Are you making these boo-boos when packaging your takeaway?

Imagine you have just ducked out from work to try the new cafe down the street. The people are friendly, the service is good, you grab your lunch and head back to your desk. But on the way back, your hand starts burning because the coffee cup is too hot, the lid of your container won’t stay closed and when you get back to your desk, your food is cold and now looks like a dropped pie. Not only that, there’s NO CUTLERY! So the shop was nice – tick. The people were nice – tick. The food looked good – tick. But the packaging made the whole experience go pear-shaped.

Today, more than ever, we consumers are discerning about quality. From the clothes you wear, to the food you eat or the coffee you choose…it’s gotta be good. What’s more, it’s now very easy to share your thoughts on a product or service. So business owners must strive to deliver value for money and a positive customer service experience.

You see, packaging your food for takeaway is the last piece in the customer experience. And unfortunately, it’s all too often the last thing a cafe or restaurant owner thinks about. That’s why we’ve put together some do’s and don’ts based on 34 years in the disposable food packaging industry.

1. Price

If you’re like most business owners, you probably have your bottom line front of mind. We know you need to keep your overheads low and be across exactly what your products are costing you so you can price them accordingly. Unfortunately, making the wrong choices can lead to the experience described above – burnt fingers, leaky containers and food that looks nowhere near as appetising as it did when it left your premises. So it’s an important decision to get right. Because it can make or break the customer experience.

In short, cheap products mean cheap materials and a strong likelihood of failure to meet it’s intended purpose. On the contrary, expensive products don’t always mean you’re getting the best. But more often than not, cheap means poor quality – something you don’t want associated with your business.

2. Fit for purpose

Think about where your food will end up. Ask yourself who your customers are and where they are likely to be eating your food. Will they be taking it home in their car? Or will a driver be taking it for home delivery? Does it need to stay hot?

Or maybe you sell food that is taken away and stored to be cooked or re-heated later. Is your food packaging up to the task?

What kind of cutlery is suitable for your food? Are there any hygiene factors to take into consideration? Cutlery pouches are perfect for hygienically and conveniently bundling up a fork, knife, spoon and napkin.

These quick and easy considerations could save you time and money when choosing packaging that suits your food.

3. Consider your market

It’s no secret that eco is in. Really in. And it’s something that’s recently become front-of-mind for our government with the announcement of single-use plastic bans that will begin rolling out for NSW in June this year.

Compostable, recyclable, sustainable and plastic-free are all words you probably hear a lot. In fact, it’s worthwhile finding out what is important to your customers. Because if eco-friendly packaging matters to them, you would be wise to position yourself as eco-friendly too. Getting ahead of the eco game is a win for your business and a win for the planet.

4. Quality

You’ve probably noticed that, every now and then, new brands come on the packaging scene and then, before you know it, they’ve disappeared. We live in an increasingly complex society where new players with big promises can seem big and reputable. But, in our experience, they’re often not. Unfortunately, we’ve seen customers buy huge amounts of stock because the price was too good to resist, only to find they didn’t get what they expected or that every second container leaks. So that’s why we only stock quality products from well-known manufacturers who use certified materials and implement good quality control protocols.

5. Your packaging supplier

It’s your biggest nightmare. You’re running out of cups and you have a big few days of trade ahead. You need more. Now. Quite simply, you need a supplier who won’t let you down. The most common problem our customer’s face is not having enough room to store their stock. The good news, though, is that Sydney Packaging are industry leaders in customer service and deliver to the entire Sydney metro area multiple times every week. This means that you don’t have to worry. No one likes running out of stock. So why entrust your livelihood with anyone short of reliable?

So there you have it, the top 5 mistakes food businesses make when choosing packaging. We could go on for days about how we can help you with your takeaway food packaging needs. But we’d rather show you. So please ring or write to our friendly team to discuss how we can help you today.