4 proven ways to boost your vegan food packaging sales using design

Over the past few years, there’s been a definite shift towards plant based eating and now the vegan food boom seems to be everywhere.

In fact in April 2021, The Vegan Society hit an all time record after registering the 50,000th vegan food product with their official trademark, following more than 15,000 new products registered in 2020 alone.

And with almost 600,000 sign-ups for Veganuary in 2021, the popularity surrounding the meat-free movement sees no sign of slowing down. But with a rapid rise in brands entering the market, how can your vegan food packaging design stand out on supermarket shelves?

1. Make your meatless meals look delicious

When it comes to new food launches, companies are putting a lot of effort into their vegan food packaging designs as they can see it is not just vegans who are interested in plant based foods, but also those looking for healthy meat-free options too. There can often be a stigma that some vegan food (especially meat alternatives) isn’t as healthy as it seems, so your packaging really needs to reflect the health benefits.

But what about vegan food perceptions? The interest in plant based foods may be rising, yet there is still a perception amongst some that vegan food lacks flavour. This means when it comes to your packaging design it should be fun, attractive and enticing, reflecting the new exciting wave of tastes and flavour combinations seen in the market. Here are some examples we feel do this really well…

This is not just vegan food, this is M&S vegan food

The Marks & Spencers Plant Kitchen range is a great example of vegan food packaging design that looks as good as the food inside. The full range consists of 60 products including burgers, pizzas, curries and drinks.

The design for the Plant Kitchen range is deliberately informal and both the packaging design and recipes draw inspiration from street food and foodie festivals.

Photo from: www.coleyporterbell.com/helping-ms-unleash-the-power-of-plant-based-nutrition

It’s fresh, modern and has that artisan effect with its cool blue hues on the cardboard covering. The colour used is also the opposite colour in the colour wheel of the food itself, which immediately makes it stand out more. The aim was for the packaging to reflect the superior taste of the food inside, as well as communicate to the consumer that the meals unleashed the power of plants in every mouthful.

We’re particularly taken with the unusual blue packaging colour. It’s an important part of the design as the colour was specifically created for the brand, so it’s not only category-defining but it also stands out from other ranges in store. We also love that the font has been adapted to reflect the organic shapes of leaves within the letters, such as in the A and the H.
Clean, delicious-looking photography and playful food descriptions such as ‘dirty fries’ and ‘chilli non-carne’ also add a distinctive, playful edge.

2. Pack in plenty of plant-based personality

One way to ensure your food packaging catches customers’ eyes is by adding a dose of fun to your designs. Your packaging is a perfect place to show your personality and by adding humour or playful interaction with your audience, it can help humanise your brand creating a hook to entice repeat customers.

Vegan pastry and pudding business Naughty Vegan does just this in their product packaging. Playing on the ‘naughty vs nice’ concept in relation to their name, you’ll find pasties adorned with illustrated angel wings and halos on their packaging, alongside sausage rolls kitted with devil horns.

The overall effect is fun, cheeky and intrigues the customer to find out more about the food.

3. Use illustrations to add character

The Meatless Farm Company is another plant based food business whose aim is to make meat-free meals delicious. Their product range can be found in supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Morrisons and as with M&S’s Plant Kitchen range, you can clearly see the products through the packaging.

However, when it comes to the actual vegan food packaging design, it’s very different. The simple illustrations and strapline ‘Lovingly Made From Plants’ is designed to feel friendly and even quite homely.

Photo from: www.livekindly.co/new-vegan-mince-meat-burgers-the-meatless-farm-sainsburys

The font used feels organic and welcoming, whilst the illustrations create a friendly feeling, reassuring customers into feeling comfortable and confident in choosing The Meatless Farm’s food.

4. Deliver a design that counts for something

It’s not just in store vegan products that are going for eye-catching packaging designs either, as a growing appetite for ‘dishes to your door’ has seen a whole range of new companies crop up to meet demand, including Cookoo.

Cookoo have been creating award-winning indulgent desserts and savoury dishes for restaurants for over 30 years, but when the world changed and dining in became the new dining out, they launched their own vegetarian and vegan range for customers to order directly to their door.

We love their mission to offer restaurant-quality dishes and even food ambassador Christian Day has been involved in developing the recipes. The design is so eye-catching too, with bright, bold colours and images that reflect the delicious food photography used on their website.

Boost sales through impactful vegan food packaging design

From introducing illustration, patterns and bright colours, to creating cheeky personalities or unique colour palettes, choosing your vegan food packaging design will have a huge impact on whether customers choose to buy your food. Just as you took the time to nail your recipe, taking the time to perfect your packaging design will help see your sales increase.