Business owners often ask themselves questions like “why should I use customized packaging when the generic version I have now is doing fine?” or “why spend all of the extra money coming up with a branding concept when my customers already know who I am and what I do?”
Dana Shortt and Susan Woodruff, of Dana Shortt Gourmet and Gifts, were posed with a similar situation. After many successful years why should they rebrand the business?
Dana began in 2004 as a catering company called Dana Shortt Gourmet, eventually leading to a small store in Waterloo where she provides fresh and frozen meals, chocolates and gift baskets.
Furthermore, there was significant development with products as more items were added on – today, there is a selection of over 300 different items.
In 2012, Susan joined the business and 3 years later they decided to take everything to the next level and rebrand the company.
“I felt like people were in the store and had a really good experience… but there was a disconnect between being in here and eating the meal at home”
– Dana Shortt
Why rebrand and repackage everything?
One shortcoming before 2015 was their product packaging.
Simple containers with avery labels on top didn’t really match the quality of what they were offering.
“It would be like getting a Tiffany ring in a cellophane bag”
– Susan Woodruff
Dana and Susan believed that consistency between the in-store experience and take-home experience was necessary.
They realised that they needed to change their packaging to reflect their product quality.
“The packaging is part of the experience. It’s the pscyhological aspect that adds to it”
– Dana Shortt
What was done in terms of rebranding & packaging?
Dana and Susan would both agree that branding and custom packaging are essential parts of any business, and the perfect way to distinguish yourself from competitors.
The team replaced all of the packaging, equipment, machinery, tabletops, and more, to coincide with the brand image they already had – they even retrained the staff and renamed their products!
Part of the rebranding process is also choosing a company with values that are in sync with your own, and that knows customer service should be a top priority.
Words like ‘reliable’, ‘honest’, ‘professional’, and ‘trustworthy’ are all key attributes that you should look for when hiring a company to help you bring your vision to life, and are words that were used to describe the team at LeKAC Sourcing Ltd.
From conception to completion, LeKAC was there to guide Dana and Susan on what they wanted their final packaging to look like.
“We knew we wanted a thermal bag, checkout bag, et cetera, but [LeKAC] helped us with the details. They would give us guidance on different ways to do it”
– Dana Shortt
When asked why they initially decided (and continue) to work with LeKAC Sourcing Ltd for all their packaging needs, their responses were more than enthusiastic:
“I’m really happy with you so why would I reinvent the wheel?”
– Dana Shortt
“We don’t have any complaints and we don’t go borrowing trouble!”
– Susan Woodruff
How have these changes impacted Dana Shortt?
Custom packaging makes all the difference between doing well and exceeding expectations and is a great way to elevate your business plan.
As a result of rebranding, Dana Shortt has actually seen a steady increase in sales!
“Now the food and the branding are much closer than they’ve ever been before”
– Susan Woodruff
LeKAC Sourcing Ltd is your one stop solution for all custom needs.
We would love to help you make your dreams a reality! Contact us for more information on design, products, and more!
Visit Dana’s website for more information on her delicious products and gift baskets
