Meat + Poultry - June 2017 - 78

PA C K A G I N G S O L U T I O N S

Retail hams include more
branding and additional
labeling compared to
foodservice hams.

"The mylar has
such a nice
wrap-around
appearance
and look
to it that it
creates an
eye catching
and impactful
view for the
consumer to
see."
- ASHLEY SPOKOWSKI

MEAT+ POULTRY | 06.17 | www.meatpoultry.com

present. It's something you do as a family."
Spokowski goes on to say, "The mylar has
such a nice wrap-around appearance and
look to it that it creates an eye catching and
impactful view for the consumer to see."
The usability of the mylar on a product that's
never consistently the same size or shape
adds to its value, as well.

LABELS AND DESIGN
Packaging plays an integral role in companies'
compliance with regulations by carrying a
product's label. Packaging not only ensures safety
and provides a creative canvas for marketing
and design, but is a vehicle for the label. Labeling
and package design can occur simultaneously
or sequentially, depending on product, company,
engineering, team, etc.
"Some of this strategy is still in development,
but we are focused on determining the best
package first and then validating the labeling
to make sure we are bringing a quality package
with aesthetically pleasing labeling to our end
customer," Perrier says.
Hormel Foods looks at packaging and
labeling as more of a single decision that
incorporates both elements. "Packaging
choices and labeling go hand in hand,"
Hendrickson says. "Both must be able to
attract your target audience, as well as attract
new customers to your product."
Spokowski emphasizes the importance of
purposeful creativity in package design. The
graphics, design, presentation and the products
overall presence on the shelf must come
together to drive repeatable purchase intent in
consumers, "to make sure that the experience
that they are taking in is an enjoyable one that
they want to share with all of their family."

Top Photo, Burgers' Smokehouse, Bottom, Smithfield

78

continue to focus on quality and integrity
of the product as the primary focus for the
foodservice and e-commerce customer,"
Perrier says.
Hendrickson says packaging starts
the same way for retail, foodservice and
e-commerce at Hormel, "primarily flexible
bags or film." It's in the secondary levels of
packaging and labeling where key differences
become apparent.
"Retail hams are required to have additional
labeling and include more branding on
packaging compared to foodservice hams,"
Hendrickson says. "It's more common for
our foodservice items to include labeling on
the boxes the hams are shipped in and not
necessarily the primary packaging. E-commerce
products have an entirely different litany of
packaging requirements designed to keep the
ham cold and protect it during shipping."
Through consumer research, Smithfield
has gotten a picture of its large holiday and
seasonal hams as something greater than just
food brought home for the meal. Large family
gatherings that necessitate a ham of that size
center around special occasions. Smithfield
incorporates mylar into the packaging to
accentuate that specialness.
"Historically when we
have looked at ham
packaging, one of the
things that we always
got on feedback from
consumers is the idea
of unwrapping the ham
since it's a holiday,"
says Ashley Spokowski,
senior packaging engineer
at Smithfield Foods. "So it's like a
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