There are hidden costs associated with packaging inefficiency in the food packaging sphere, including wasted margins, sustainability impacts, regulatory incompliance, and damage to brand reputation. With rising food costs, thin restaurant margins, increasing consumer demand for sustainability, and the growth of takeout and delivery businesses, companies must use custom food packaging containers as a strategic operational tool.
Corrugated to-go and catering containers are both a cost-effective asset and branding tool. Custom food packaging containers reduce food waste and packaging waste and enhance brand recognition, while also improving the customer experience and profitability. Let’s take a closer look at some actionable strategies and how Arvco delivers measurable results.
The Cost of Waste in Custom Food Packaging Containers
Waste happens in the supply chain with over-packaging, damaged goods during transit, poor pallet configuration, moisture and temperature exposure failures, and more. This results in material waste, labor inefficiencies, damaged packaging, and environmental costs.
Inadequate custom food packaging containers can lead to leaks during transport, poor temperature retention, soggy foods, spilled sauces, or portion misjudgment because of ill-fitting containers. Additionally, operational inefficiencies include slower packing times because of poor design, difficulty stacking or storing, inefficient inventory management, and increased customer complaints.
That’s why optimized food packaging is so important. This includes performance-engineered corrugated solutions, right-sizing strategies, and data-driven structural design. Optimization results in reduced material usage, improved product protection, lower costs, and enhanced recyclability. Engineering matters, and includes comprehensive packaging audits, expansive testing capabilities, and continuous improvement programs.
Key Design Features that Reduce Waste in To-Go Containers
If you’re looking to reduce packaging waste, it’s important to design custom food packaging containers that are tailored to exact portion sizes, reducing the need for multiple packaging layers as well as overfilling waste. With precision-fit lids, snap-lock technology, and tamper-evident closures, expect a leak-resistant and spill-proof design.
Prioritize temperature retention and ventilation optimization with steam vents, separate compartments, and more, preserving food texture and quality. In addition, there’s a focus on sustainability with recyclable materials and reduced material weight, without sacrificing durability.
With these design optimizations, expect faster assembly and packing, better storage, and space utilization. This also leads to predictable supply chain management, as well as direct cost reductions with lower food over-portioning and reduced refunds or secondary packaging materials. All of these optimizations result in higher customer satisfaction, increased repeat orders, and improved brand perception.
Custom food packaging containers are ideal for a variety of applications, including fast casual chains, quick service restaurants, ghost kitchens, meal prep companies, and catering companies. Partnering with the right corrugated packaging manufacturer is key for success in these applications, which is where Arvco comes in.
How Arvco Delivers Measurable Results for Custom Food Packaging Containers
Arvco offers custom engineering solutions, including our structural design, prototyping, and comprehensive testing. Our manufacturing capabilities include expert graphic design services and consistent quality control in order to ensure we bring your packaging vision to life exactly as you imagine it.
At Arvco, we have extensive experience in the foodservice sphere, providing high-quality takeout containers, catering boxes, pizza boxes, and much more. We offer large and small volume manufacturing options, and work with countless national food chains, arenas, venues, stadiums, distributors, and more.
Stop paying for hidden food packaging waste. Connect with our team today to learn more about our custom food packaging containers.
