Choosing Packaging

[Desiderio]

I really like the clear boxes, I was trying to find a commercial box that would fit what I want but I cant find it. Those with the gold bottom, I used them sometimes it just that I am tired to have soo manay different packaging, it doesnt make me look professional, but I guess Iam not yet

I like your packaging Kerry, the label and the boxes look soo nice.

[merlicky]

This is a question for anyone who has sold chocolates in bulk quantities before. How do you package/ship the chocolates? Also, if you are doing events like showers or parties, what sort of presentation do you use?

I've donated chocolates to a few organizations in the last couple months and now I'm getting a lot of requests by people who want to purchase some for various events. All the sudden it hit me that I have no idea what I'm doing. I've always just brought them in baking dishes and set them out on things like three-tiered platters. However, if I'm sending them or delivering them this doesn't really work. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike.

[bdonaghy]

I use #5 stock boxes with layer board if the items are cupped. If not cupped I use a tray that is designed to fit in the 5# stock box. All of these items are available from Tomric Systems.

b

[John DePaula]

I use #5 stock boxes with layer board if the items are cupped. If not cupped I use a tray that is designed to fit in the 5# stock box. All of these items are available from Tomric Systems.

b

Are they not on the web site? Couldn't find 'em.

[RWood]

I went with aqua/brown for my colors, and I have a friend that is an artist that has been doing my graphics. I'm buying packaging and just using labels that he has designed for me for now. It's one of the hardest and most expensive parts of doing chocolates. I have been buying some simple aqua ballotins for some, and I would like to get more that have clear tops. It's always a search.

Edited March 9, 2010 by RWood (log)

[Edward J]

Packaging is probably one of the hardest things about the chocolate business.

Odds are, if you are in business you have your logo and your colours already picked out.

Next is finding the most popular size, and getting this size in siginificant quantities. True, you can get decent pricing on closeouts (Yes, I use/d Nashville and Chocolat-Chocolat too, but once that item is gone, it's gone. If you can get stuff in significant quantities (3-4000 pcs. and up) the price goes down dramatically.

With your most popular box, you can dress it up for Christmas/V-day, etc. with assorted ribbons, sleeves, or stickers.

Most packaging sellers get their stuff from China, although there are a few who still make thier own stuff in N. America. When you start doing serious volume, it only makes sense to deal direct with China. If you don't you'llstart to shake your head when you realize that you're paying just s much or even more for packaing on a box of 24 assorted than the cost of materials and labour for the actual chocoaltes....

[Spring]

Beautiful, just SO beautiful. Both the packaging and the chocolates.

[Spring]

Im looking for companies who sell packaging in large quantities (1000's) and can only find the 'regular' ones who sell in small amounts. I am specifically interested in transparent packaging. Does anyone know the names of companies (probably in China) Ive looked but cant find them.Thanks

[lebowits]

Im looking for companies who sell packaging in large quantities (1000's) and can only find the 'regular' ones who sell in small amounts. I am specifically interested in transparent packaging. Does anyone know the names of companies (probably in China) Ive looked but cant find them.Thanks

Check with Revere.

[Lior]

If you need that many, consider custom made as for thousands it can be less costly and more personal-per box. Go to a graphic designer. Or, go to Express Arizot to ask them-they can do custom made ba-sin, or even Specialty box can do custom made. Many options.

[Spring]

Ive said it before and Ill say it again. Thanks!!!

[Lior]

any time

[sweetmemories]

Are there egullet members who have ordered chocolate boxes from Chinese packaging companies? I have used boxes from Chocolat Chocolat in the past, but need customized boxes now in much larger quantities. I'm looking for Chinese companies that make sturdy customized boxes and offer debossing or embossing. Quality is of course key but communication and responsiveness are important too. I'm interested in purchasing 1000 to 2000 pieces at a time. Unfortunately, there are no American companies who can do what I want for a reasonable price. They either tell me they cannot do want I want, or their prices are way too high. 

There are many companies featured on the Chinese site Alibaba.com and most seem to offer samples. But it is really hard to know which companies offer great quality and service.

 

Thanks for letting me know. 

[gfron1]

Does someone know which suppliers have these boxes? I can't find them through my regular sources and want to see how affordable they might be. Thanks.

[lironp]

On 5/3/2020 at 10:02 AM, gfron1 said:

Does someone know which suppliers have these boxes? I can't find them through my regular sources and want to see how affordable they might be. Thanks.

Did you ever figure this out?

[gfron1]

8 hours ago, lironp said:

Did you ever figure this out?

At the suggestion of an eGer I bought mine from  silvia@alagobox.com. Easy to work with. The shipping is a slow boat from China but I haven't worked through my old ones yet anyway. For 1000 boxes not printed, came out to about $1.40 per. Just a few pennies more than what I had been paying. These boxes come assembled (I have to insert the tissue), whereas my old boxes required full assembly.

[Tri2Cook]

Windowed vs. non-windowed. Which for you and why? I know which way I'm leaning but it's not proving to be as easy a decision as I feel like it should be. I'm not at a point where I'm ready to go custom or large volume but I found boxes that I'm happy with that are an upgrade from what I've been using and within the price range to work for me. It could have been simple except they're available windowed or non-windowed. A contributing factor in this case could be, the windowed are available in a variety of colors. The non-windowed is only available in one color. Anyway... thoughts?

[RWood]

16 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

Windowed vs. non-windowed. Which for you and why? I know which way I'm leaning but it's not proving to be as easy a decision as I feel like it should be. I'm not at a point where I'm ready to go custom or large volume but I found boxes that I'm happy with that are an upgrade from what I've been using and within the price range to work for me. It could have been simple except they're available windowed or non-windowed. A contributing factor in this case could be, the windowed are available in a variety of colors. The non-windowed is only available in one color. Anyway... thoughts?

I would go with windowed.  When I first starting making chocolates, the chef I worked for for years kept telling me to get all clear.  He said the designs are so pretty, you want everyone to see them, not covered up.  So, I tend to agree with him. While I haven't found exactly what I want for totally clear, I would at least have a window.  I'm going through the same thing now looking for boxes to package my to go wedding cake tastings.  Such a pain!

[Tri2Cook]

2 hours ago, RWood said:

When I first starting making chocolates, the chef I worked for for years kept telling me to get all clear.  He said the designs are so pretty, you want everyone to see them, not covered up.

That was 40% what I was thinking. The other 60% was liking the idea of the surprise when opened. The windowed being available in a variety of color choices while the non-windowed only coming in one color kinda balanced out the scale and caused my indecision. 😆

[Jim D.]

A few things I learned in my long packaging search:  Early on I decided I wanted trays to hold the chocolates rather than putting them in individual cups.  Trays speed up the boxing process so much that I think of them as a necessity.  But trays also carry huge restrictions:  You have to find ones into which your chocolates will fit, and although there are many, many trays available (mostly sourced from Mod-pak), I was surprised at how restrictive they are.  If you make small bonbons, you will be fine with what's available, but if, like me, you make larger pieces, problems ensue.  Speaking from experience, I can say that custom trays are very, very expensive, and finding a company that makes them in relatively small amounts is daunting.  These manufacturers are used to making 10,000, maybe 50,000 trays at a time for grocery businesses and usually can't be bothered with a boutique business.

 

And then there are boxes.  Again, if you make small bonbons, you have lots of choices, but obviously, if you use trays, the boxes need to fit the trays.  But the height of bonbons is something I didn't think of at first.  I need boxes that are 1.5" high, and very few of those exist (that I could find, at least).  So I had to go with custom boxes.  I like them very much, and I finally found a reliable company that would make them in lots of 500.  But they equal (at least) the cost of making the chocolates themselves.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Jim D. (log)

[pastrygirl]

@Tri2Cook I do like window boxes for display or in a retail setting. However if you are primarily shipping chocolates, the non-window might be better so you can protect the pieces with tissue, candy pads,  bubble wrap, etc between the candy and the box. 

[Tri2Cook]

13 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

@Tri2Cook I do like window boxes for display or in a retail setting. However if you are primarily shipping chocolates, the non-window might be better so you can protect the pieces with tissue, candy pads,  bubble wrap, etc between the candy and the box. 

Shipping will not be an issue. I'm definitely not at that point now and honestly don't aspire to reaching that point.

[pastrygirl]

1 hour ago, Tri2Cook said:

Shipping will not be an issue. I'm definitely not at that point now and honestly don't aspire to reaching that point.

 

Ah, I just figured between your remote location and the pandemic you might be shipping this winter.  It's not that hard, at least not in cool weather

 

Another bonus of the solid box is being able to include a flavor card or ingredients list without ruining the look.  I use a clear top box and put the ingredients label on the bottom, but don't really want people turning boxes over and shaking pieces around.  And less plastic, if you or your clientele have strong feelings about plastic.  I may eventually move to the solid box for those reasons.  I currently use these https://www.papermart.com/p/set-up-view-top-gold-candy-p-e-t-box-with-inserts/38551

I like the inserts that allow me to avoid cupping, but I wish they were 1/4" shallower, and I have plastic guilt.

 

 

[Tri2Cook]

I'm still kinda leaning towards non-windowed. All of the arguments for windowed are convincing and make sense but I'm not in a retail setting where people can browse and select. It's more a casual "I made these, there are x number of boxes available" and see how it goes thing right now. The only minor hang-up is, the windowed are available in 21 colors, the non-windowed are available in brown base/gold lid only... but they look nice. Addressing what Jim D. mentioned, I have a sample of the boxes I'm looking at and the inserts work perfectly with my primary mold.

[Stephen Beaumont]

On 10/11/2020 at 7:43 PM, Jim D. said:

A few things I learned in my long packaging search:  Early on I decided I wanted trays to hold the chocolates rather than putting them in individual cups.  Trays speed up the boxing process so much that I think of them as a necessity.  But trays also carry huge restrictions:  You have to find ones into which your chocolates will fit, and although there are many, many trays available (mostly sourced from Mod-pak), I was surprised at how restrictive they are.  If you make small bonbons, you will be fine with what's available, but if, like me, you make larger pieces, problems ensue.  Speaking from experience, I can say that custom trays are very, very expensive, and finding a company that makes them in relatively small amounts is daunting.  These manufacturers are used to making 10,000, maybe 50,000 trays at a time for grocery businesses and usually can't be bothered with a boutique business.

 

And then there are boxes.  Again, if you make small bonbons, you have lots of choices, but obviously, if you use trays, the boxes need to fit the trays.  But the height of bonbons is something I didn't think of at first.  I need boxes that are 1.5" high, and very few of those exist (that I could find, at least).  So I had to go with custom boxes.  I like them very much, and I finally found a reliable company that would make them in lots of 500.  But they equal (at least) the cost of making the chocolates themselves.

As I read this I was nodding the whole time. I’m at the point of looking for some custom boxes for all the above reasons and wonder who you ended up using?

 

I have also started making some cylindrical “snack bars” which are popular and open some decorating opportunities. I would like to find a box (probably square) with a tray that will separate 3-5 of these snack bars but have not yet been successful in sourcing anything. Anyone have any advice on these?

 

By the way this forum is a gold mine of information. Thanks for everyone’s input!!