Snack food producers: Prioritize packaging

When your food products are meant for snacking instead of consumption as part of a full meal, it’s probably worth thinking about unique strategies that exemplify this role for the items in question. Snacking isn’t eating out of necessity or obligation, so it can be fun and a little indulgent. These elements may add up to a great food and beverage labeling approach, one that will present your brand in a great light.

Reacting to trends
While snacking is eternal, consumer habits regarding the food they seek out between meals have been known to change over the years. Packaging Digest recently delved into the latest developments, which could herald exciting new graphic design strategies – provided you have the technology on hand to launch a new look.

Mondelez International’s Gil Horsky told the news provider that the current snack market is about picking a particular consumer experience, and targeting that confluence of needs and interests will be critical. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, snack brands should have a clear idea of who they are selling to and why.

Horsky noted that one of the potential experiences manufacturers can aim to provide is “pure pleasure.” This means using deluxe and visually appealing packaging to turn snacking from a quick mini-meal into a unique and pleasant part of the the day. The expert pointed to a beautiful and colorful range of chocolate wrappers from candy producer Green & Black that provide a pleasing visual and tactile experience to consumers.

The lesson here is that snack foods can be more than quick and convenient – they can be deluxe items to be savored, with labels to match. On the other hand, you may want to emphasize speed and convenience with your labels. Horsky pointed out that on-the-go snacking is also on the rise. It comes back to the aforementioned point: Find your customer and design to that hypothetical person’s specifications.

Telling a unique story
Is there a role for brand storytelling in snack-food packaging, or are these items too disposable? A separate Packaging Digest piece, this one focused on an example of an innovative new potato chip company, contained evidence that your labels can go in-depth and create a meaningful identity for your brand. The source highlighted Uglies, chips made from rejected potatoes. With fun imagery and copy that underlines the products’ anti-food-waste stance, the producer turned a snack food into a conversation piece. This is another viable labeling approach.

Luxury, speed or storytelling – whatever your food labels are meant to convey, they need to be attractive and well-made. In steps the Primera LX900 Color Label Printer. Check it out in our U.S. web store or on our Canadian site.