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Packaging is crucial for every CPG brand, but as the face of your brand and main touchpoint with consumers, it’s all the more important for startups. While packaging is an exciting way to build your brand and bring all of your ideas, iteration and development together, it can be uniquely challenging for startups. Every industry, product and supplier have their own requirements, and balancing quality, the consumer experience and cost can be daunting.
But, packaging doesn’t have to be a barrier to your growth — it should support it. If you want to leverage the power of packaging while growing at a pace that works for you, here’s everything you need to know.
Key Packaging Considerations for Startups
Packaging poses an exciting opportunity to connect with your consumers, leave a lasting impression and ultimately, shape your brand. But where do you start? Here are some of the main aspects to consider in packaging design to remain competitive in stores and online.
Product Type and Requirements
While it is crucial to go beyond packaging function, product protection is still one of the most important aspects. If packaging isn’t functional, consumers will have a poor experience with your product, which is particularly detrimental for new brands. That means you’ll need to work with a packaging supplier to choose packaging that aligns with them, protecting your product from the manufacturing facility to the consumer’s home.
For example, products such as coffee need protection from oxygen and moisture to remain fresh, and a reclosable, flexible packaging solution with a degassing valve can help maintain flavor. Multi-use products like deli meats or cheeses also need protection from oxygen and moisture, and lidding films such as Sealutions can preserve shelf quality while offering a positive consumer experience.
The Consumer Experience
Product protection is a key driver of the consumer experience, but so are elements such as visual and tactile design, usability and convenience. Consumers are naturally attracted to eye-catching packaging, for example, and features such as dual finishes can appeal to consumers visually while also delivering a tactile experience. Features such as reclosability also enhance the consumer experience by offering convenience and helping preserve shelf quality for products such as snacks, coffee, cheese and pet food.
Standout packaging grabs attention, communicates quality and can make all the difference in getting noticed — and chosen. According to NielsenIQ, clarity, design and functionality are all top influences on purchasing decisions. For startup CPG brands, packaging is an opportunity to build loyalty by getting noticed and delivering on expectations. Features that prioritize and enhance the consumer experience help you stand out in crowded spaces, particularly on social media and in e-commerce. In this way, packaging acts as a “silent” but persuasive salesperson, creating memorable experiences that create consumer loyalty.
"You can’t sell a product a consumer doesn’t notice.”
Standout packaging grabs attention, communicates quality and can make all the difference in getting noticed — and chosen. According to NielsenIQ, clarity, design and functionality are all top influences on purchasing decisions. For startup CPG brands, packaging is an opportunity to build loyalty by getting noticed and delivering on expectations. Features that prioritize and enhance the consumer experience help you stand out in crowded spaces, particularly on social media and in e-commerce. In this way, packaging acts as a “silent” but persuasive salesperson, creating memorable experiences that create consumer loyalty.
Consumer Values, Such as Sustainability
Aligning your packaging with consumer values not only contributes to the consumer experience, but illustrates that your brand walks the talk. Whether it’s inclusivity, sustainability or other values, packaging gives you the opportunity to not only tell consumers about them, but live them out.
Leverage visual design and messaging to tell your brand story and communicate values. You can also adopt accessibility or digital packaging features (such as QR codes) to ensure usability or offer consumers a way to give back to social causes. Eco-friendly packaging and labels can help reduce environmental impact and illustrate your commitment to sustainability.
Adaptability/Scalability
Packaging allows for countless customizations and enhancements. It’s part of what makes packaging so exciting for new brands. But, not all packaging features make sense for every brand at every stage. Packaging that scales with your business — in other words, allows for the inventory you need, when you need it and balances function, quality and cost — helping you stay competitive and cost-effective as demand for your product grows.
How to Choose CPG Packaging That Scales
One of the greatest challenges for startups is finding packaging that balances current needs with the ability to evolve. In early packaging decisions, make sure you prioritize flexibility, especially if your product offerings will expand. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind in the early stages of packaging:
What does your product need now (in terms of the basics, such as product protection, ingredients lists, etc.)?
What will your product need as it scales? What packaging requirements will change (size, features, format)?
How do you plan to incorporate customer feedback after testing the market? Do you have a packaging supplier that can help you make quick tweaks without creating obsolete inventory?
The right packaging partner can help you answer these questions, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate consumer feedback. Product development goes hand in hand with new packaging requirements, and a versatile partner who can scale with you is essential for growing your business.
Scale Your Startup CPG Brand with Belmark
Growing a startup comes with numerous challenges, but packaging doesn’t have to be one of them — and you don’t have to navigate packaging decisions alone. Belmark provides startup brands with scalable solutions that don’t sacrifice quality or the consumer experience. With no order minimums, short-run digital printing, prototype options and fast, reliable turnaround times, we make it easy to scale while avoiding obsolete inventory or delays getting to market. We combine decades of experience helping brands like yours succeed with unparalleled service and packaging expertise so you can focus on what matters most: growing your brand.
