The Ultimate Packaging Zine - LeKAC Sourcing (Spring 2024)

THE PACKAGING ZINE SPRING 2024

Editor in Chief Gabrielle Ho Art Direction Shane Aratia Samneet Mann Taylor Tran Editors Gabrielle Ho Taylor Tran Graphic Designers Shane Aratia Samneet Mann Writers Gabrielle Ho Taylor Tran Cover Photo Samneet Mann Interviewees Franco Deleo tre mari bakery Toby Zhou retea

SPRING 2024 EDITION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message from the Team

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Client Spotlight: Tre Mari Bakery

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LeKAC 2024 Tradeshows

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Creating Packaging for Digital Natives

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Featured Product: Catering Trays

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Client Spotlight: ReTea Inc.

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Packaging Made of Blueberries

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Learn with Lenny: Packaging Dictionary

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Packaging Q&A

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MESSAGE FROM THE TEAM

The latest edition of our seasonal zine has blossomed! If you’re a new reader, welcome! We are a Canadian-based custom packaging company that also offers sourcing and branding services to businesses around the world. Spring signifies nature’s return and with it, we welcome our existing readers and customers to this edition!

Speaking of our existing clients, if you have a question about your order or placing another order, please contact your Business Development Consultant and they’ll be happy to help! Before we sign off, we just want to offer a final reminder that our offices are open by appointment only. This ensures that one of our consultants will be available to assist you in your custom packaging journey.

Can’t make it in to one of our offices? Our consultants are also available via phone or video call to help!

We hope you enjoy springing into this latest edition!

Sincerely, The LeKAC Pack

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JOIN THE LEKAC PACK MAILING LIST TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON OUR UPCOMING TRADESHOWS! WWW.LEKAC.COM

Learn with Lenny!

Check out pages 20–21 to f ind Lenny teaching you about packaging terms you’ll f ind useful the next time you order custom packaging!

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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

TRE MARI BAKERY This past Christmas, Tre Mari began offering their own panettone imported directly from a family-owned manufacturer in Italy! We sat down with Franco Deleo, marketing manager (and oldest brother) to talk about their custom panettone packaging journey with LeKAC.

About Tre Mari Bakery

would hit shelves. The focus for this project was to create something convenient and easy

Founded in 1960 by Franco’s grandparents,

to assemble. Franco also sought packaging

Tre Mari has built a large customer base

that would make for a great host gift!

with its strong history. In addition to baked goods and fresh pastries, the bakery

The Result

also features a deli, hot food counter

At SIAL, our custom square tulip cake box

and a catering service! The bakery has

caught Franco’s eye. The box style features

been a staple in Toronto’s St. Clair West

a handle and requires no adhesives

neighbourhood, bringing a taste of Italy to

for construction, which spoke to the

all of their customers!

convenience factor Franco was looking for.

The Panettone Problem

After narrowing down the box style, it was time for design! We sent a dieline for the

As longtime followers of Tre Mari (read:

tulip box in the appropriate dimensions,

drooling over their social media posts), we

and the bakery’s preferred graphic designer

were ecstatic to meet them at last year’s

got to work. The result was a contemporary

SIAL Canada trade show! Tre Mari has sold

design that still matched with their branding

panettone from other brands in store, but

and other custom box!

this was the first year the Tre Mari panettone 6

Like LeKAC, green is Tre Mari’s signature colour. Franco provided our team with the bakery’s brand guide to ensure that we got the perfect match. This was of great importance, since they wanted the new packaging to fit alongside the cannoli box they already had!

We considered using Pantone colours in the printing process to ensure complete colour accuracy, but ultimately didn’t need to! Prior to mass production, we received a sample of the

bakery items, as well as expanding the

panettone box for Tre Mari’s team to compare

house and home section of their storefront.

with their cannoli box (spoiler alert: they were

He also hopes to do more fun marketing

a perfect match!).

campaigns to engage the community!

When we asked Franco what his favourite

Be sure to follow Tre Mari on Instagram to

part of working with LeKAC was, he said it was

keep up to date with their latest offerings,

our communication and our customer service!

or visit them in person to snag a freshly-

I felt like there was such an honesty and genuine feeling of wanting to make us happy [and] i felt that the whole way through. It felt like “family business”–there was a care there that I felt.

made treat!

Franco Deleo, Tre Mari Bakery

1311 St. Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M6E 1C2

TREMARI.CA  @TREMARIBAKERY 416-654-8960

Ready to get started on your own custom packaging journey? Contact us today to learn how we can help!

What’s Next for Tre Mari Bakery Now that the holidays are over, whats’s next for Tre Mari? Franco hopes to expand their custom packaging selections for other 7

L EKAC 2 02 4 TRA DE S H OW C IRCU I T STO P # 1

THE BAKERY SHOWCASE CANADA

The first event in our trade show calendar, is the Bakery Showcase! We’ll be there showcasing some of our sweet packaging solutions for bakeries.

Come meet us May 5-6 from 11AM-5PM at the Toronto Congress Centre 650 Dixon Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 1J1.

We’ll be in booth 823!

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SHOW VISIT WWW.BAKERYSHOWCASECANADA.CA/LOCATION/TORONTO/

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L E KAC 2 02 4 TR A DE S H OW C I R CU I T STO P # 2

SIAL CANADA Our annual trip to SIAL Canada’s Food Innovation Show is always highly anticipated by our team. If you’re a restaurant or other kind of food business, this show is for you!

Come say hi May 15-17 at Palais des congrès de Montréal 1001 Pl. Jean-Paul-Riopelle, QC H2Z 1H5, Montréal, Canada.

Find us at booth 2354!

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SHOW VISIT WWW.SIALCANADA.COM

We also get a handful of free tickets to the show, so please feel free to email us if you’d like to come as a guest of LeKAC and we’ll make sure to let you know how you can claim your free tickets. See you there!

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L E KAC 2 024 TR A DE S H OW C I R CU I T STO P # 3

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW CHICAGO, IL

LeKAC’s heading to the USA! This year, we’re attending the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago for the first time ever!

We’re so excited to meet a whole new market of people and bring LeKAC across the border. The show is running from May 18-21 at McCormick Place 2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616. You can find us in booth 9829!

FO R M O RE D ETA I L S A B O U T THE SHOW VISIT W W W. N A T IO NA L RE S TA U RA NTSHOW .COM

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WHY CHOOSE LEKAC? Avoiding going custom because you think it’s too expensive or just too much effort in general?

At LeKAC, we strive for excellence across all boards. Our consultants work tirelessly to ensure the journey with us is as smooth as possible.

We also work to get you the most competitive price on the market.

Customers are more likely to return to your business if they have a reminder of it - and what better way to do that than creating a memorable packaging experience? By using custom packaging, you’re also benefitting from extended publicity and brand awareness!

Best of all? You’re getting packaging that’s exactly what you want!

HOW IT WORKS

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CREATING PACKAGING FOR DIGITAL NATIVES Digital natives are individuals who have grown up surrounded by the internet.

Those who fall into this demographic usually include members of Gen-Z and millennials who have had their lives shaped by access to the world wide web.

USE NFCS AND QR CODES In a previous blog post, we talk about using NFCs to create easy ways for your customers to connect to your business. Using NFCs in your packaging can help extend your customers’ experience even after they’ve left your stores. Holding the attention of a digital native is almost as important as the product itself! If you’re looking for a more cost-effective version of the NFC, try a QR code! This gives you the same connectivity without having to incorporate additional

Using NFCs and QR codes can add an extra

technological components in your packaging.

layer of connectivity to your packaging that can help create a more meaningful

According to Nimrod Kaplan, the goal of

user experience! These are also great

creating connected packaging is “to create

vessels for linking to other experiences like

a meaningful user experience that extends

augmented reality.

beyond the product itself.”

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AUGMENTED REALITY Packaging is often a static experience.

Beyond its function and initial aesthetic impact, most packaging does not allow customers to interact with the product or brand. However, by using augmented reality (AR), companies can add a digital and

CREATE A UNIQUE UNBOXING EXPERIENCE

interactive layer to the world for the customer to explore!

Digital natives live so much of their lives online. From sharing on social media to shopping, it can all be done at the click of a few buttons. Especially since the pandemic, e-commerce traffic has been on the rise and for a digital native, the online marketplace is their main shopping domain. Creating a memorable unboxing experience for your Using AR can also help with creating more

e-commerce customers is a great way to

precise targeted advertising! This can help

connect with them even after they’ve left

your brand create more refined advertising

your website.

for the future, and give you insights into

WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER DIGITAL NATIVES IN YOUR PACKAGING DESIGN?

your customers’ behaviour. Especially with virtual reality (VR) technology advancing to become more present in our day to day

Digital natives currently make up 64% of

lives, the world as we know it increasingly

buyers globally. With technology becoming

has a digital layer that many businesses

more deeply intertwined in our lives, future

have yet to unlock for themselves. Using AR

generations are also set to adopt the

is a great way to dip your toe into the digital

digital native lifestyle! Creating packaging

landscape and explore how it might bene-

that engages and connects with digital

fit your business! Since AR only requires a

natives will be essential for attracting them

smart device, it’s more accessible to a wider

as new customers.

range of customers than VR is!

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FEATURED PRODUCT

CATERING TRAY R ECYC L A B L E | CU STO MI Z A B L E | D U R A B L E

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Looking for catering or takeout packaging?

From size to printing, we can help design a box that meets your needs. Get in touch with our team to learn more about what we offer.

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READ THE FULL BLOG POST WWW.LEKAC.COM/BLOG

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

RETEA

Since 2019, Retea has been on a mission to reduce single-use plastic waste caused by the bubble tea industry one reusable cup at a time. Since then, they’ve expanded their offerings to include other products for the DIY bubble tea enthusiast.

customer feedback asking for at-home bubble tea options. This led to the creation of their DIY bubble tea kits! Since then, ReTea has also expanded to catering, offering a live bubble tea bar for events.

The Packaging Process As Toby began expanding her inventory to

About Retea

include tea and other bubble tea flavours,

Retea started as a personal mission for Toby.

she saw an increase in customers bundling

As a bubble tea lover, she saw the amount

the options together. She curated two sets

of waste that the industry produces and

that customers could purchase: The Bubble

sought to reduce the amount of waste she

Tea Kit and the Tearista Gift Set. At first,

was contributing. Her search for sustainable

these sets were being placed in corrugated

alternatives showed a lack of suitable

boxes to protect their contents. However,

options for bubble tea, leading to the

Toby found this option bulky, especially if

creation of the Retea!

customers had multiple items in their order besides the sets.

Eventually, Retea pivoted towards e-commerce to reach a wider audience.

She knew that this meant she needed to

Amidst the pandemic, Toby listened to

make a packaging switch. After an attempt 16

to work directly with suppliers, Toby turned to LeKAC! She first heard of us through our Marketing Specialist Taylor (hi, that’s me!) and decided to entrust us with the task. To combat the issue of bulk, we knew that our custom folding cartons were the right option

logistics and fulfillment to marketing and

for the job! These boxes are lightweight and

customer service. Toby also revealed that she

come in a wide variety of structures and

wants to open a physical space to use as a

finishes, so the possibilities were endless! In

warehouse and office space!

addition to wanting to reduce bulk, Toby was

When we asked what her favourite part of

looking for something shelf-ready that she

the process was, Toby revealed that it was

could display at events or markets!

the delivery of her custom packaging.

When it came to the design, Toby had a clear

Though the entire process overall was

vision for the overall aesthetic of her

smooth and enjoyable, being able to hold

packaging. She sent us a Pinterest board full

her packaging got her the most excited.

of inspiration and a detailed document

Interested in getting started on your custom

outlining what she wanted to put on each of

packaging journey? Contact us today to find

the box’s sides. As our in-house graphic

out how we can help!

designer began executing her requests, Toby

Are you a bubble tea lover? Be sure to check

continued to fine tune the design until it was

out Retea’s website for eco-friendly bubble tea

the perfect blend of professional and cute

accessories and all your DIY bubble tea needs!

with an emphasis on sustainability.

RETEA INC.

What’s Next for Retea?

WWW.RETEACUPS.COM  @RETEACUPS

So what’s next for Retea? Overall, Toby wants to grow the business! This means more flavours, more products and accessories, and maybe even adding members to the team. Currently, ReTea is a one-woman operation; Toby handles everything from 17

PACKAGING MADE OF BLUEBERRIES A SUSTAINABLE PLASTIC ALTERNATIVE Packaging made of blueberries might seem like a far-fetched idea. The berries are small and considered a fun and healthy antioxidant rich snack, but a team at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has turned them into so much more.

WHAT IT IS UBC’s Food Process Engineering Laboratory’s

They combine the pomace with carbohydrates,

current research includes creating

starches and proteins to create the edible

starch-based packaging film alternatives

film! The material also uses cellulose, which

using “upcycled industrial waste in various

helps form structure in plants. This creates

fruit pomace“.

a flexible and very strong material that’s comparable to plastic!

POMACE IS THE PULPY MATERIAL THAT IS LEFT OVER AFTER JUICING OR CRUSHING A FRUIT OR VEGETABLE. 18

So… Why blueberries? The team at UBC is looking to also help reduce the amount of food waste that the juicing industry produces. Additionally, the antioxidants found in blueberry skins is a bonus; these antioxidants can extend the shelf life of foods as well!

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT WILL THIS HAVE? Extracting juice from fruit produces a large amount of leftover waste.

Though this waste is compostable, not every business has the capacity to properly dispose of it.

A single 16-ounce serving of cold-pressed juice generates, on average, 4.5 pounds of pulp waste.

Though blueberries are the focus of the UBC study, they are not the sole fruit/vegetable that can be used this way. The material that UBC researchers have created is truly 100% biodegradable, and doesn’t require any additional processing for proper disposal. This makes it a more circular option! This is critical since most waste facilities do not accept or cannot properly dispose of compostable plastics or alternative plastics.

WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE IN THE MEANTIME?

For all other kinds of packaging, using paper alternatives is also a great option!

Packaging made of blueberries is still in its research and development phase so it’s not

If you’re looking for more eco-friendly

currently available for mass market use.

packaging options, contact us today!

Other sustainable packaging solutions like

Book a free appointment with one of our

sugarcane use a similar process of incorporating

knowledgeable Business Development

the byproducts of the juicing process.

consultants to see how we can help!

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LEARN WITH LENNY!

PACKAGING DICTIONARY Here are a few terms we’ve used these last few months when working with you to create your custom packaging!

EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS)

SINGLE-USE PLASTIC (SUP)

A rigid plastic material with a smooth

Products that are either partially or entirely

surface, commonly used in single-use

made of plastic, commonly used in the

takeout packaging such as cups, bowls,

takeout industry. This includes items such

takeout boxes and clamshell containers.

as utensils, boxes with plastic windows, and takeout containers. To learn more

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)

about SUP packaging, get in touch with one of our consultants!

A durable, synthetic plastic material.

Commonly used for single-use, molded containers such as clamshells or cake trays. PVC has also been molded to create inserts for products such as socks, chocolate and medicine.

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SINGLE-USE PLASTIC MATERIAL

CLAMSHELL CONTAINER A type of packaging, commonly made using single-use plastic, used in the takeout industry for hot or cold food.

This type of container, when made of or containing plastic material, is part of the COMPOSTABLE MATERIAL

Canadian single-use plastic ban! However, Clamshell containers can also be made of a paper pulp material.

CLASSIC TAKE-OUT BOX Used to package leftovers and food for takout. This packaging is made of a thick kraft paper material. The structure typically has a lock on top to keep the box closed. Classic take-out boxes retain heat and have the option to add vents to release any steam!

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PACKAGING Q & A Q: Why are shipping rates increasing so much?

A: There are actually a few reasons rates have been increasing lately. Due to the pandemic, global supply chains have been disrupted and there’s a shortage of freight containers!

That, coupled with limited staff available to work and increasing fuel prices, lead to delayed shipments. While we’re optimistic that things will go back to normal in the near future, our team is dedicated to keeping costs down for clients.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do since this is a global issue, but if you’re in need of packaging soon, you may want to opt for premium or expedited shipping!

Q: When should I order my packaging?

A: Ideally, ASAP!!! The order process normally takes approximately 4 months, but we recommened ordering it as far in advance as possible.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? LEARN MORE ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.LEKAC.COM

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Q: I need help designing my packaging.

Does it cost extra?

A: We’ve got you covered! Our in-house graphic designer can help you bring your custom packaging vision to life.

This includes the design layout and even 3D mockups!

The best part? This service is included in our price!

Q: Are there any hidden fees I need to know about?

A: No! Our pricing includes shipping/handling, customs/duties and plate charges. The only fee that can vary is the local delivery fee which your consultant will let you know about ahead of time. If anything changes, rest assured your consultant will let you know as soon as possible!

Q: I don’t need packaging, but I love your work! Is there another way I can work with LeKAC? A: Definitely! If you like our design work, but aren’t necessarily looking for packaging, try our custom Branding and Graphic Design services instead. Work with our Marketing team to bring your vision to life! CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT WE OFFER.

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www.lekac.com 1 (866) 996-6818 TORONTO

MONTREAL

207-590 Alden Road Markham, ON L3R 8N2

7645 Rue Cordner LaSalle, QC H8N 2X2

@lekacsourcing