The period of closures caused by the coronavirus crisis has encouraged many businesses to focus on the take-away service. In this scenario, the theme of food packaging has risen to the fore.
Why think about food packaging? Because the container with which you deliver your proposals is almost as vital as the dish, you serve at the table!
In this article, we will show you the advantages and trends of this theme that you can no longer underestimate!
Why is food packaging important?
Why is this issue important? After all, isn’t it simply a matter of finding a suitable container, possibly one that costs as little as possible? Further, it must fulfil its role of delivering the dish to its destination.
As we have said before, the container is as important as the dish you serve. In fact, maybe even more so because good packaging takes care of your food.
- Food protection:
Well-designed and created packaging allow the food to be delivered safely. It ensures that it is brought to its destination intact. For example, bag-in-box packaging applications are suitable for both food and beverage, while aluminium is suitable for soda cans.
- Food safety:
Food packaging protects food from any contamination when it delivers to customers. Besides, it ensures food safety by eliminating or reducing food recalls and risks, especially in a period of a health crisis such as that generated by the coronavirus. A product recall can potentially destroy a brand’s credibility, reduce product sales, or even lead to a lawsuit. Since food contamination can occur at any point in the supply chain, ensure you always provide safe and healthy meals.
- Maintain Food Freshness:
Proper packaging can maintain the freshness, appearance, taste, shelf life, and food quality. Further, it can make a meal more inviting. In addition, it is crucial to maintain the temperature of the food. If someone wants to eat a cold dish, it actually must arrive cold. There is nothing worse than if one orders ice cream, milkshake or iced coffee, you deliver it hot or melted.
- Enhance Your Brand Uniqueness:
Good packaging allows your brand to move and grow. Therefore, the packaging is an essential part of marketing, allowing you to communicate information about your business and product directly to the customer. Through the intelligent use of color, design and text, food packaging can convey a message to customers for you. Plus, the packaging communicates your values to customers. For example, consider using biodegradable packaging if you value sustainability and the environment is essential to you.
The importance of knowing the different types of food packaging
Packaging nowadays literally comes in every shape, color, size and even material!
Knowing the characteristics of the main types is essential to identifying the right Food Delivery Boxes for each of your proposals.
- Polystyrene: Polystyrene is excellent for insulating hot and cold foods to help maintain and control their temperature. However, it is not biodegradable, which is bad for our environment.
- Plastic: Plastic is durable, prevents leaks and protects food. It is perhaps the most commonly used packaging material. Because it is extremely inexpensive to make, easy to transport and very strong. However, Plastic is not environmentally friendly because it is not biodegradable, while some plastics can release toxic substances into food.
- Cardboard: Cardboard is biodegradable, sustainable, easy to print, inexpensive, and robust when folded correctly. However, moist foods can turn it into mush. And it’s not an excellent insulator for maintaining temperature. Nonetheless, cardboard is the default choice for the delivery of dishes such as pizza.
Corrugated cardboard boxes are usually used to provide thermal insulation and regulate the temperature. The boxes can be closed tightly to decrease the amount of heat released. While to avoid the formation of condensation and prevent the pizza from getting soaked, the boxes have small holes on the sides. These holes allow the air to escape.
- Sustainable Packaging: Sustainable packaging alternatives are far better for the environment. However, they are often more expensive. An example would be compostable containers made from bagasse, which is a by-product that remains after processing sugar cane. These containers can also go straight to the oven to reheat meals. Other types of materials used to create sustainable food packaging are mushrooms and algae.
- Aluminium: It has the benefits of being sturdy, sealable and non-absorbent. It also retains heat well, perfect for foods like grilled sandwiches. The disadvantage is that the material is not microwaving safe and is expensive.
Stay up to date on the latest trends in food packaging.
The research work on new materials makes the packaging sector one of the sectors where we experiment more. That’s why packaging trends are constantly evolving. It is also subject to the continuous evolution of trends in the food world.
Being aware of these trends and exploiting them will allow you to use a packaging that can best perform its task. Besides, it must communicate the uniqueness of your business to customers.
- Simple Food Packaging:
Simple packaging is packaging free of unnecessary materials and messy designs with a modest and more elegant design. It refers to the reduction of clutter due to the packaging process. Everything lends a sense of simplicity to foods, from the design and appearance to the packaging material. Simple packaging is affordable and, often, eco-friendly. It helps you communicate your brand’s core message better and raise awareness with customers.
- Custom Food Packaging:
Think of custom packaging as what Coca-Cola does with its pre-named cans. Because it matters in on-premise service, personalization also offers many benefits when applied to packaging. It helps you build stronger, more emotional connections with your customers. Besides, it offers you free word of mouth marketing as customers would feel special when they get a personal note every time they order food. For example, you can write a small note on the packaging: “Made with affection [customer’s name], be safe”.
- Functional Food Packaging:
Customers seek the convenience of eating comfortably at home without cooking or washing the dishes. So, consider offering a lightweight, easy-to-carry, re-sealable package where they can simply eat as much as they want and still close the container and eat later, without the dish spoiling or losing its freshness.
To conclude
We have seen how from protecting food from contamination to promoting your brand, food packaging offers numerous benefits for your business.
But to reap these benefits, you need to make smart decisions about your packaging right from the start. This means selecting the right materials, embracing the latest trends, using strategic branding and prioritizing health and safety.
Now that you have a little clearer idea of food packaging, there is only one question left: are you able to make the right decisions about food packaging in your restaurant? Remember that you can always count on our experience! Our Food delivery boxes with insulation are reliable for your business. So if you want to take your food delivery business to the next level, rely on us.
