Packaging Macarons for UK Delivery
It’s all about the packaging
Hi Butterwickers, it’s Jyoti again.
Every wondered why our macarons, or macaroons as some call them, are packaged so carefully in so much? Well read on…
Why is packaging so very important?
How would you feel having invested in the best vegan macarons and then anticipating their arrival only to open the box to find them broken or squashed?
Well I have done just that with other vegan macarons and experienced it first hand, and trust me I was not happy. Like I tell my husband, Gunny, when his jokes fall flat on their face, "it's all in the delivery, darling!"
Making sure our customers get their delicious Butterwicks macarons order or their gift intact is our number one delivery criterion. I am going to share my story with you next on how we found a great packaging solution to make sure our vegan macarons are delivered to you as you would want them.
Our first macaron gift boxes for deliver
Needless to say we were very excited at the start of our exploration as we looked to develop a unique packaging that was cost effective and looked good.
Delivery anywhere in the UK was our goal and our very first step was to go to our print partner to develop the best solution for our macarons. We came up with this elaborate cardboard gift box with and insert packaging which we thought was very cool and would hold the macarons securely. You can see it in the top image.
Now, I’m a Cancerian, you know Cancer the crab, hard shell soft inside and macarons are just like me that a hard shell with a lovely soft, delicious, chewy inside. Only in reality that the shell is not as hard as I am haha.
Shipping to my friend Rinx
When I shipped my first batch of vegan French macarons in the gift box to my dear friend Rinx, they arrived battered and bruised. Let’s say when we asked her for some honest feedback, it was very honest!
Some of the macarons had disappeared under the insert hiding from the barrage of hard knocks and some just literally cracked under the pressure as they travelled from Butterwicks to the heart of Buckinghamshire.
The Butterwicks one metre drop test
We were back to square one. We went on to choose some very elaborate and expensive macarons packaging but none really were up to the task.
We had many trials and evaluations. Each one was subjected to my husband, Gunny’s, Butterwicks one metre macarons gift packaging drop test (yup he’s an engineer). Literally dropping packed macarons from a height, a number of times to simulate their delivery journey with couriers and parcel handlers to you and checking if the macarons were still intact after the drops.
Getting the product delivered safely to our Butterwicks customers was the number one criterion as I said, especially given how much our fans invest to have the perfect macaron experience.
Multiple layers of packaging was the answer
“Jyoti, tell us please, what was the answer?” I hear you ask. Well, it was a multi-layer packaging solution which included firstly packaging our divine macarons in blister packs. Then beautifully dressing them in a decorative tissue which provided additional padding. Finally bedded on recycled packaging to provide the ultimate (and extremely) cost effective packaging to cushion the packs.
You can see for yourselves in the images how the evolution happened.
Happy Butterwicks fans
You know it was worth it! Our fans are so delighted with the packaging, across the country all the way from Leeds to London, and truly appreciate the fact they get fully intact macarons.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, we are on the next step of our vegan macaron delivery packaging journey as we explore how we can move away from plastic packaging to a fully recyclable solution. Keep watching to see how we solve that one.
I just want to say a massive "thank you so much" for the love we are getting on Instagram and Facebook too.
Chat soon!
With that I wish you a fantastic week and please, please keep safe and stay at home where you can.
Love you all Jyoti x