Valentine’s Day Food & Beverage Packaging Consumers Will Love
Receiving Valentine’s Day chocolates and treats is a hallmark of the holiday. Here’s how to ensure they’re delivered fresh to customers.
Executive Summary
- Valentine’s Day is a $23.9 billion industry, with $10.7 Billion being spent on jewelry ($6.2B), flowers ($2.3B) and candy ($2.2B).
- Many people opt for home delivery of not only meals, but also chocolates, sweets, and other treats, creating a surge in food shipping demand around the Valentines Day holiday.
- Thermal protection for food distribution will be key for ensuring the quality of Valentine’s Day staples like chocolate-covered strawberries and premium, cream-filled chocolates.
- Pregis’ ThermaCycleTM Flex line of solutions offers thermal protection from the point of origin to the end customer.
- Pregis’ InspyreTM tissue paper and HC Inspyre air cushions uplift practical inside-the-box packaging by offering custom void fill and cushioning in a variety of colors and styles, creating an unboxing experience customers will remember.
- Pregis’ EverTecTM Mailer is the perfect solution for candy - such as the beloved peeps or boxed chocolate - and non-food items such as jewelry.
Consumers spend more than $23.9 billion on Valentine’s Day, according to 2022 research by WalletHub. Of this, $10.7 Billion is spent on jewelry ($6.2B), flowers ($2.3B) and candy ($2.2B) and roughly $2.14 billion is spent on Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets.
It’s also worth noting that the rapid acceleration of online shopping is only expected to continue, creating an even higher rush than usual for Valentine’s Day.
From flowers to candies, it’s critical that items are delivered intact to consumers. But food distribution comes with a unique set of challenges, compounded this year by the higher than usual volume of orders. Case in point: Preparation is key.
Maintain the Cold Chain to Ensure Freshness
There’s a world of difference between a fresh chocolate-covered strawberry versus a pre-packaged product that’s been stored at room temperature for days or weeks. What’s more, even roses and other types of flowers benefit from the controlled temperatures.
To get savory treats safely to consumers’ doorsteps, manufacturers and distributors must ship with maintained temperatures. The cold chain distribution network provides a solution to delivering and maintaining the quality of perishable products — from the point of origin to the end customer. Insulated packaging solutions are key to keeping items cool while deflecting heat and other types of environmental interferences during the delivery window.
Pregis’ ThermaCycleTM Flex line of solutions combines metallic, all-polyethylene thermal films with durable, lightweight, leak-proof, and moisture-resistant bubble cushioning to insulate and protect goods during transit. Insulated box liners and roll stock maintain temperatures — both in shipping parcels from manufacturer to distributor and in transit for last-mile delivery. The self-sealing pouches are easy to use, lay flat, and are manufactured for durability with a one-piece construction process, making them ideal for individually protecting gifts like Valentine’s chocolates and other amorous treats that may be left on doorsteps for extended periods. In fact, ThermaCycle Flex’s product line has been used to safely deliver over 270 million meal kits.
It’s important to note that the ThermaCycle Flex line is composed of 30 percent recycled content and is classified as a category 4 recyclable (low-density polyethylene), which can be given to most stores with drop-off recycling programs for processing.
A Solution for Every Type of Treat
Applying cold chain logistics to food items that don’t traditionally need refrigeration can enhance taste and quality. For example, cookies and cakes kept at cool temperatures retain more moisture than those left to the elements. ThermaCycle Flex is an excellent source for food distribution and a way to raise the bar on customers’ experience.
Also, due to high order volumes, manufacturers might be forced to ship more in less space, mixing products together in the same packages — especially in the case of Valentine’s Day meal kits. Adequate cushioning will be necessary to prevent food from crumbling or becoming crushed.
In addition to ThermaCycle Flex for maintaining temperature and protecting merchandise, consider bubble cushioning pouches to protect individually wrapped cookies or pastries within larger boxes.
Innovative products like ChamberPak can protect wine bottles from impact and scratches as well. The solution fully encloses bottles in adjoining tubular air tubes for near-universal protection and cushioning. Each chamber is sealed with patented one-way valves, so even if one is punctured, the others will remain inflated and protective. The LDPE film is durable enough to maintain air pressure for up to a year. ChamberPak is fully-customizable and offers incredible value in comparison to other engineered solutions.
Even More Ways to Ship
Pregis’ EverTecTM is another excellent way to ship Valentine’s Day treats and gifts. When thermal insulation is not a factor, but the item needs cushioning protection, EverTec will get the job done. So go ahead and ship your chocolate candy and romantic small gifts, such as jewelry in the EverTec mailer.
EverTec is an exceptional option for companies with a focus on sustainability. It’s a durable, curbside recyclable mailer that unlocks the power of paper; it’s lightweight, padded, and replaces small boxes - saving you time and freight costs.
Make It Special
Opening a gift from a loved one is an almost-sacred experience. In this era of high-volume home deliveries, unboxing is part of that gift-opening process — and consumers notice when brands use premium packaging.
Pregis’ Inspyre tissue paper uplifts practical void fill and wrapping into something beautiful, with a wide variety of stock colors. Brands can also customize the paper with original artwork.
HC Inspyre air cushions provide even greater protection for fragile food items, especially as box liners or wrapping, and the proprietary square bubble shapes stand out more than conventional bubble solutions.
Valentine’s Day will be unusual in 2022, but with the right protective packaging solutions, manufacturers and distributors can help consumers make it a memorable one.
For help with packaging design, testing and validation, contact Pregis today.
