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UPD at The Business of Food Expo

The Business of Food Expo was held at The Park, Melbourne on 14th August, 2019.

The event included patrons from different sectors in the food industry who came together to share and discuss ideas, tips, difficulties and ways to overcome them. The focus was on small business owners, looking for tools, knowledge and insights to help start and grow their food business.

Organised by the wonderful team at The Business of Food, it’s main aim is to bring service providers, existing food business owners and other experts from the industry under one roof, to help small business owners gather the right information that they may not be able to find otherwise.

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Unlimited Packaging and Display was very fortunate to be a part of this expo to assist existing food business owners looking to expand, as well as those in the ideation stage of their business. We had the pleasure of chatting to over 120 visitors that showed interest in our products. As a focus on cardboard packaging and displays, it was the right starting point for many individuals looking to retail their food product, but didn’t know where to start.

On the day, a notable highlight was hearing from experts in the field such as Chobani, Rebel Food Tasmania, Smoothie Bombs and a few more, enabled garner valuable insights into their journey as food business owners. Cinzia Cozzollino from Smoothie Bombs was a relatable personality as she started her food business as a mum of a fussy eater.

She spoke of how it was a simple and nutritious product that she came up with at home, that was recognized by retailers such as Chemist Warehouse and many more internationally too! Her advice to small business owners was to “Keep it simple and target the right audience through research and development”.

It was interesting to note how Chobani’s core value isThe secret isn’t an ingredient. It’s a passion and love for what we do”. This was an answer to many queries from small business owners about the commercialization of their product. How far do they have to go and how much of their product do they have to change to suit the consumer’s needs?

A key trend that arose was inquiries regarding sustainable packaging. The vast majority of business owners were looking for recyclable materials and environment-friendly solutions.  We discussed the various options and how they could harness the sustainability movement.

At UPD, we encourage fresh ideas and are strong advocates of innovation in packaging and display, which was clearly communicated to the patrons. The array of various shapes, sizes, print methods and materials on display at the stand helped give the visitors an idea of the wide range of packaging routes that they could explore. Some of our products included cake boxes, cannoli boxes, pasta boxes, éclair boxes, chocolate packing, wine packaging, mailing boxes and carry bags among others.

When asked with the question, “What is the best packaging for my product?” it opened up the dialogue into key considerations that we look at while providing advice for. Some of them included:

  • Shape of the cardboard box: based on the size and kind of product we can suggest the right shape, including whether or not it can accommodate a window to showcase the product.
  • Styles: Crash lock bottom, tamper-evident locks, carry handles, sleeves, shelf-ready, RSC shipper etc.
  • Material of the carton: based on weight and style we can choose the right stock and thickness such as coated one-side, coated 2 side, recycled board, B-F Flute, twin-mounted etc.
  • Print techniques: ranging from 1 colour-5 colour print, can be matte or gloss finish, soya bean inks, plant & vegetable based inks
  • Embellishments: Foil stamping, embossing/debossing, metallic inks, spot gloss, UV etc
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All-in-all it was a fantastic event and we hope to continue to be a part of the Business of Food community. A big thanks to Jane Del Rosso from The Business of Food for initiating this event and inviting UPD to be a part. We look forward to working with the visitors that got in touch for their packaging and display needs!