2018 Food Packaging Predictions

As we approach a new year of fresh food and beverage options, we're taking an in-depth look at the trends that might dominate the packaging world in 2018. Check out our predictions below![caption id="attachment_5111" align="aligncenter" width="339"]

Johnnie Walker® Artist Series: Tristan Eaton Edition[/caption][caption id="attachment_5112" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Dogfish Head Artist Series by Marq Spusta[/caption]

FEATURED ARTISTS

While many brands like Dogfish Head have had a featured artist series for many years, we predict there will be a slew of artist series that will hit in 2018 as a way to differentiate from competitors as well as reduce monotony among consumers. While the brands that currently utilize artist series fall in the alcoholic beverage space, there is a huge opportunity for dry packaged food to jump on this train and get ahead of the curve.[caption id="attachment_5115" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Wild Leaf Active Teas[/caption]

BRIGHTEN UP

Bright colors are another way to stand out as well as attract "millennials". Many brands want to be young & fun and speak to the younger generation and this is one tried & true way to do so. As social media becomes increasingly important for a brand's image, packaging design is certainly seeing a shift from more traditional aesthetics to new, fresh designs that are unique and innovative. Many brands are seeking a design that people will be proud to take a photo with.[caption id="attachment_5119" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Frank Body Beauty[/caption]

IRIDESCENCE

Iridescence is trending hard in the fashion world and we are starting to see it seep into the food packaging world. As more brands are searching for a design that stands apart from competitors, we believe this printing technique will be utilized.[caption id="attachment_5120" align="aligncenter" width="400"]

Jenis Ice Cream[/caption]

BYE-BYE BRAND COLOR

Choosing one or two consistent brand colors is not memorable enough anymore. More and more food and bev companies are choosing to stand out through the rainbow effect—highlighting sku flavors by covering the whole background in that color. This not only paints an interesting picture at shelves, but it also helps A LOT with shop-ability. Now you can send your significant other to the store looking for your favorite products simply by saying "can you get me the gold flavor?"[caption id="attachment_5125" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Chobani[/caption]

MOD VINTAGE

You know the saying "everything old is new again"—well it's true now more than ever. Not only are we taking everything from fashion, interior design, and photography back to the 70s, 80s & 90s, but packaging design too! We have even noticed inspiration coming from as far back as the 1700s with elegant botanical illustration styles. Whether it be through a sans serif or a heavy block of solid color, you will always spot a piece of these vintage-inspired designs that relates back to the modern world.[caption id="attachment_5122" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Eboost[/caption]

CUT TO THE CHASE

In this crazy world of Food & Bev, theres always new innovations hitting grocery stores. It can be hard to keep up. Theres a new wave of no-nonsense labeling that helps consumers quickly and easily understand what the purpose of a certain product is before anything else. Sometimes we care less about the complexities of what something is and more about what it will do for us. Now this doesn't mean that "what it is" remains a mystery—it simply takes a more secondary role to "what it does." This type of hierarchy makes a lot of sense if you see your consumer as someone who is always in a rush, which many are these days.[caption id="attachment_5123" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Batch Organics[/caption]

LESS IS MORE

This is not a new trend but we'll see more and more of it in 2018. People like to see the ingredients themselves on the PDP and then reading that the actual ingredients are exactly the same. Transparency and cleanliness is the name of the game.[caption id="attachment_5124" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Pulp Pantry[/caption]

BACK TO THE ROOTS

Playing off the tail to snout movement of using the entire butchered animal, “root to stem” advocates for using the entirety of the vegetables we eat. From repurposing juice pulp to pickling watermelon rinds, there will be a surge in uniquely prepared parts of food that are often abandoned and this will be called out prominently on package.