrink labels to keep products safe.

I recommend: PDC International manufactures neck-banding equipment, shrink sealers and shrink labels for food, dairy and other consumer products. View literature, videos and white papers pertaining to tamper-evident packaging at Axon Styrotech.

Biodegradable packaging

Biodegradable food packaging comes from organic substances that were safely decomposed into natural, recyclable raw materials. An example of biodegradable packaging includes paperboard for cereal boxes. This newer form of food packaging is considered more environmentally friendly than traditional methods.

I recommend: Nerac produces articles and podcasts on biodegradable food packaging.

Desiccants

Some dry food packages require the use of desiccants to stay fresh during long-term storage. These chemical substances come in the form of silica gel, calcium oxide and clay. Desiccants promote dryness, thus keeping foods such as legumes and grains from getting wet and moldy.

I recommend: Information on desiccant applications can be found at SorbentSystems. AGM Container Controls distinguishes among silica gel packets, clay desiccant bags and bulk food-packaging desiccants.

Nutrition labels

One of the obvious features of food packaging is the nutrition label, which gives information such as product ingredients, recommended servings, fat grams, calorie content and more. Cooking instructions are also included on meat and processed food packages.

I recommend: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides further details about using nutrition labels. Nutrition analysis company LabelCalc has an online application that allows food producers to create nutrition labels.

PET

Polyethylene terephthalate, simply known as PET, is a thermoplastic packaging material applied to food trays and beverage bottles. PET food packaging is best suited for microwave use.

I recommend: Amcor provides retail and bulk PET food packaging options for manufacturers.

Vacuum packaging

Food manufacturers use vacuum-sealing machines to remove air from flexible containers such as foils, paper and plastic films. Additionally, nitrogen or carbon dioxide may be incorporated during the process to help maintain flavor, prolong food product shelf life and prevent freezer burn. Vacuum packaging has applications for products ranging from fresh produce to meats to coffee beans.

I recommend: Cryovac Bags, a division of Sealed Air, discusses benefits of vacuum packaging. Information on safe food handling and techniques like vacuum packaging can be found at the U.S. Department of Agriculture site.