Food is first eaten by the eyes and then from the mouth. By eyes It means presentation. But if the food is packed and is under boxes and covers, will that still seem desirable to you?
Needless to say, the packaging of food communicates a lot before the flavors make a watery blast. Before the fact that different types of packaging avoid spilling and damage to food, packaging should communicate the idea of good food.
Packaging and containers are now a necessity for any packed food item. In recent decades, food items are not packaged for the purpose of protection but to earn some brownie points.
7 Great Ideas Before Restaurants Turn Towards High-Quality Packaging
Let's see what are the 7 great ideas before Restaurants turn towards high-quality packaging:
Packaging plays a crucial role in defining and differentiating the product, highlighting its qualities, and selling proposition.
It communicates the brand logo and quality it wants for its customers as of Brand Awareness.
A logo or brand name on the packaging material leaves a lasting impression on consumers. This helps in Restaurant Brand Recognition.
The packaging is also Economical in contrast to facilitating several plates and its maintenance cost of washing and keeping it.
This also acts as a great form of Advertisement. Like you are not only selling your food but helping your customers build a connection with food and the brand.
Undoubtedly, it is Convenient for a takeaway, for delivery, protecting food, and keeping it hygienic.
The container that we keep for later use, keeps reminding the consumer about the food and its experience which is a kind of a Brand Promotion.
With all the benefits, it could be a great idea for existing and New Restaurant businesses for a compelling impact and appeal to consumers. Hence, packaging could be the best strategy for Marketing and Customer satisfaction.
Material Used in The Packaging Industry
So here I specify the most used material in the packaging industry and where they are most relevant.
Plastic
Plastic is a polymeric material, used widely in the packaging industry as it can be molded into any desirable shape.
Plastics are said to be versatile and light, protecting the food from contamination. Plastics also offer an effective surface for printing labels or brands.
Customers also find them convenient and easy to use. Although plastic is biodegradable it pollutes the environment.
In the plastic manufacturing process, there are many varieties of plastic resins, with the most being used- PVC - Polyvinyl chloride: they are resistant to moisture and humid used to package sandwich cartons through soft cling films.
Polystyrene (PS) is the plastic of choice for thermo-forming due to its strength, malleability and low cost, used many times as a substitute for metals.
Metals (steel, tin, aluminum):
Metals are another type of packaging material used in the industry to mainly preserve canned beverages and food.
Widely used are the thin tin-coated steel aluminum cans used in Pepsi, Coca-cola, etc.
They are suitable to preserve food sensitive to light. tin cans are used as they are corrosion resistant, therefore are used to sell carbonated products.
Aluminum is another type of metal used extensively due to low cost and its lightness.
It is used in bottle closures, wrapping, and lamination.
Thin-walled aluminum cans are suitable for carbonated beverages, while wide-walled cans are suitable for steam sterilization.
Glass:
Glass is another inert material used in packaging. Glass serves as a tremendous neutral oxygen barrier, also it is impermeable to vapors and gases. It takes a lot of effort to manufacture glass but still it is due to the abundance of silica.
More than 75 billion glass containers are used per year in the food industry, being its main use for wines, juices, baby food, and soft drinks
Glass containers can be bottles (the most used), jars, glasses, ampoules, jars, etc. However, this material is not used for frozen products due to the risk of breakage. Well Keventers and The Yellow Straw has been my favorite for its glass packaging
Wood, Cardboard, and Papers
Wood and papers are still universally used for packaging. Since it's very cheap and lightweight it is corrected with a combination of plastic and paraffin.
Wooden boxes are often used for heavy-duty packaging when high strength is needed for heavy and difficult loads long-term warehousing. On the other hand, paper products are mixed with plastics and are used in bakeries.
In recent years, paper and cardboard manufacturers are paying special attention to issues related to health and the environment by working with recycled products that increase the useful life of these raw materials.
Conclusion
From a Restaurant business perspective- the packaging of the product is now its salient feature. Therefore packaging nowadays is given the utmost importance.
With technological advancement in every area, packaging has also seen a great advancement. The incorporation of preservatives and antioxidants in food and beverage packaging has increased the shelf-life of these products. The advancement has changed the way food is prepared, stored, packed, and distributed.
If you like the idea of Food Packaging, please get in touch with us to place orders.
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