A well-designed food packaging plays an important role in establishing a positive impression of your product in the minds of consumers.
It fosters a sense of culture around your offerings, ultimately contributing to increased sales.
The origin of packaging can be traced back to its purpose of safeguarding products during shipping. Concentrating solely on functionality might result in neglecting the marketing potential of packaging.
A branded packaging and unboxing experience provide an opportunity to not only deliver a functional product but also create a lasting and noteworthy experience for your customers.
The Right Materials and Costs
The initial stage in selecting appropriate restaurant food packaging involves making the right material choices.
Various options are available, including plastic, cardboard, styrofoam, as well as biodegradable and sustainable alternatives. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages:
Paper/cardboard presents advantages such as biodegradability, cost-effectiveness, and customizable printing. Pizza delivery services utilize corrugated cardboard boxes that insulate heat and regulate temperature. These boxes securely close, minimizing heat loss, and have small side holes to prevent condensation and maintain pizza quality.
Plastics provide strength and effective food protection but tend to retain moisture, leading to potential sogginess. Plastics, however, have a negative impact on the environment.
Aluminum/foil is a durable and a non-absorbent option. It excels at retaining heat, making it ideal for foods like burritos and grilled sandwiches. However, it is not suitable for microwave use and can be relatively expensive.
Styrofoam offers excellent insulation properties, maintaining the desired temperature of hot and cold foods. Its affordability comes at the expense of being environmentally unfriendly.
Sustainable packaging alternatives, such as sugarcane and bioplastics, prioritize environmental friendliness despite their higher cost. Some delivery services opt for recyclable glass bottles for smoothies and compostable containers made from bagasse, a byproduct of sugarcane processing.
The information above emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for restaurant food packaging. Each dish on your menu may require specific packaging to maintain ingredient freshness during transportation.
Sustainable Food Packaging Options to Consider
Corrugated cardboard boxes
The food industry commonly uses corrugated cardboard boxes as additional packaging. These boxes serve the purpose of holding multiple units of the same food product, thereby enhancing the convenience of transportation and distribution. To ensure secure shipping, workers place the boxes on pallets and tightly wrap them together.
Recyclable sandwich bags
Opt for recyclable sandwich bags as a sustainable alternative to the excessive plastic sandwich bags that often end up polluting landfills and oceans. These paper bags maintain the freshness of your food until you're ready to enjoy it. Many of these recyclable sandwich bags are also suitable for freezer storage over short periods.
Glass jars and glass containers
Despite the need for careful handling, companies still choose to use glass for food packaging due to its luxurious appearance compared to other materials. Glass is transparent that allows buyers to see the contents. However, a significant disadvantage is its tendency to break easily, which can pose risks to store staff and consumers. Glass bottles are mainly used for liquid foods like juices, wines, beers, puddings, pickles, and jams due to their impermeable nature.
Paperboard boxes
Paperboard boxes are made from a special kind of paper that is stronger and sturdier than regular paper. Different types of paper, like Glassine, sulfite paper, Kraft paper, or parchment paper, can be used to make paperboard. Paperboard boxes are usually thinner than cardboard but are thicker than regular paper.
Food delivery paper bags
Not only is a paper bag a more environmentally friendly choice, but it is also stronger and more durable compared to a standard plastic bag. These bags have enough strength to stand upright on counters, making it convenient for consumers to load them. Food delivery paper bags are designed to be durable and can be reused multiple times.
The Importance of Informed Food Packaging Decisions for Restaurants
Choosing the appropriate packaging for your business is essential to unlock the numerous benefits it offers. The right packaging:
Boosts Sales
Attractive packaging plays an important role in driving repeat sales, as consumers make purchasing decisions based on visual appeal. A survey revealed that 72% of American consumers consider packaging design when deciding what to buy.
Consider the annual excitement generated by Starbucks' holiday cup designs as a prime example of the impact visually appealing packaging can have on consumer interest and engagement.
Enhances Food's Visual Appeal
Our dining experience is influenced by various senses, including our sense of sight, which is particularly important when a dish is served. Proper packaging plays a role in preserving the integrity of the food and ensuring it arrives in a visually appealing manner.
Consider the difference between takeout pizza that arrives with the slices neatly arranged versus when they are all squished together. The right packaging maintains the presentation of the food that makes it more enticing for customers.
Prevents Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination in restaurants refers to the transfer of bacteria or harmful microorganisms from food, equipment, or people to the food itself. This risk exists throughout food production, including the packaging of takeout and delivery orders. Proper food packaging plays an essential role in preventing cross-contamination during the transfer of food from the restaurant to the customer.
Temperature-control
60% of diners consider food quality, freshness, and temperature to be the most crucial factors when choosing delivery options. Ideally, hot and cold dishes should be packaged separately to ensure that each item arrives at the intended temperature for optimal enjoyment.
Boosts Brand Identity
Through the smart utilization of color, design, and copy, packaging offers an opportunity for brands to connect with customers. It serves as an additional touchpoint that allows you to establish a unique bond with your audience.
When food is also well-packaged, it is perceived to have a higher value. In fact, a study revealed that almost a quarter of consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more for products that are packaged in an eco-friendly manner.
Your restaurant's packaging can effectively communicate the values you hold dear, whether it's a dedication to sustainability or raising awareness about important social issues.
For example, opting for biodegradable packaging is a simple yet impactful way to demonstrate your commitment to environmental protection to your customers.
Choosing the Right Food Packaging Materials for Your Restaurant
Packaging materials vary in shape and possess specific characteristics based on their properties. To preserve the flavor, shape, and texture of your product effectively, it is important to select the appropriate packaging material within a suitable time-frame.
Consider the following factors:
Display considerations: Think about how your product will appear on store shelves. Choose packaging that is easy to display and stack attractively, enhancing its visual appeal to potential customers.
Product-specific: The packaging material should align with the unique attributes of your product. Packaging chosen for an iced coffee must be able to withstand cold temperatures. Similarly, packaging for gourmet meals should be microwaveable.
Cost-effectiveness: Strive to find a packaging material that meets your requirements and achieves the optimal balance between affordability and quality, rather than simply settling for low-cost packaging that may be of inferior quality.
Legal requirements: Take into account any legal obligations regarding packaging sustainability in the relevant countries or states. Ensure that the packaging supplier you are considering follows all applicable laws and regulations.
Wrapping It Up
Customers' demands drive the continuous evolution of the food packaging industry. Recent industry trends focus on emotionally engaging packaging solutions while eliminating harmful plastic packaging.
Stay ahead of the curve with ForestPackage. Explore our comprehensive range of food packaging products that not only fulfill but surpass your requirements for containment, sustainability, and branding.
