Naked Product Handling: Four Things to Consider

In 2019, the global food packaging market was reportedly worth around $305 billion. The pandemic stunned the industry growth for a good year, but things are going back to normal. 

Handling traditional products requires a lot of resources and attention. Naked product handling, on the other hand, is an entirely different animal. It has to be approached with extra care. 

To process raw products, your packaging partner needs to check a lot of boxes. Food contact, employee hygiene, and sanitary design are only the beginning. 

To help you handle naked product with care, we’re going to discuss:

• The basics functions of food packaging
• The importance of proper food packaging
• Four things to consider with naked packaging

Let’s begin...

Basic Functions of Food Packaging

First off, we need to examine the basic functions of food packaging for those unaware. There are several ways to define food packaging. Each way emphasizes a different aspect. Some see packaging as:

• A commercial aspect of their product, which aims to increase sales
• A coordinate system that prepares produce for transport, storage, and retailing
• A way to guarantee timely, safe, and cheap delivery to the end consumer

However, those aren’t the necessities. In reality, the fundamental roles of food packaging are pretty easy to identify:

• Protection: Food packaging needs to prevent damage in transport
• Preservation: It also needs to eliminate chemical change and spoilage
• Containment: Determined by the physical form of your product
• Information: The ingredients and legal requirements need to be present

Why Is Food Packaging Important

Logically, if you want your business to make a profit, you need to know how to package your food properly. Let’s look at the fundamentals of food packaging in more detail:

1. Security

During transport and storage, your product might get damaged. That would affect your food and bottom line. Naked product especially requires special containment that will keep the food being consumer-ready and fresh. Speaking of...

2. Freshness

Proper packaging is there to maintain the appearance, shelf life, and of course, the quality of your products. It can make the product more appealing to the end consumer and prevent damage to your brand caused by spoiled products on the shelf. 

3. Safety

If your product travels long distances before being delivered to the seller, good packaging will protect the food from any possible contamination. In turn, this eliminates hazards and product recalls. This is especially important while the pandemic isn’t over. 

4. Sales

Of course, attractive packaging can get the consumers’ attention and encourage them to purchase your product over the competition. Using recyclable materials can also boost your brand image and increase popularity among the environmentally-friendly crowd. 

What to Consider With Naked Packaging

Your packaging is only as good as your partner is. Finding someone that has a complete grasp on raw product handling. When looking for a company to partner up with, here are a couple of things you need to consider:

1. Product Compatibility

Picking the right material mainly depends on your product. However, your choice in packaging needs to have flexibility. It needs to deal with multiple product variants, fit possible new products, and help promote. Look for a partner that can help you deal with storage requirements and transport while maintaining your product’s visual appeal. Always assess the technology and equipment of any potential partner. 

2. Your Business Needs

According to recent research, around 60% of all packaging gets recovered and recycled. While you want to be as friendly to the environment as possible, you still need to think about your business goals. That’s why you need to find the right balance between ecological and commercial demands. Furthermore, you need to think about the production costs. Even though you’ll have to cut some corners, always consider how it will impact your brand image. 

3. The Supply Chain 

Without good packaging, the entire supply chain wouldn’t be able to move efficiently. Proper labeling and coding allow the product to move seamlessly from a storage unit to the store. Quicker stock turnaround, better accuracy, and improved tracking all reduce time-wasting and improve market speed. A partner with no raw product handling experience won’t provide the packaging you need to keep the supply chain operating at the highest level.  

4. Branding and Marketing

Never try to downplay the importance of “self appeal” and the impact it can have on your sales. Research shows that 7 out of 10 purchasing decisions are made in-store. That means the look of your packaging is the first thing to get the buyer’s attention. It also needs to contain all of the necessary information about your product. Your packaging needs to be convenient, easy to open, and appealing to the eye. 

Need Help With Naked Product Handling?

Raw product storage, handling, and packaging require you to wear a lot of hats. 

You have to think like a consumer to make sure the packaging is adding value to your product. Also, you have to think like a marketer to ensure your brand connects to the consumers. And you also need to think like an owner and see how well the packaging is driving your goals. 

To make sure everything goes smoothly, you need the right partner. 

When you are ready to tackle the handling of your raw product, BluePrint Automation can handle everything from carton loading to case packaging.  BluePrint Automation specializes in robotic wrapper loading, stacking and loading, variety pack and kit assembly. Our services are used for many products, including baked goods, frozen food, and chocolates. Don’t hesitate to contact us today and see how we can help you with packaging.