Are you Cooking with the right Candy?

Back when I was in college I ended up dating a really nice girl who loved to bake some of the most tasty things.  Surprisingly, this young lady was very slender and surly didn't shy away from her own creations.  One of the best things she ever made felt like it was custom made just for me. (It probably was)  I have to say that the recipe is really rather simple but the end results were amazing.  I think she got the idea from eating some of my mom's banana pudding recipe.  Which is really more like a banana cake and pudding mix.  Instead of doing bananas she ended up skipping the healthy side and going right for our favorite candy box candy.

So what you start with is a giant bowl.  The bowl is the main part and I like to think of it as a full size popcorn bowl.  If it can hold two bags or batches of popcorn then it is the right size bowl.  Then you end up heading to the store and getting a chocolate cake mix.  It actually takes two boxes of this and you will also need to pick up a tub of cool whip as well.  From here you need to get your favorite candy boxes or bags of candy.  I prefer chocolate and really recce cups for my favorite.  Don't forget to get two packages of chocolate pudding as well.  That is it, now you can get ready to bake a yummy dessert.

So first thing you do is to put the two cake mixes into a few pans and bake just as the boxes say.  From that point on you also need to get a big bowl and make the pudding.  There is no need to be picky and put them in two separate bowls.  This mix will all go together anyway.  So once the cake is done it is best to let it cool and cut it into small squares. 

 Well make them half the size of a normal piece of cake.  Then when you are done make a single layer of them stacked together in your gain popcorn bowl. Then add a layer of pudding and cool whip. Then take your reese cups and layer them. And continue this process till you reach the top, usually 3 layers.  Then on top use a full layer of cool whip and pudding topped with recce cups. ENJOY it is my favorite and I hope you find yours as well.

How to Create Packaging for An Emerging Market

Expansion is great for businesses. In fact, when you are getting more customers and growing, you can do so much more. The sky’s the limit on the unique and emerging trends that come with this.

However, there are some factors that you must consider. Cultural nuances are a big one, but also the economics of certain areas. For instance, if you’re an American supplier and going to expand to the European market, you might want to change the sizes of things, due to how much bigger everything is there.

Here, we’ll go over the different things that you want to focus on when you’re building a packaging for an emerging market, and how to properly do so in order to gain even more customers than before. 

Cost effective Designs and Materials 

Probably the most important one, especially if you’re starting in a new market.

When you have materials and designs that are good for one market, you might think they work for all markets. Not necessarily. 

Plastic is fine in US markets, but due to hefty taxes, a lot of European markets use paper or other sustainable products that are there.  

You need to make sure that the designs you have are fitting for the market, and don’t end up costing an arm and a leg for you.   when you have a good design with one material, see if it works for another type, and then ultimately adjust this as needed. 

Adaptation for different Climates 

The other thing to make sure that you do is that you offer packaging adjustments for different climates.

If your market is currently very dry and arid, when you ship to a more humid market, you need to keep that in mind. cardboard without protection might end up breaking down, and it creates a problem for some businesses.  That’s why, when you are changing your market, you can do this, and also make sure that, with these emerging markets, you use the material that best fits the job. 

Transportation and Storage Costs 

This ties into the previous point, but it’s best if they are described separately.

When you are packaging new items in a different area, you also need to focus on the storage aspects. For instance, if you are currently in a very dry climate and then you ship and store in a humid and hot place, you need to offer temperature adjustments, or even material changes, especially to accommodate that humidity.

The same goes for sending it to customers.  Make sure you look at the locations, and if you notice that they’re shipped out into an area with a lot more rain, perhaps change the materials you use. 

Finally, there’s transportation. The transportation methods that you use for your items play a huge part.  Some places don't use freight trains, others might not use boats or planes. 

Make sure you factor this in so that you’re not spending a ton of money on the markets that you’re looking to get into, and to minimize these returns. 

With this type of emergent market, you definitely want to bear all of these in mind. but I can assure you that when you do, you’re able to create a better, more rewarding experience. Just make sure that you factor all of these in, so that you maintain brand integrity and excitement amongst those that are able to buy from you.  

Emerging markets are a great place to start, but make sure that you factor in all these elements, so that your current customers are happy, and the new ones are too. 

 

Getting Candy in the New Normal

This year has changed the way the world works.  Our world economy has changed and the way we all deal with the  pandemic has had some crazy changes in our lives.  This is a big deal for many people and provides some areas that make a difference in our normal daily lives.  For me the one thing that I will not give up and still enjoy going out and getting is my wonderful snacks. 

I will not let masks, fear, or a silly virus stop me from getting my glorious candy boxes from the store.  The regulations be darned, because sometimes chocolate is simply king and is a staple for a happy day in my life.  No I am not being selfish or not following protocols I am indeed following them to the letter. I just want to let you know it is ok to go out and get a snack.  It is still important mentally to live and be happy. And for me going and finding the candy boxes that are going to bring joy into my life is important. So what are some good steps to stay safe and enjoy shopping?

 

Well the first thing is to know the local laws and regulations that are being put into place.

 

Now that they are taken care of get the gear you need to follow the law.

Best Way to Shop for Candy

When it comes to staying healthy in the this year that is a very complicated ordeal.  I have to admit that health can come in a multitude of ways and it certainly is troubling to think about how to stay healthy.  The pandemic has changed so many things and has added a lot of regulations into people's lives.  I am not saying any of it is good or bad, but I think that it has caused many people to make their lives a little unhealthy and I want to help bring a little joy back into your life.

So the first thing to be careful of is not enjoying the normal things in life.  For me that is candy and having a nice treat at the end of the day.  I personally love getting a nice surprise at the end of a hard workday and now that I am more lonely and trapped then ever before I find it to be even more important.  I love going to the store normally and finding the perfect snack.  Browsing all the candy boxes and seeing what peaks my interest that day is such a joy to me.  Now everyone has their own preferences on what candy boxes look the best or taste the best but I want to just make sure you feel that you don't need to not get your treat!

Now in order to do this in 2020 you need to be careful for sure.  It is literally different in almost every county so I suggest following a checklist of things before just going out like normal and searching for that perfect treat.  First I think you should look up your state regulations pertaining to covid-19.  Each state has different restrictions and they are changing all the time.  The last thing you want is to be unsafe and or breaking the law.  I find that the state's websites in most locations is up to date and has all the general laws to follow right on the front page.  Once you read through the current regulations its important to then find out where your store location is that you plan on doing your shopping at.

Now go to the country website in which your grocery store is located. From there you can follow the same path as above for the state regulations.  Once you know the times of day you can shop, or if you are able to go out for non emergecy reasons.  Then you can find out what masks or none are needed.  There may also be specialty regulations and from there you can finally get in your vehicle at the right time and go shopping! As a general rule most places suggest or regulate standing 6 feet from others and it is also good to plan on extra time just in case the store has people restrictions.  Some stores are only allowed to have a percentage of normal capacity in them so you may be waiting a while.  Take that into account. Now the best part is here.  You have your regulations taken care of and now you can go in and look through all the lovely candy.  Choose the ones you want and maybe think about stocking up just in case the trip was harder than normal.

Why Won’t My Packing Tape Stick?

If you’re someone who is trying to tape stuff, only to find that it’s not sticking, you’re not alone. This can be frustrating, and if it doesn’t, there is a risk to the package, whether it’s through theft, and product packaging.  Depending on the box type that you have, you might not be able to fully utilize packing tape, and that’s a hassle for you.  It can even be a disaster.

What can you do? Well, here are a few reasons why you’re unable to get the packaging tape to stick c correctly. 

The Wrong Tape 

Not every single piece of tape is made with the same purpose.  The carton sealing and water activated ones are made specifically to seal corrugated packaging.

Carton sealing tape also won’t work if you don't apply this correctly. Hand tape is the best type of packing tape, and is applied to different dispensers that are hand held. Machine tape is larger in terms of the roll sizes and is made to be put in automatic and semi-automatic types of dispensers. If you’re not using this correctly, it might not stick the way that you plan to.

A lot of people use different types of tape for the different problems that are at hand. Electrical work, repairs, painting, all of these can use different types of tape, and if you set different reminders, you’ll be able to use the correct tape real fast. 

It’s Old 

If you have old tape, it’s not going to work correctly.  It’s going to end up becoming brittle, and that gumminess that keeps it together just isn’t going to work.

The best way to avoid this is to only get as much of the tape as you possibly can.  When you’re ready, reorder this, and just add it to the shopping list.

Don’t buy tape in bulk, as it’s usually not the best way to use this.  make sure that you also store this correctly. Make sure that it’s protected from the heat, any sunlight, and also make sure that it’s not in a place that’s overly dry.  Also, if you do buy a lot, create a system from oldest to newest of the tape and when it’s been used. 

Be Mindful of Water Activated Tape 

If you’re using water activated tape, you’ll find out as well that it’s very effective for adhering the bonds directly to the box itself, offering a tamper resistant method of sealing. But it needs to be wet, or else it’s not going to stick, period. A water activated tape dispenser is the best way to do this, so it gets enough water there. 

It’s Going to somewhere Cold. 

Finally, if you’re sending your items to a cold location, your tape probably isn’t going to work for this. colder types of temperatures are not good for adhesives, and also prevent the boxes from closing correctly. Cold temperature tapes are going to be your best friend, and there are a lot of times people don’t realize this.

You can get a tape that works even during the coldest of temperatures, and it’ll stick.

When you’re looking to improve your packaging, you do need to look at the right types of tape to use. If you use the wrong tape, it’ll bite you hard in the long haul, especially if you’re someone who isn’t really mindful of this.  take care of your tape, make sure to use it effectively, and from here, make sure that you use the correct tape for the packaging boxes that you need, and everything that comes with this too.

Individually Quick Frozen” Is Food Packaging at Its Best

Considered one of the top methods for food preservation and extremely effective at conserving product nutritional value. Individually Quick Frozen or IQF is a great example of a common method used in food packaging. This form of food packaging helps prevent large ice crystal build up within the product itself. Allowing for the product to have longer shelf life and minimal nutritional lose.

 

When utilizing this method every piece of product is frozen individually by very small ice crystals. This is done extremely fast and avoids damaging the products nutrients. Other methods of freezing are much slower, producing larger ice crystals in the process which can be a bad thing for the product.

Slow freezing and large ice crystals will typically result in dry or damaged food. IQF's tiny crystals however will not because the process used to freeze every individual product piece is ultra fast. Capable of blast freezing large amounts in very little time making for a higher quality of product selection for the consumer.

 

Other methods like canning or pickling are available for food packaging as well along with a few others. Freezing however is one of the more common practices and it can be used for any type of food productpackaging. Older methods of freeze preservation or packaging in general for that matter risk the products quality. Possibly altering flavor and/or texture more so than not.

With IQF you can also assure such things as berries and corn don't clump up or smush together during preservation. The products interior cellular structure will not be altered much, if at all penetrated by the ice crystals. Leaving the food frozen but not in the solid ice kind of a way, only the outer layer will be affected.

 

Ideally you can use IQF on any type of foods you desire. Different meats and seafood can benefit from IQF as much as French fries, peas, etc. Technology has helped improve so much in life and continues to awe us daily with its amazing capabilities. Food packaging will not be left out of the mix and offering methods such as IQF proves it.

Nobody likes unpackaging bad food or the smell it can bring along with it. Even if it isn't spoiled, we still expect quality for our hard earned money. Older methods while effective leave to much room for the possibility of spoilage or loss of nutrition. In other words, you'll be risking the taste of grandma's famous pie recipe using anything but fresh product.

Back in her time food was handled with much more love and attention which in turn resulted in fresher options to pick from. Times are much faster now, and the population has grown tremendously since that time. Demand has outweighed supply allowing way for newer much more efficient means of packaging. And IQF looks to be leading the way when it comes to high quality and efficient food packaging methods.

The equipment used for the IQF process is specialized and not widely available as of yet. There are only a handful of manufacturers who currently deal in IQF machinery and supplies available to assist you. If IQF packaging is an interest of yours reaching out to a certified professional in the food packaging industry should definitely be your first step.

 

 

 

The biggest issues Solved by Poly Mailers

You’ve probably wondered what the benefits of poly mailers are. There are a lot, and some people don’t realize that they are super beneficial, especially for returning items that don’t fit, or that you want to refund or exchange. Here, we’ll go over some of the benefits of poly mailers, and how they solve a lot of customer issues. 

Expectations 

There are products that are returned because of expectations. Ecommerce returns see a lot more because well, buyers aren’t able to sample the materials until they’re received by shipment. Some may have expected that they’re getting something when it’s another thing, and well, that’s something that a lot of people don’t take into account when choosing the right sorts of poly mailers to use. 

Product Defections 

This can happen to anything. It may be an error in manufacturing or even shipping, and this does happen. This can be frustrating for many people since oftentimes it requires the product to be shipped back. Having returnable poly mailers solves that issue because it just lets them ship it back, with postage paid for. 

Wrong Shipping Happens 

There are warehouse workers who are in charge of making sure that the products are sent out correctly. But sometimes they don’t get properly screened, and then the wrong products are shipped out. Having returnable ply mailers lets you rectify that confusion quite quickly and effectively, which helps to also reduce the confusion that does happen as a result of this and makes it easier for everyone. 

Frequently Returned Items 

For some types of products, they get returned a lot more than they expected. Clothing and apparel see this a lot, with customers trying on items before they decide to keep them. This can be annoying but companies that plan ahead for this will save a lot of money. 

How they do this, is they add a return mailer to the product itself and include it with every sort of order they get from their customers. When customers try this on, they can then choose whether or not it’s right for them, and then ship back anything that they don’t want with minimal hassle. You can do this as well with what’s called expandable poly mailers, which are envelopes that contain bottoms that are gusseted so that they can ship back items that are bulkier, including pants and big sweaters. 

This is a great way to help make the return process either so that customers are fully satisfied with everything that they purchase and return. This is a good way to help the process become better and easier for everyone. This also lets them put it back and lets them seal it without having to get anything wrong. These mailers have their own little return seals that they can put on there, and it lets customers actually put them on there whenever they need it. 

This saves everyone money and time. Instead of having your customers wait to return the packaging, you just let them print the label, put it on the mailer, and then send it back so that you cha have the exchange done fully. It’s quite easy to start with, and the results of this are something that’ll be better than ever and something that’ll help you get the most that you can out of your mailing situation. It’ll help as well build customer morale as well since it shows that you not only care about the customers that you’re willing to give them this, but you also care about them and make the return process easy.