With the British soft fruit season just around the corner, most growers and packers are already planning how this year’s crop will go to market. While the focus rightly stays on producing great fruit, it’s worth stepping back to consider how that quality carries through to the shelf—particularly through the use of own print packaging.
Packaging plays a bigger role than it sometimes gets credit for. It’s the first thing a buyer or consumer sees, and it sets expectations before anyone picks up the fruit. When packaging looks considered, consistent, and aligned with the quality inside, it reinforces the work behind the product.
Why Own Print Makes a Difference
Own print packaging gives you far more control over how your product is presented. Rather than relying on standard, off-the-shelf designs, it allows you to build something that reflects your brand, your standards, and your story.
That might be as simple as clearer branding and cleaner design, or it could mean developing a format that works better for your operation. Either way, the goal is the same: to make sure the packaging supports the fruit, rather than just containing it.
Pictured is a bespoke microflute 500g punnet created for Annabel’s.
Getting the Right Format
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution in soft fruit. What works for strawberries may not suit blueberries or raspberries, and what works for one packing line may not suit another.
That’s why it’s important to consider both the practical and visual side. Packaging needs to run efficiently on your lines, protect the fruit in transit, and present well on shelf. Formats like hand erect and machine erect boxes, paper punnets, and larger kilo packs all have their place; it’s about choosing what fits your product and your process.
A Good Time to Review
With the season approaching, now is a good opportunity to review what you’re using and whether it still does the job you need it to. Small changes in design or format can make a noticeable difference when it comes to shelf presence and consistency.
At Produce Packaging, we work with growers and packers across the industry and see first-hand what’s working well. If you’re reviewing your packaging for the season ahead, we’re always happy to talk through the options and share practical advice.
