Food Packaging Design in Toronto: Our Process
NOVO MxC is a Toronto-based packaging design agency that develops visually stunning packaging designs that stand out on store shelves. Every design project we work on takes a strategic approach that helps you increase your sales and meet your business goals.
Packaging design is an integral part of the marketing strategy for any product, but it’s particularly crucial for food and drink brands. The package is often the first impression a potential customer gets of a product, and for food and drink items, it can greatly influence the purchasing decision. Packaging design involves not only aesthetic considerations but also practical matters related to preservation, transportation, and sustainability.
This is our packaging design process.
Step 1: Market Research and Brand Positioning
Before starting the design process, it’s important to understand the market, the target audience, and how the brand is positioned. This helps to align the design with the brand’s values, personality, and target customers. Market research can reveal consumer trends and preferences, competitor analysis, and cultural factors that could impact the packaging design.
Step 2: Determining Packaging Requirements
Once the brand positioning is clear, the next step is to determine the packaging requirements. This includes considerations such as the size, shape, and type of packaging that would be best suited for the product. The packaging must protect the product, keep it fresh, and be easy to transport and store. For drinks, the packaging may need to be refrigerated or capable of keeping the beverage at a particular temperature.
Step 3: Design Concept Development
The design concept development stage is where creative ideas start to take form. Designers work closely with the marketing team to create concepts that align with the brand’s identity and resonate with the target audience. This can include choosing colors, fonts, shapes, and images. Sketches and digital mockups are typically created at this stage.
Step 4: Design Refinement and Finalization
After reviewing the initial concepts, the best ones are refined and developed further. The design elements must work together harmoniously to create a distinctive and attractive package that stands out on the shelf. This stage may involve several rounds of revisions to fine-tune the design and ensure it communicates the right message.
Step 5: Packaging Prototype
Once the design has been finalized, a packaging prototype is created. This prototype is a physical sample that allows the team to see and feel the packaging in real life. It is used to check the quality of materials, colors, printing, and the overall look and feel of the package.
Step 6: Compliance and Regulations
All food and drink packaging must comply with regulations and standards, which can vary depending on the country or region. The package must contain certain information such as ingredients, nutritional facts, allergen warnings, and expiration dates. It’s important to ensure all required information is included in the design in a clear and readable format.
Step 7: Production
Once the prototype is approved and all compliance checks are complete, the design goes into production. This involves printing, cutting, folding, and assembling the packages. Quality control checks are conducted throughout the production process to ensure consistency and high standards.
Step 8: Sustainability Considerations
Sustainability is increasingly important in packaging design. Many brands are looking for ways to reduce waste, use more recycled materials, and create packaging that can be easily recycled or composted. These considerations should be part of the design process from the beginning and could influence choices about materials, size, and shape.
Food Packaging Design Packages and Pricing
Below you will find a few common design packages we offer to give you a sense of our pricing as well as what these projects involve. We specialize in packaging design for food and beverage producers, cook and glassware manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Our best, most creative packaging designs are achieved when we design custom illustrations or take our own photography. That’s why our higher tier design packages include illustrations or photography as part of the project.
Basic Labels for Bottles, Cans and Jars
- Comprehensive research of brands in your product category
- Develop your preferred art direction
- Develop a “core design” for your series of products
- Adapt the “core design” to 5-6 individual product labels
- Craft professional English copy for your packaging
- Includes translation of copy to French
- Prepare the print-ready files and oversee the production process with the printing company
Labels with Custom Illustrations for Bottles, Cans and Jars
- Comprehensive research of brands in your product category
- Develop your preferred art direction
- Develop a “core design” for your series of products
- Adapt the “core design” to 5-6 individual product labels
- Design custom illustrations for your labels
- Craft professional English copy for your packaging
- Includes translation of copy to French
- Prepare the print-ready files and oversee the production process with the printing company
6-Panel Box Packaging Design for Granola, Tea, Pasta and Other Packaged Goods
- Comprehensive research of brands in your product category
- Develop your preferred art direction
- Develop a “core design” for your series of products
- Design includes 6 art panels which make up a full box
- Adapt the “core design” to 5-6 individual product labels
- Design Nutritional Facts chart
- Design custom illustrations for your labels
- Craft professional English copy for your packaging
- Includes translation of copy to French
- Prepare the print-ready files and oversee the production process with the printing company