The Ultimate Packaging Zine - LeKAC Sourcing (Winter 2022)

THE PACKAGING ZINE

Editor in Chief

Gabrielle Ho

Art Direction

Samneet Mann

Taylor Tran Editors

Gabrielle Ho

Taylor Tran Graphic Designers

Samneet Mann

Writers

Gabrielle Ho

Taylor Tran Cover Photo

Samneet Mann Contributers &

LeKAC Sourcing Ltd.

Mill Creek Chocolates

MESSAGE FROM THE TEAM

The seasons are changing once again, which means it’s time for a new edition of our seasonal packaging zine! As always, we want to thank you for reading. Our team has been hard at work on holiday orders and fulfilling new orders.

If you’re a new reader, allow us to introduce ourselves. We’re a Canadian-based custom packaging, sourcing, and design company providing our services across North America! Our new design services include graphic design and branding!

We want to take the time to thank our clients for their constant support and patience. While shipping times

are slowly returning to normal, delays do still happen! If you’re curious about the status of your order, your consultant can give you an update.

As a reminder, our showrooms are open by appointment only!

This ensures that our small but mighty team can help you to the best of their ability. Not comfortable meeting in person yet? No worries! Our consultants are available via phone and video to assist you as well.

Sincerely, Everyone from LeKAC Sourcing Ltd.

This is a friendly reminder that the plastic ban started coming into effect this month!

Check out www.lekac.com for blog posts about the plastic ban or the official Government of Canada website to learn more about the regulations going into effect. To learn what alternatives you can use instead, get in touch with a LeKAC Business Development consultant today!

Learn with Lenny!

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

SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH WITH CUSTOM CHOCOLATE PACKAGING

CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY PRODUCTS

Chocolate is, and has always been, a luxury good. Yes, it has become more accessible compared to, say, the 1500s, but there are still many brands that produce high-end, opulent chocolate products. Historically, chocolate has been expensive to produce as cacao beans were difficult to grow and complex to produce.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m stressed the first thing I reach for is a (bitter)sweet piece of chocolate!

With its wide availability, chocolate has done the impossible – remained a luxury, while becoming easily

attainable. During this year, the market size of chocolate production is approximately CAD$2.7 billion, and is expected to increase by 10.4% compared to previous years.

This growth means a natural increase in the need for chocolate packaging. Of course you can opt for generic packaging and let your confections do the talking – but that’s no fun!

Over the last few months, the LeKAC Pack has been hard at work to develop our latest chocolate catalogue. Read on to find out more!

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

As a reminder, all of our products are completely customizable – you determine the size, shape, design and finishing options. Our goal is to create your dream packaging products – bags, boxes, calendars and more!

Some of the products featured in this exclusive catalogue are:

• Folding Cartons – In various structures made with a minimum 350g kraft paperboard material!

• Rigid Boxes – A luxurious option in variety of shapes, sizes and finishes

• Paper Bags – Versatile and convenient

• Mailer Boxes – Corrugated and Sturdy

• Accessories – Stickers, Ribbons & more!

HOW TO ORDER CHOCOLATE PACKAGING

At LeKAC, we pride ourselves on making your experience as simple and stress-free as possible! We have examined the e-commerce industry and came up with the most common dimensions for various products. However, we know that custom is always best and are happy to adjust dimensions to suit your specific needs!

Take a look at our chocolate catalogue, and give us a call to discuss your options. We’ll walk you through our entire process from start to finish and address:

• dimensions, printing options, and material choices

• designing

• payment

• mass production

• shipment and delivery of goods

It’s as simple as that!

What are you waiting for?! Contact us today to get started! Or better yet… Check us out on Instagram !

LEKAC’S FIRST COMPANY COTTAGE RETREAT

In September, LeKAC held our first ever team retreat! This retreat was a great opportunity for us to express our gratitude to our employees for their continued hard work. Throughout the weekend, we played team building games, cooked together, and enjoyed some water sports! We’d like to send a special shoutout to our Marketing Supervisor Gabby for organizing this weekend of fun.

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT MILL CREEK CHOCOLATES

Mill Creek Chocolates has been making sweet treats for 25 years. Being based in small communities, traditions are hard-pressed to change — but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the try.

We sat down with Teila Dunlop from Mill Creek Chocolates to talk about the business’ shift from tradition (in their packaging) to a more modern aesthetic. Read on to learn more!

ABOUT MILL CREEK CHOCOLATES

Founded in 1997, Mill Creek Chocolates is a family-run business that specializes in

MAKING TRADITION MODERN

handmade chocolates and chocolate-dipped snacks. Based originally out of Port Elgin, their goal was to create a luxurious, personal shopping experience to compete with the big box stores. Now, their expansion into Kincardine and Owen Sound has them looking to the future.

As she prepares to take over some of the ownership of the business from her parents, Teila is looking to bring them into a more modern light. Since the company’s inception in 1997, they had used the same packaging supplier — until they found

LeKAC! After browsing our website and Instagram, Teila sent us a message to get started on her packaging journey.

THE ISSUE

Teila’s vision for the business’ new packaging was minimal and stylish. Her main concern was that new designs wouldn’t appeal to the community.

With us being located in a small town, trends don’t get to us as quickly. It’s a community where we like tradition. Change is hard, and if there’s too much change, we would definitely hear about it.

Teila Dunlop

Especially since their locations are mostly in small cities, gathering customer feedback is important! Whether this is feedback on the packaging’s design, or the function of the packaging itself, they’re constantly listening and adjusting accordingly.

Initially, their goal was to create an all-in-one packaging solution that would help them streamline their packaging process and give the existing packaging a revamp. They were also keeping in mind the upcoming plastic ban and how that would affect their packaging decisions.

THE SOLUTION

When creating designs for Mill Creek Chocolates, Teila gave us full creative control. Keeping her request of minimal and stylish designs in mind and using their existing packaging as a base, we created a simple, modern design. From there, we’re able to adjust the design to create other complimentary or matching packaging!

Teila noted that with their previous supplier, there were many restrictions on how much customization they could have. LeKAC’s fully-custom design service was the perfect solution for this!

Overall, we made sure to incorporate the abstract line work into all of the packaging we created, which created consistency. This consistent style approach even extends to their seasonal packaging!

When taking customer feedback into account, one of the main requests was related to their chocolate-dipped snacks. Customers were asking for a resealable option, so they could savour their snacks rather than eating them all at once. We created a resealable bag with a window so you can see exactly how much deliciousness you have left. Additionally, they had never put nutritional information on their packaging, but knew that they would need to on their new packaging.

MILL CREEK CHOCOLATES’ EXPERIENCE

WORKING WITH LEKAC

Teila’s favourite part about working with LeKAC was the collaboration with our Business Development Consultant, Phil and our Graphic Designer. Our overall speed of communication, customer service, included graphic designer, and affordable pricing were what drew her to LeKAC!

Since their decision to make the switch to LeKAC, we’ve worked with them to make 40 different packaging designs, with more on the way! One of the first items we created for them was their white Kraft paper shopping bags. Especially with the plastic ban upcoming, it was important for them to look at alternatives for their business.

Striking the balance between modern and traditional was at the heart of our designs for Mill Creek Chocolates. Interested in seeing how we can incorporate your ideas into unique packaging for your business?

Contact us today to find out how we can help you get started! VIEW

In the meantime, check out Mill Creek Chocolates in-person or online for some sweet treats! Teila’s recommendation? Try the Rocky Road Popcorn! WWW.MILLCREEKCHOCOLATES.CA  @MILLCREEKCHOCOLATES

PORT ELGIN

583 CATHERINE STREET, PORT ELGIN, ON N0H 2C0 (519) 389-3467

KINCARDINE 813B QUEEN ST, KINCARDINE, ON N2Z 2Y2 (226) 396-3141

OWEN SOUND

1299 16TH ST E, OWEN SOUND, ON N4K 1Z4 (519) 371-5722

TIPS FOR RECYCLING TAKEOUT CONTAINERS

Recycling takeout containers isn’t always easy. How do you know what to recycle and what to put in the garbage? What if there’s a food stain in my container?

We’re giving you three tips for recycling takeout containers. Read on to learn more!

SORT YOUR PLASTIC

Not every type of takeout packaging is recyclable. Knowing what to put where can help your local recycling facility process items faster! When it comes to plastic, we’ve talked about the different kinds of plastic and what they mean in a previous post. Especially when it comes to plastic, there are so many different kinds! The kind of plastic is usually identifiable by the number found on the bottom of your plastic items inside the recycling system. Certain types of plastic are more widely recyclable than others.

Checking and sorting your recycling might seem like a small task, but taking

the extra time to ensure your waste is going to the right places helps the entire waste management system!

FUN FACT

Hard black plastic containers are widely rejected by most recycling facilities since the pigment is undetectable by automatic sorting machines.

CLEAN YOUR CONTAINERS

While most takeout and food packaging is recyclable, cleaning out any remaining food waste is the only way to ensure proper recycling! Wash and dry all food and beverage containers before recycling. Some paper takeout containers like pizza boxes may not

Here’s a quick breakdown of what each number on your plastic means:

be washable. However, as long as the box isn’t too saucy or greasy, it can be recycled!

If your takeout and food packaging has excessive organic material on it, recycling becomes difficult, if not nearly impossible. Taking an extra step to ensure your takeout and food packaging is clean makes sure that the items you’re recycling actually get processed!

CHECK YOUR LOCAL GUIDELINES

Although sorting and cleaning your food packaging can help with the recycling process, the best way to to prepare your takeout packaging for recycling is to check what your local municipality’s guidelines are!

Although sorting and cleaning your food packaging can help with the recycling process, the best way to to

prepare your takeout packaging for recycling is to check what your local municipality’s guidelines are!

CHOOSE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

If you’re a business that uses takeout packaging, choosing a recyclable material for your takeout packaging can be helpful for your customers! Especially with the upcoming plastic ban, choosing alternate packaging materials for your takeout containers benefits not only you, but also the environment!

Not sure how to get there? We’ve got you covered. Contact us today to find out how we can help you create eco-friendly takeout packaging! Our knowledgeable Business Development Consultants can let you know more about our ecofriendly takeout packaging solutions.

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!

BIODEGRADABLE

A material, like uncoated paper, that can be decomposed naturally by bacteria or other living organisms.

DIGITAL PRINTING

A form of printing that does not use inked plates like typical large format printers, thus working much faster but at a significantly lower quality. Home and office printers are common examples of a digital printer! Most sample packaging is printed using a digital printer so manufacturers can get it to us ASAP!

SINGLE-USE PACKAGING

Packaging that is designed for a one time use — i.e. cup used to drink coffee in a cafe or a paper napkin.

MULTI-USE PACKAGING

Packaging designed to have a second life; i.e. a non-woven pp bag can be used after purchase to carry groceries, or a mailer box can be repurposed as a storage box!

BARCODE

A label or code for a product, uses a series of lines and spaces that allows a clear description of the contents as created by the manufacturer. Barcodes can only be read by scanners that read the product information.

SPOT COLOUR

A single colour printed to enhance the design (i.e. a metallic or a flourescent colour), or when there is a pantone colour being printed on the packaging. Due to the nature of pantone inks, they must be applied using special ink plates (like offset printing) or screen printing techniques!

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!!! Shipments normally take approx 4 months, but we recommened ordering it as far in advance as possible with current shipping delays.

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

Q: I don’t see what I’m looking for... Can you still help me?

A: Absolutely! We can source products that match your packaging such as stickers, business cards, POP displays, etc. Our designers will make sure the designs match your brand!

Q: Can I get a sample without placing an order?

A: Yes, you can! However, there is a shipping fee of $250 CAD for requesting samples without orders. Get in touch with one of our consultants to learn more!

Q: What if I can’t decide on products and measurements?

A: Simply book a consultation with one of our Business Development Consultants (it’s free!) and based on a couple of questions regarding your establishment, we can suggest products and sizes! We can also calculate measurements for specific product packaging to ensure that everything will fit!