When it comes to the role packaging plays in improving your company’s ROI, a majority of businesses fall into the trap of centering their strategy around lowering the cost of plastic packaging. After all, reducing packaging costs is tempting within the food industry. Not only do lower prices look appealing when compared to your larger budget, but they also seem like an easy way to meet retailers’ 40-50% profit margins.
Unfortunately, while food packaging cost reductions are a quick fix, they aren’t a sustainable business strategy.
The Downside Of Reducing Stock Food Packaging Spending
Focusing solely on reducing the costs of your plastic sandwich containers can end up being more expensive for your business in the long run.
Consider what goes into the cost of food packaging materials. Physical makeup, durability, and visual appeal are just some of the factors that influence the price point of commercial sandwich packaging. Therefore, your run-of-the-mill cheap square plastic container will likely be flimsy, mess-prone, unappealing, and all-around unreliable. Customers who purchase your food in cost-effective but low-quality containers might be left frustrated and unlikely to repurchase your food.
Investing In Sandwich Packaging That Impacts Your Bottom Line
At Lacerta Group, we find the most success when we work with companies that view their food packaging as an investment rather than a means to an end.
When a business focuses on leveraging food packaging to improve the buyer’s experience, the buyer is likely to purchase the product again and become a loyal advocate for your brand.
That’s where the investment part comes in: positive customer experiences have a ripple effect of generating repeat sales and marketing your product through word of mouth. This increased revenue offsets the incremental cost of the packaging.
So, how can you find packaging that leads consumers to your product and ensures they have the experience possible? We’ve compiled a list of tips based on nearly three decades in the food packaging industry.
The Top 5 Ways To Improve Sandwich Container ROI
- Maximize shelf appeal. Your food container supplier should work with you to identify a sandwich container that highlights the quality and freshness of your ingredients. Not only does this combat inventory shrinkage — or the dollar value of inventory a store owns but is unable to sell — but it also ensures your food products stand out against that of your competitors. After all, 35% of consumers who are spending more on convenience store prepared foods credited freshness for their increase in purchases. The resulting increase in sales and reduction shrinkage will undoubtedly benefit your bottom line.
- Combine sustainability with durability. While consumers and corporations alike are placing a much-needed emphasis on environmentally-conscious materials, it’s also important to consider the customer experience. For example, a recycled cardboard-style package might be great for the environment but an impractical option for food that must be transported in large quantities. When selecting and working with your packaging vendor, make sure sustainability and durability are top of mind.
- Manage portion size and price control. When packaging is designed to securely and snugly fit around the sandwich (or other food product), it enables kitchens to easily manage portion size and control cost more efficiently and effectively.
- Prioritize safety with tamper-evident packaging. Not only does tamper-evident packaging protect your food products and discourage “trying before buying,” but it also shows customers you care about their wellbeing.
- Consider the latest culinary and plastic packaging trends, but only if they’re relevant to your customers. When it comes to innovations in health and safety, it’s more important than ever to ensure your product and packaging are up to par. However, some trends — take quinoa and other super-grains, for example — are appealing to a select few but rarely become crowd-pleasing food items that fly off the shelves.
Incorporating these tips into your overall sales strategy will improve your reputation and your bottom line.
Looking to improve your ROI by finding the right packaging for your sandwich containers? Sample our sandwich packaging today.
