Branding Food – What The PLMA Show Confirmed For Me

I recently returned from the Private Label Manufacturing Association (PLMA) show in Chicago and was energized and amazed at how far we’ve come as an industry in regards to branding food.  Never before have I seen such diversity in the packaging of foods ranging from cheese, jerky, peanuts, baking mixes and even sauces.  I saw glass and plastic bottles and jars along with boxes and folding cartons and even clamshells and Tetra Pak aseptic packaging for not just liquids but dried spices and condiments.  But nothing compared to the amount of flexible retail packaging I saw this year.  From flat barrier bags to stock stand up pouches and custom stand up bags, flexible retail packaging was everywhere.  But why?

Here are 3 Reasons Why Companies Are Using Flexible Packaging When Branding Food:

Protection

Many companies continue to use stock stand up pouches with an applied label or even custom stand up bags that are printed because they work, plain and simple.  Made from multiple layers of laminated barrier film, each section of a stand up pouch performs a specific task.  One layer is there for strength and puncture resistance, one is there to block odor and moisture, another layer could be the printing itself, and another for food exposure and heat seal-ability.  Again, all of these layers are sealed into one and then converted into a particular size and style.  Companies know that their brand success is directly tied to how their product tastes and smells and anything else they deem important.  The right size and style of flexible packaging can make all the difference.

Brand Building

Custom stand up bags along with stock stand up pouches have a natural wide face and back which is perfect for an applied label or even better, custom printing.  Many companies from around the world continue to learn and see that their packaging is so critical to branding food.  The packaging is the last thing a consumer will see, the last opportunity for a company to tell their story, why their product is so great or good for you, etc.  Even more, companies are learning that convenience in their packaging also plays an important role in branding food.  People want to have easy access into and out the package along with reseal-ability for continued freshness.  Retailers want multiple ways to merchandise and display different products too.  Again, pour spouts, different ziplock options, tear notches, and hang holes all help consumers and retailers alike. With each challenge, with each opportunity…flexible retail packaging continues to adjust and lead the way with the most cost effective and efficient packaging options.

Environmental Impact

Make no mistake; consumers value the environmental impact their packaging has in our world.  Not that long ago, if a package was recyclable that was the ticket, the answer for a package’s environmental success…but not anymore.  Consumers are looking at the entire Supply Chain.  Does the company who makes their favorite product use excess packaging or inefficient packaging that takes up a ton of space in a cupboard…which easily equates to taking up a ton of space in a truck or warehouse or distribution center?  Are they using a box with a senseless inner liner that is just waste and serves no purpose?  Is a company using a glass bottle or heavy gauge plastic bin or jar that costs so much more in energy and fuel to make, store, and ship than other types of packaging options?  Consumers aren’t stupid or naïve and they want a say in how their favorite items are packaged.  Fortunately, printed flexible packaging such as stock stand up pouches and custom stand up bags meet all of these requirements.  They are recyclable, landfill friendly, and take a fraction of the energy to make, ship, and store.

Branding food is a cut-throat business, just like anything else.  Retailers want great products and consumers want convenience and both need packaging that will perform and protect.  Flexible retail packaging is the lowest cost alternative to make everyone happy.  As always, look to your packaging partner for guidance and direction.