As a food marketer, you’re well aware of the power that Whole Foods holds in the world of food marketing. They have a deep connection and understanding of
 their customer, and they are able to translate their relationships into exceptional experiences in the grocery store.

There’s no doubt that we can learn a thing or two from Whole Foods, even in the world of food packaging. Whether your product is or isn’t on their store shelves, following in their marketing footsteps can help bring your company great success. 

Lesson #1: Know Your Customer Inside And Out

Perhaps the biggest advantage that Whole Foods has over any other grocer is that they understand their audience on an intricate level. Whole Foods knows that they don’t cater to everyone, and they aren’t afraid to market themselves as such.

It takes time to know your customer. But when you know your ideal customer, you can grow with your customer. And the better you know your customer, the more powerful your food marketing strategy becomes.

So take time to study, measure, and track what makes your customers tick. 

What matters most is what your customers think about your food product packaging. Once you’re both on the same page in terms of design and function, the sky is the limit.

Lesson #2: Customers Expect Experiences

Long ago, customers were perfectly content to pluck your food product packaging from the shelf and call it a day.

How times have changed.

Competition is around every corner, and everyone is in a race to get to the top of the mountain; or just inside of a shopping cart.

In order to set yourself apart, a good quality product just isn’t enough. You have to create an experience with your customer through your food marketing—something that they are unable to get from your competitors.

And that’s where Whole Foods thrives. They’re a grocery store with bells and whistles. The experience that customers receive at Whole Foods makes grocery shopping seem like less of a chore and more of an adventure. You can wet your whistle at the wine bar or take a bite or two of sushi.

If that’s not enough, there’s a band playing live music as you stroll through the store aisles.

What better way to spice up your shopping experience?

Setting yourself apart is tough, but custom product packaging makes the challenge easy for brands across the globe.

Lesson #3: You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone

It’s true that everyone needs to eat. That’s actually one advantage that food marketers have. Although it sounds like this fact puts you on easy street to selling your products, it might be time to reconsider your approach.

Whole Foods dedicates their entire marketing strategy to a very niche type of shopper. Niche markets are becoming more popular as time goes by, and there’s always custom food packaging to make sure you are reaching the right kind of customer.

Instead of attempting to reach any and every type of customer, focus on the kind that is most dedicated to your brand. It might be a smaller pool of people, but those are the people who will buy your products time and time again.

Of course, it all boils down to knowing your customer.

Are you sensing a theme yet?

Lesson #4: Offer Endless Value

So, Whole Foods is known for being a premier (read: expensive) grocery retailer. However, their pricing strategy stems from the customer base that they’ve cherry-picked over the years. Whole Foods customers are willing to pay higher prices because they believe in the Whole Foods name, their products, and what they get for the money.

Value doesn’t always have to come at a high price, but that’s how the business model works in that sense at Whole Foods.

Often times, customers are willing to pay slightly more if they know that they’re getting quality product for their money.

So what does value mean in terms of packaging for your customer?

Quality Materials: Designing your product packaging with materials that won’t easily rip or tear allows your customer to enjoy their food rather than fuss with packaging.

Convenience: Thoroughly thinking through the needs of your customer can allow you to add the convenience factor to your packaging. If your ideal customer is a busy mom, you can size your custom packaging to be easily transportable in diaper bags.

If your customer expects fresh food with every bite, add value by selecting sealing options that meet rigorous freshness standards.

It’s easy to add both value and convenience with your food packaging—you just need to know your customers’ needs and expectations.

Presentation: Your food packaging and product’s presentation speaks volumes. You need a solid presentation in order to stand a chance of being selected from the store shelf. And whether you realize it or not, customers connect your product presentation with your product’s actual value.

Lesson #5: Set The Bar High

Set your brand’s quality standards high not only for yourself, but for your customers. You can’t always be the best at everything, but you can pick one or two important customer values and completely own it.

You’ll have a lot to live up to, but the rewards are many.

Finding your place in the world of food marketing can be a challenge, but Whole Foods sets a great example of what kind of greatness can be achieved through hard work.

Not to mention, your food packaging can help take your company to higher levels as well. Consult with a professional product packaging company and learn how you can transform ho-hum packaging into an exciting customer experience. 

(Image #1 Source: http://thegoodcalorie.com/)
(Image #2 Source: https://blogthebigword.wordpress.com)