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Whether you have recently launched a startup in the food service industry, or have offered your food products for many years—if you have yet to invest in custom packaging, then now is the time to do so. The key points below are just a few of the reasons custom packaging can help to set your business apart from the competition.

Custom Packaging Plays a Vital Role In Branding

By adding elements such as design, color, and your logo to your custom cake boxes or takeout containers, you can successfully brand your business. While branding can offer the added benefit of increased advertising, it differs from advertising because your branding is an ongoing message of who you are, and how you want your customers to think and feel when they see your products. Even if your packaging differs in shape, size, or color from one product to the next—ensure that there are common threads in your packaging. For example, your design aesthetic and logo could be the same for all products—but the color scheme or seasonal décor may differ.

Makes You Look Like a Professional

As a small business owner, you are sure to be on the lookout for ways in which you can reduce costs—but you must also consider the value of custom packaging. While your custom cake boxes may cost a bit more to produce than a plain box, the value that they add it is worth the extra expense. Custom packaging will:

  • Make you look like a professional
  • Make your products more visually appealing
  • Make your food products look more mouthwatering

Does a Superior Job of Protecting Your Food Products

Another thing to keep in mind when you upgrade to custom takeout containers, or other custom food packaging options—is that you should not only look for ways to brand your products and make them more visually appealing, but also for ways to ensure they end up looking as good as they do when they arrive home—as when they left your restaurant or place of business. This is of increased importance if you are working with fragile food items such as baked goods, or food products that require shipping across country and around the globe. Your packaging is also essential for maximizing the shelf life of your tasty treats.

The factors above are just a few reasons to consider turning to custom packaging for all of your pickup, delivery, shipped, and in-store food products. For custom packaging solutions that are sure to turn heads, shop the selection of custom food service packaging options at MrTakeOutBags.com. At MrTakeOutBags.com, we see packaging as an opportunity to show off your product. Make sure you are sending your customers the right message, and shop MrTakeOutBags.com today!

5 Tips to Get Your Culinary Business Started

Congratulations—you have a passion for culinary arts and have decided to launch your own catering business! Success will require a lot of hard work and persistence, making the tips below are an excellent place to begin.

Identify Your Area of Expertise

Even if you are able to offer a little bit of everything, it is essential to identify 1 or 2 areas of expertise. This could be a type of food—such as Italian, a style of cooking—such as vegan or genre of foods—such as desserts.

Make Your Food Look As Mouthwatering As It Tastes—For Events Both Large And Small

To successfully launch a new catering business, you must possess more than the culinary skills required to make your food taste exceptional—but the artistic ability to make your food look as mouthwatering as it tastes. This is more challenging to achieve when catering, which is why it is essential to find to go containers that allow your food to maintain its quality, taste and appearance—and arrive to your destination ready to plate or serve.

Network With The Right People

Networking is the key to success for any startup, but as a caterer you must network with the appropriate people. Look for opportunities to network with party and event planners, wedding planners, and individuals who enjoy the food niche you specialize in. When networking remember that you must also have something to offer that is of benefit to those you are networking with. Some suggestions are to offer a discount on the first event you cater for them, drop off free samples of your food in take-out containers to their place of business—and of course refer your clients to the professionals you meet.

Market With Lots Of Quality Photos

As a catering professional, images are a must when it comes to all of your online and off-line marketing. While you are likely to invest a large amount of time creating an enticing title for each dish, and descriptive text associated with your most popular menu options—don’t underestimate the importance of a high quality image. Images truly speak a thousand words, and an image can land a sale—even before your prospect reads the description.

Brand Your Take Out Containers

If you provide catering services where you drop off food items for a gourmet dinner for two, or a romantic picnic in the park, make sure that your to-go containers are not only functional—but that they are personalized to further brand your business.

Using the tips above can help get your catering business started off on the right foot. Make sure your food’s presentation is on point with help from MrTakeOutBags.com. Offering custom branded to-go containers, boxes and plastic ware, MrTakeOutBags.com can help develop an identity for your catering business and set you apart from the competition. For an extensive selection guaranteed to meet all of your food service packaging needs, visit MrTakeOutBags.com today!

A holiday cupcakes are an excellent way complement the dessert selection at your bakery this holiday season. Consider making flavorful holiday cupcakes that differ from the standard chocolate or vanilla—and create holiday inspired selections instead. Also consider not only sweet ingredients, but savory ingredients to make a hard to resist holiday treat. Here are some holiday ideas to get you started!

Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes

Pumpkin pie is one of the most celebrated desserts this time of year, but don’t forget that pumpkin is also an excellent ingredient in a wider range of desserts, breads, and pastries. When blended into your cupcakes, pumpkin will help to keep them soft and moist. Add ground ginger to your batter, or crystallized ginger to your frosting to give your cupcakes an added kick. A few ingredients that will help to highlight and bring out the flavor of your pumpkin ginger cupcakes are:

• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Nutmeg
• Allspice
• Pecans or Walnuts
• Cream Cheese Frosting

Also consider sweet potatoes cupcakes with a marshmallow crème frosting. Then select custom cake boxes with fall colored accents, snowflake accents, holly, or a Star of David.

Candy Cane Inspired Cupcakes

Candy canes are synonymous with the holiday season, meaning that they serve as a great inspiration for a custom cupcake. The key to making this cupcake unique is in doing more than adding crushed candy cane as a frosting topper. Instead consider making a chocolate peppermint cupcake, a red and white swirled cupcake or a cupcake with a hidden peppermint filling. Consider adding ingredients to your frosting and batter such as:

• Crushed Candy Canes
• Flavored Candy Canes
• Peppermint Extract
Add some red and white design to your cupcake packaging—and you are all set!

Cranberry Cupcakes

Cranberries are another go-to for the holiday season, making them an excellent source of inspiration for innovative cupcakes. You could dress up a standard vanilla cupcake with a cranberry frosting to create a sweet-tart treat, or you could bake cranberries into your batter with complementary spices and a rich cream cheese frosting. Consider ingredients such as:

• Fresh Cranberries
• Dried Cranberries
• Cranberry Sauce
• Nutmeg
• Pear
• Orange
• Pecan or Walnut
• Sour Cream

Before you bake, consider getting a decorative holiday cupcake baking cup. These products actually allow you to bake the cupcake in the wrapper, eliminating the need for pans. Clean up becomes so much easier.

Once baked and decorated to perfection, select some festive embellishments to add extra flair.

The cupcakes above can be used as a source of inspiration when creating your signature holiday bakery selections. You can bake your holiday inspired cupcakes above in standard size, oversized, or mini cupcakes—just make sure that you order your cupcake packaging accordingly. If you consider yourself adventurous, also consider holiday inspired cupcakes with a few savory ingredients in mind such as turkey or ham.
No matter what your holiday creations may be, make sure you have you have the right Holiday baked goods packaging to show off your hard work. From holiday wrappings and candy bags to gable boxes and cupcake packaging, shop at MrTakeOutBags.com to take care of all your holiday food packaging needs.