Fantastapack’s digitally-produced packaging enables Sugar + Spoon’s rapid entrance into e-commerce following Covid-19 closures
When Covid-19 hit, Sugar + Spoon, a young brick and mortar shop, had to make a sudden and immediate change to their business plan. They decided to start selling online, nationally, and wanted to do so quickly. They turned to Fantastapack to produce their demanding need for a packaging that conveys their brand image. The BoxMaker’s HP PageWide C500 Digital Press accurately reproduced their brand colors and logo on rapidly-produced sturdy, food-safe packaging that travelled across the US.
Challenge
A young, local brick and mortar business closed due to Covid-19 decides to sell online but needs affordable, durable, food-safe packaging that reflects their brand.
“When Covid hit Seattle, we had to close our store… we didn’t know which way to go… We decided to launch our online store but wanted to be sure we could still deliver the Sugar + Spoon experience.” – Ivana Orlovic, Sugar + Spoon
Seattle-based Sugar + Spoon was started by two young college graduates who built up a business from their final class project. Located on one of the city’s main streets, the Sugar + Spoon shop drew customers who loved its “safe-to-eat” cookie dough sold in a variety of flavors. In addition to its street store, two cookie-dough sales trucks drove around the city, expanding its reach and making its brand and vibe recognizable to city residents and tourists.
The business was in its second year of growth when Covid-19 shuttered its shop and halted its trucks. Sugar + Spoon ultimately tackled this unexpected turn of events by making the decision to change their business model and sell their products online. They knew they needed the right packaging that would not only be durable in order protect their products during shipping but would convey their brand message and spirit. They were searching for a custom online packaging provider that would understand their requirements and fulfill them quickly and affordably. Ivana Orlovic clarifies, “When we were looking for someone to partner with on our custom boxes, we were really focused on quality, efficiency, price and someone that we could see working with in the future.”
Solution
Fantastapack creates custom packaging, on-demand, using The BoxMaker’s HP PageWide C500 Digital Press.
“With its quick turnaround time and no-excess printing, the C500 press offers a perfect print solution, especially for growing, budget-conscious start-ups.” – Justin Stacey, Fantastapack
Sugar + Spoon wanted their custom packaging to convey their brand identity, which was upbeat and fun. This would add to the indulgence of receiving a delicious treat and also increase brand recognition. Durability was an important feature too since the vastly increased Covid-related shipping nationwide meant their products might not be treated as carefully as they normally would.
The BoxMaker, Fantastapack’s parent company, with its C500 digital corrugated press, met all the requirements Sugar + Spoon listed for their packaging. In addition, the company was pleased to discover that the C500 press uses food-packaging compliant, water-based inks, which Fantastapack’s Justin Stacey calls a “revolutionary game-changer” that is safe to use even on primary packaging.
Printing their packaging on the C500 press, Sugar + Spoon would be able to start shipping to online customers within a very short time. This would enable them to capitalize on the popularity of their brand and not lose momentum due to too long a Covid-caused lull in activity.
Results
With digitally-produced packaging that conveyed their brand spirit, Sugar + Spoon quickly succeeded in taking their online business nationwide.
“We would never have been able to launch our e-commerce nationwide store without the help of Fantastapack.” – William Hubbel, Sugar + Spoon
The packaging recommendations and options put forward by Fantastapack helped Sugar + Spoon hit the ground running as they entered their
e-commerce venture. Just as, pre-Covid, their shop and food trucks represented their vision and vibe, now the packaging took on a big portion of that role. Sugar + Spoon’s Ivana Orlovic enthuses, “We were so impressed with our custom boxes from Fantastapack. Not only was it a beautiful box, but the quality and durability of the boxes are amazing.”
Sugar + Spoon were fully confident in relying on Fantastapack’s recommendations and experience regarding the best print and packaging options for their needs.
Fantastapack’s Justin Stacey explains, “The C500 Digital Press is a great solution especially for start-ups because they can order the packaging they want when they want it and don’t have to spend on tooling costs, inventory or last minute changes, as they would with offset.”
With the C500 Press, Sugar + Spoon’s brand colors were precisely replicated in their retro-feel logo. Turnaround time from order to delivery was fast and required no minimum quantity. This important advantage meant they could more carefully control their budget and expenses – which is important for any business, and particularly a startup.
While the C500 press can take on very large jobs, it’s also remarkably suited to smaller, boutique-level jobs for businesses that are agile and need to move fast. As they grow, digital printing with the C500 press grows with them and meets additional and diverse printing demands – quickly and accurately. This is just what the Sugar + Spoon founders wanted when they were searching for a converter, and their successful relationship with Fantastapack is ongoing.
