10 Indian ways to Maximize Food Sales with Packaging 2024

Last Updated on December 20, 2023 by DesignerPeople

When we set up any business irrespective of the type of industry, traditionally it is always thought of profit and revenue orientation, but today time is changed, customers are smart.

Especially in an industry such as food where each thing are scrutinized minutely. When you are in the business of food be 100% sure with each aspect from branding to packaging because it’s a very competitive market.

You have got a good quality, fine ingredients, USP and many more in the basket but if you cannot convey it to customers, it’s all in vain. I agree it’s a challenging task to attract customers in the window of 2-3 seconds, especially when your product is beside competitor products, it has to talk for itself.

Being in the packaging industry from 17+ years of rich experience and food industry being our niche, our packaging agency believes in communicating your brand values and value proposition through creative packaging design.

The motive of designing should not be to craft eye-catchy designs but to create a market-oriented system. The plan which is capable of standing out on the shelf and then shift in customer’s basket.

How is packaging important in the food industry?

From ages, we have been looking at our parents visiting the local grocery store and buy food products such as pulses, spices many more. They are mostly which are kept loose open with no specific packaging. But today due to COVID-19 people are more conscious about health and hygiene.

Now the role of packaging in the food industry is not only a mark of necessary protection of the product and easy transportation but to protect against environmental factors especially from a deadly virus.

Experimenting with new packaging options helps manufacturers to improve the safety, shelf life and quality of Food, to increase sales that helps to reduce both waste as well as costs.

When Food is packaged professionally, customers will be eager to buy the product as they are convinced that the Food packaged inside is in perfect condition.

Research has revealed that custom food packaging design helps to enhance the shelf life of products and has a high impact on product sales. Food packaging helps to maintain the aroma, flavour, taste, shape and texture of the product.

Active packaging and intelligent packaging are something which we can look out as opportunity in coming days as it will communicate through its packaging with customers. It can be about its state if it’s about to decay, temperature details if anyone has opened your packaging and many more exciting things to check out.

You can also do a lot with your food packaging, which will help you to gain sales and help you keep your A-game on with your packaging.

1. Attractive Packaging

An appealing food packaging will help to occupy a place of product in the mind of the target consumer memorably and positively.

It will help to establish a brand culture around your packaging, which will then evoke feeling and emotion in your customer, while best of all can help you increase sales.

Your packaging has to process effectively on its own as the front panel of packaging should work commanding consumer pick up the product, the back panel should use to close the sale.

Globally the sales of processed foods are estimated to be $2 trillion. Packaged food range around$1 trillion; hence this is due to the enhancement in the incomes in developing countries and improved standard of living.

With increasing demand, there are many suppliers also, which are your competition so you have to have a distinct brand identity which can be done with attractive packaging.

It is the best way to grab the attention of customers with packaging at first and then if your product is really worth then you don’t need to worry about the next purchase.

There are many elements which are associated with packaging to make it best.

a) Unique product shape

You cannot just decide any random shape for your product and its packaging; each shape is having its meaning depending upon industry it depends.

Playing around with different shapes is sure to grab the customer’s attention quicker in comparison to other products on the shelf. The functionally feasible shape is the mandate to acquire market.

The technical side depends on the features which apply to its structure, form, safety and material. These are the elements with the most significant impact on the convenience of distribution, us if it’s improving the everyday product experience by making the product more comfortable to hold and use accurately.

b) Vibrant Colours

Food packaging industry relies majorly on colours, as each colour has its unique traits. As per packaging design creative strategist, Jenn David Connolly, “The colour is a factor that influences target consumers with conscious level as well as subconscious level”.

Hence selecting the colour or shade for your food packaging can be equally as crucial as choosing its ingredients.

Red is known as hunger colour, yellow cheerful, orange as youthful, green as natural and earthy these are few examples.

c) Product Shot

When it’s about Food it should be mouth-watering and delicious, so make sure photo-shoot of product is realistic creating cravings. Product shoot is the only way which can take establish impulse buying, and that’s how sales increases.

d) Attractive Font style

Ensure depending upon the brand personality and target audience, the font personality should match. The balance of correct design and text will lead to spectacular food packaging design.

e) Packaging Material

If the packaging material is eco-friendly, plastic, cardboard depending upon the type of material, the designing and overall feel emotion will fall in place.

When its Food, the lot of mandate and legal regulations should be abiding to keep Food intact.

 2. Product Photography for online sales

When you plan to sale your food product through online platforms you cannot feel the texture or material online, so one thing which plays a significant role is “photography on packaging” which is visible at a glance.

There are many products online, so make sure your photography is not clumsy or messy. Please keep it clean, use even lighting, ensure it is enticing, provide background contrast with image, effective background and prop management.

These are a few good ways to ensure excellent photography for online sales.

3. Highlighted Product Name

It is seen that many companies follow the structure of umbrella branding, and hence it becomes difficult for customers to understand the product with its unique identity.

Highlighting product name will always ensure your work as a brand to grow in the market and improves product recall.

4. Instant Impression

As it said, a book should not be judge by its cover, but in case of packaging its opposite, the first impression itself decides majorly if the customer is liking it or not. The overall emotion and perfect brand architecture of packaging are significant to create that lasting impression on the buyer.

There are many products on the shelf, so to make its way is not an easy task.

Packaging expert will always ensure to connect the relationship of sight with taste. It may look routine and can be often overlooked as a simple strategy but provide to reinforce the flavour of the product inside visually on the outside of the package.

If are going to sell a coffee-flavoured product, display realistic coffee photo-shoot in some form of aroma, bean or effect on the box to evoke the appetite in the coffee-loving consumer.

5. Use transparency creatively

We all love to see what they’re buying if given an option, as it provides a sense of assurance and excitement. Even if you are revealing a bit of the product to show texture and quality, that speaks enormously to the consumer showing that you have confidence in the integrity of your work.

Staying transparent talks about a lot about your honesty and trust on the product, then why not make it look creative. Instead of boring and dull-looking packaging, create a transparent window with creative shapes which gives the beautiful story, meaning sustaining connection with the product inside.

Also Read: 9 Essential design Elements for Professional Food Packaging

6. Emotional Brand story

There is one factor, which if done effectively, can make your product stand out and memorable that is if your packaging is having a heart.

Building an emotional relationship between brand and consumer through not only words but the colour, shape, size even the most superficial visual cues can paint a picture worth a thousand words.

When it is about the food industry, and animal products, in particular, the story focuses on the origins of the work, thoughtful means of systematic production. It alleviates growing concerns about the ethical creation of goods while continuing to intrigue consumers with the narrative format they’ve come to expect.

7. Instructions and support

Make sure your packaging is talking about all required information on it; package labelling should satisfy legal requirements for the product.

Information such as ingredients, nutritional value, veg/non-veg, recyclable, reuse, MRP, expiry date, net weight, and manufacturer information is also essential. It should convey important information about the product such as cooking instructions, brand identification,

allergy, customer support contact and storage instructions.

8. Clear Health benefits

After COVID-19, we all want to consume products which will enhance our immunity or boost energy so ensure your food packaging front is displaying benefits. People invest where they are getting better for their healthy lifestyle, so make sure your health values not wasted brings it to notice.

People value packaging, which speaks about their health benefits because they assure that what they are purchasing, is also healthy.

9. Promote repeat sales

It is a known fact in any industry where the retention is preferred compared to investing in new. It is a challenging task to explore in customers for your product and then to make then loyal so make sure you grab that effort and sustain customers.Source

As per the survey conducted by Marketing Metrics, brands have a 60 to 70 % chance of selling their products or services to existing customers compared to new ones.

Plan incentives along with points

Give brownie points for referrals.

Execute VIP programs/cards 

Plan creative personalized campaigns 

Creative content strategy

10. Unboxing experience

It is popularized concept these days on YouTube’s where influencers make you experience the unboxing feel and emotion.

In the age of social media, the unboxing values a lot of people are excited to watch the journey of opening up hence the box, ribbons, emotional notes, messages, coupons, additional new variants miniature these are few elements which will make you happy.

If you have seen happy meal of Mac Donald’s they ensure that kids are engaged and attracted towards their packaging with creative elements inside.

CONCLUSION

Hope the information has helped you to enrich your knowledge, but if you are still thinking about the packaging being a dull and plain box for your product, you are losing out colossal revenue.

Competitors have already started don’t be scared to move ahead as it acts as a driving force for your ultimate sales and customer relationship.

Still, if you feel you need help to achieve your vision, then you can connect DesignerPeople our professional direction will help you gain a competitive advantage.

Author: Megha Malik

As a passionate entrepreneur and creative brand consultant with experience of 14 years in digital, branding and packaging industry, it is my honest effort to put my experiences and knowledge of industry towards readers. A chartered accountant by degree but a marketing personality in blood has motivated her to take in designing industry as a career. With her fun-loving personality and sharp branding skills, she is a great motivational speaker on her YouTube channel, an active member in various business channels offline as well as online. Do connect me personally via my LinkedIn and I love to share my expertise with you.