The Effect of Craft Products on Packaging

Over the past several years, the packaging industry has seen an increase in craft products, and specifically in craft breweries and distilleries. The rise of craft companies seems to have been expansive enough to have an impact on the packaging industry in general. The hardest evidence of this being a fact that stems from large breweries producing their own "craft" brands. But what type of influence has the craft uprising had on packaging in general?

It seems that almost every brewer and distiller has a story to tell, of local origin, a legacy restarted or a unique recipe. The story of the brewer or the distiller allows them to connect with the consumer in a way that sometimes cannot be replicated by a bigger brand. People fall in love not just with the product (and we are not taking anything away from the great products here!), but with the story that the product tells, or even the area or era that the product represents.

Depending on the story that they are trying to tell, craft packagers can use bottles, labels or other unique packaging components to help get their story out. From mason jar style alcohol bottles to pre-Prohibition era logos and slogans, the packaging of the craft products provides an ideal space for telling a part of that story. While this is nothing new to marketing or packaging in general, the technique seems to have more effect in these industries and has arguably led to a general trend toward, or back toward, telling the company story. But whether the industry has sparked this trend or whether the stories of the craft distillers and brewers are just more interesting than the typical corporate story is up for debate.

For LPS as packaging machinery manufacturers, unique bottles, caps, labels or other components can mean modifying typical equipment or even creating truly customized equipment to help make the unique story come to life. Our journey with numerous craft distillers over the past few years has made us a better supplier for the industry while also allowing us to enjoy both unique products and great stories. As the craft industries continue to grow, We look forward to many more of both in the year to come!