The UK is experiencing something of a boom in terms of the café market, with the number of coffee shops alone expected to increase by 50% in the next five years. While a large segment of this market will undoubtedly be taken up by big brands with established supply chains, a significant number of independent cafés and food outlets have opened up in recent years - and that trend is set to continue. Each of these small businesses will have plenty to think about, with packaging rightfully taking centre stage - and this is where we at R+R come in. As UK packaging experts, we’re well-placed to give some top tips to small catering businesses looking for packaging perfection. Read on to find out more...
Get the branding right
For a small coffee company to compete against the big hitters in the industry, branding is one of the many things that needs to be done right. Starbucks, Costa and Caffè Nero all have instantly recognisable coffee cups, and so it follows that a small café should be aiming to use takeaway cups that will quickly become synonymous with their brand. Having custom designed cups might be a bit of a stretch for a business just starting up, so a good halfway point is to choose an eye-catching design like our All Seasons Double Wall Embossed Cup - this will definitely make a small-scale enterprise stand out on its first few days.
Provide plenty of packaging
Businesses in the fresh food industry always need to prepare for the best possible business day, ensuring that they don’t run out of produce at a critical moment. Running out of produce is one thing, but running out of packaging can present an even worse scenario.
Imagine having a steaming pot of delicious soup but no takeaway soup containers to meet demand? This is so much more frustrating than running out of food to serve - and will definitely not impress new or loyal customers. An easy and advisable solution is to buy your packaging supplies in bulk, which ensures that you will never run out of catering essentials like cling film and sandwich packaging.
Offer a takeaway alternative
If you’re operating a sit-down restaurant in a busy business area, chances are that around lunchtime, office workers will want a quick and delicious lunch - but they might not necessarily have the time to sit down and eat. A solution to this is to offer some lunchtime takeaway options. For example an Italian restaurant could offer salad boxes for customers wanting a quick lunch. This is also a good way to retain a customer, as a quick takeaway lunch might inspire future visits at different times of day or night.
Our range of salad boxes includes some very attractive designs such as the Elegance Salad Box, so style needn’t be sacrificed!
Eco-friendliness: an essential
It’s important to be wary of the environmental impact your business has, especially if a lot of your commerce is focused on takeaway packaging. Luckily, here at R+R we stock a large array of environmentally-friendly packaging solutions ideal for a small business looking to reduce its impact on the planet. Despite the ‘latte levy’ being defeated, legislation to restrict the sale of unrecyclable plastic packaging is quite likely to be enforced in the future - so being ahead of the curve and opting for eco-friendly packaging is a smart move for businesses who are serious about protecting the planet.
Are you a small business owner looking for packaging solutions? Have a browse of our full range of food packaging and see what we could do for you!
