Kitten and the Bear is a Toronto-based artisan jam and jelly maker serving up small batches of deliciousness and other baked goods. Their business has been evolving, especially with the release of their cookbook, and they partnered with LeKAC to bring their packaging dreams to life!
We sat down with owners Sophie Kaftal and Bobby Zielinski to discuss their packaging journey with LeKAC and all things Kitten and the Bear. Read on to get the sweet scoop!
About Kitten and the Bear
Established in 2012, Kitten and the Bear has been whipping up delicious jams, jellies and other preserves the old-fashioned way. Their storefront functions as a café serving up freshly baked scones, cookies and more as well as a retail space. Their store also serves as the kitchen for where the magic (read: jam making) happens. The team at Kitten and the Bear also offers party favours, catering, custom cakes and corporate gifting!
We do everything all naturally. [The jam] is made traditionally the exact same way it would have been 500 years ago.
Bobby Zielinski
Earlier this year, they also released a cookbook! The book is full of recipes for you to become your own jelly-master (our words, not theirs) at home, plus other treats to go along with them. With the rollout of the cookbook, Sophie and Bobby knew they wanted to take their business to the next level–and this meant packaging! After finding and following us on Instagram, they reached out to LeKAC to get started on their custom packaging journey!
Making The Packaging Shift
Before working with LeKAC, Sophie and Bobby were using paper belly bands to add a custom touch to their unbranded packaging. At first, this worked perfectly for their team. However, as they expanded and thought ahead to their book rollout, this option no longer appeared to be a sustainable.
Originally, Sophie and Bobby connected with packaging suppliers directly, but found communication difficult and daunting. They wanted to make sure that their new packaging turned out just right and were turned off by some of the suppliers they met with. On the other hand, they loved the approachability of LeKAC’s custom packaging services and that we were local!
The Result
The first project we began was for their mini jam trio. Sophie and Bobby wanted a box with a window that would display the jars’ labels, as well as descriptions of each flavour on the back! Another important packaging feature was the ease of assembly, to cut down on time spent assembling packaging.
It was important to our team that we helped Sophie and Bobby create packaging that was representative of their brand. We incorporated their existing brand elements to keep the new packaging familiar while giving it an extra polish. For the mini trio box, we suggested a gold foil that added the perfect special touch!
After bringing their mini trio box to life, Sophie and Bobby sought to expand their custom packaging even further! Next, we helped them create a custom resealable mylar pouch for their scone mix. They wanted to replicate the design from the first box while incorporating new elements like instructions and the scone illustrations!
Their new packaging also just happened to flow seamlessly with the design of the Kitten and the Bear cookbook! They wanted to ensure that all of their packaging portrayed the story of Kitten and the Bear, while still looking cohesive.
What’s Next For Kitten and the Bear?
When we asked them what their favourite part of working with LeKAC was, Sophie and Bobby said the ease of communication! Especially with the experiences they had with previous suppliers, they appreciated our one-stop-shop approach. They especially enjoyed working with our Business Development consultant Phil!
Since the release of their cookbook, Sophie and Bobby hope to regroup and get back to what they love: making tasty things! With the success and the publicity from the cookbook, they want to ensure that their business can measure up. This means focusing on being present, interacting with customers both old and new, and sharing more behind the scenes content! They also hinted that more jam and jelly flavours would be available for wholesale in the future.
Interested in getting started on your custom packaging journey? Contact us today to find out how we can help!
Craving some sweet treats or want to learn how to make your own at home? Check out Kitten and the Bear online or in-store for more!
Kitten and the Bear
1414 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1Y5
(647) 926-9711
