It doesn’t get much talked about, but there’s a packaging problem with small wellness and CBD brands. Most packaging suppliers are unwilling to even discuss pricing until they receive large order quantities, even though glass tincture bottles are easy to damage in transit, fragile and light sensitive. That disconnect between a product’s needs and the capabilities of suppliers is a very real obstacle to launching a new tincture line as a founder. That is beginning to change with custom tincture boxes designed to fit smaller production runs and a growing number of brands are paying attention.
Packaging is one of the first physical interactions that the consumer will have with a wellness product. Even with a good formula, a flimsy box will raise doubts about the contents. The brand name of a tincture is just as important as any other product that’s on the shelf and that first impression is crucial.
Why Are Small Wellness Brands Rethinking Their Packaging?
The majority of legacy packaging manufacturers developed their pricing model around mass production. For a small brand, it pays to place a large order at once but the disadvantage is that they end up holding onto the inventory for months without selling. That’s money that could be spent on ingredients, testing or marketing.
This is changed by the reduction of minimum order options. A brand can order a couple hundred boxes of tincture customization and gauge the reaction of their customers and tweak or rethink their design before they put their money into a larger order. This is something that was previously a luxury for large organizations but is now becoming commonplace in the wellness packaging industry.
What Should Tincture Packaging Actually Protect?
Sensitive and expensive formulas are found in tincture bottles. The box surrounding them must be functional, rather than pretty to look at from a shelf.
Light and Air Exposure
Over time, many tinctures will degrade if they are left in the sun or if oxygen is present. The outer box is also a strong layer of protection to slow this down and maintain the strength of the product until it reaches the customer.
Breakage During Shipping
Bottles of glass are susceptible to cracking when not fitted with an insert. A tincture box with an excellent design making the box fit snugly in the interior decreases the risk of leakage or breakage in between warehouse and customer’s doorstep.
Shelf Presentation
The same types of bottles are packed in the wellness aisles and dispensary shelves. Product clean print and a defined finish and clear labeling makes the product stand out from the more large, recognizable competitors.
How Do You Pick a Reliable Tincture Box Packaging Partner?
When you’re in the process of selecting a box for your tincture packaging, there are a few straightforward questions that you should ask yourself before signing a contract:
- Are minimum order quantities low and is there no reduction in print quality?
- Does the company simply make the product or does the company have to go through a broker?
- Can they adjust size, insert type, finish and label locations to fit your bottle?
- Do they know FDA guidelines for supplement and CBD labeling?
Dealing with a manufacturer directly will generally have a shorter lead time and less middleman costs. While large companies may be rolling their own packaging for their own brands, small companies should seek out companies like Kwick Packaging that work directly with brands looking for wellness packaging for custom runs.
Which Products Need Custom Tincture Boxes Most?
In fact a number of corners of the wellness and supplement industry rely on robust packaging:
- CBD tincture boxes must be labeled in compliance with regulations and usually have a QR code attached to it that directs to lab results.
- Herbal tinctures use tincture oil boxes which keep out light and maintain potency
- Essential oil blends must have insert that will not leak in glass dropper bottles
- Homeopathic medicine look for instructions on the packaging that clearly indicate dosages
There are specific labelling needs for each category, so a manufacturer who is familiar with the wellness market will save time and avoid costly compliance blunders later on.
Top Tincture Packaging Manufacturers in the USA: Kwick Packaging and Others
There are some manufacturers that have made a name for themselves in the wellness packaging segment. IPS Packaging’s extensive range includes rigid and flexible packaging for supplement and CBD products. ePac Flexible Packaging is recognized for its digital printing capabilities, which allow for faster print speeds and minimal setup time. In addition to these brands, companies that provide direct production and minimums are fewer than most.
Final Thoughts
Wellness brands are no longer making packaging choices in the back office. Smaller companies have a realistic chance to compete with larger companies using custom tincture boxes with lower minimums, direct manufacturer pricing and labeling in compliance with the regulations. Today’s founder has a much more realistic choice at the package than he would have had a few years ago when he was testing a new tincture formula.
Brands that view packaging as an integral part of their product strategy, rather than merely an environment to get products to and from, often find themselves having more shelf presence and repeat sales. The best strategy for this market is to take a small test batch for some initial design iteration, then once the design is optimized for the specific batch, scale up to a viable production volume.
