With single-use plastics being phased out by many businesses, a lot of brands are looking for unique means to really make packaging shine.
One way is edible packaging. This is an innovative type of solution that reduces a lot of the single-use plastics that are plaguing the food and drink industries.
Edible packaging is being used by a lot of trendy startups and indie brands, but we’re seeing it as well in more well-known food packaging vendors. The potential for this is immersive, as it may add value to the experience of the customer, while also addressing a severe environmental issue that’s been plaguing businesses of all kinds.
What Edible Packaging Entails
With edible packaging, one might think it’s just packaging you can eat. It’s much deeper than that however.
Edible packaging is a food-grade material, so it needs to be food. The second thing is that it also is something that’s plant-based. Seaweed, riche, even starches from plants are used for this. They create wrappers, containers, and even films placed over the food. The customer is able to eat it.
One example of this are wrappers for packaging such as sandwiches. They can be made with seaweed and starches, creating an edible wrapper for people to enjoy.
Now, it might seem so simple, but the thing is, you also need to teeter the line of fitting what you’re giving the customer.
It isn’t just slapping some seaweed on something and calling it a day. The food that you use for food packaging does need to be in a manner that’s safe for people to consume, so if they’re prone to spoiling fast, you don’t use this.
You also need to make sure it’s hygienic. Food that’s dirty with food you’re selling is also not a good thing for you to have either. you need to make sure it’s clean. Some companies actually use a fresh container from the food packaging, and that’s enough for the food to be protected and clean.
The final thing is flavor compatibility. This is something that’s a huge problem for a lot of brands. You need it to fit the item. The problem is, a lot of times it rarely adds value, and tends to taste a little bland. In that case, they may try to add some flavoring to it, in a manner that will enhance the experience.
Is it Worth It?
For some brands, yes. Using edible packaging does reduce plastic waste. A lot of customers are focused on this, and they want a packaging that’s tasty and good to eat. However it also is great as well for those who are worried about sustainability, because that’s a huge issue amongst younger customers.
A lot of trendy startup restaurants and food trucks use this, because it’s simple to package, and also offers immense benefits. So yes, there are some benefits to having this.
There are a few drawbacks, however. The biggest thing is that it’s complex. You know from reading this alone you have to also factor in how good this will taste with the food, and also be safe. you also want to make sure that it’s durable, and can hold the item inside. a heavy piece of food will crumble under seaweed packaging.
There’s a lot of factors and things to consider, but overall, if you can have these edible packaging items, such as water pods and condiment sachets that are edible, you’ll stay ahead of the game, and bring about new ways for consumers to have their packaging and well, eat it too!
