WAHSINGTON — After receiving feedback from consumers and grocery store buyers, Mason Dixie Biscuit Co. revamped its packaging to include more durable materials and easy-to-read callouts for shoppers.
The bakery rolled out the changes in the fourth quarter of 2018 and has seen a positive response to the packaging’s redesign.
“Grocery buyers and managers love how the callouts draw the consumer eye into the simple and clean ingredient profile and the ease of merchandising with the new placement of our window,” said Ayeshah Abuelhiga, chief executive officer of Mason Dixie. “Consumers have remarked that the flavors are easier to notice on the shelf and also love the callouts to the simple ingredients.”
Mason Dixie operates as a fast-casual restaurant in Washington and began distributing its range of frozen biscuits to mid-Atlantic Whole Foods Market stores in 2015. The bakery’s products are now sold throughout the United States in more than 2,000 supermarkets.
Before making changes to its packaging, Mason Dixie carefully considered the needs of store buyers and shoppers. The bakery said it was imperative for the new packaging to smoothly run on lines while also maintaining its upmarket aesthetic.
To increase the durability of its cartons and shelf life of its biscuits, Mason Dixie made a few changes to packaging materials and processes. The bakery moved from heat sealing to vacuum sealing the biscuits’ plastic wrapping to keep the items as fresh as possible.
“This has shown to be a great decision,” Ms. Abuelhiga said. “Die-hard, loyal customers from our early days have noticed the difference and prefer the new vacuum seal pouch.”
To prevent rips and tears that had been occurring during the stocking process, the bakery also added glue tabs that securely seal the carton and reconfigured the window to avoid snags.
In addition to functional changes, Mason Dixie redesigned the packaging’s graphics and copy in an effort to better communicate the bakery’s mission and the biscuits’ ingredients and baking instructions.
Unlike the original front-of-packaging copy, the new text projects a handmade feel. Callouts such as “7 simple ingredients” and “made with real dairy” as well as the addition of the bakery’s catchphrase — “Tastes like home” — clearly communicate the type of ingredients used and the artisan nature of the product.
Clearer instructions also were incorporated into the new design to include guidelines for baking the biscuits in conventional or convection ovens.
To promote the packaging’s new look, Mason Dixie will have its range on display at Natural Products Expo West, being held March 6-9 in Anaheim, Calif.