When it comes to the Malaysian Chinese New Year, it’s important to make your food look and taste amazing, even if you run a small food stall. The way you present your dishes and how you package them matters a lot.
Packaging isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about functionality too. It helps protect your food during delivery and lets people know what’s inside. Plus, it’s a big part of your brand, making your food product stand out and leave a lasting impression.
If you’re a hawker or a small food business owner, you know that making your food match the festive vibes of the Chinese New Year can attract more customers. Let’s talk about how you can make your packaging look festive and wow your customers during this special time of the year.
You could bring in plum blossoms, signifying the arrival of spring. Don’t forget to include some auspicious phrases like 吉祥如意，福气临门 (“Auspicious and smooth, good fortune arrives at your door) to further enhance your packaging! During the Year of Rabbit, A Little Thing packaged their Chinese New Year gift creatively in a round bamboo-made multifunction holder and a round acrylic with a stage design – which can be used as a memo board or photo frame afterward. The brand has also decorated the cover with plum blossoms, incorporating rabbits and auspicious words on their cookie design. Check this functional yet unique packaging here.
Need more ideas on Chinese New Year elements that you can use in your packaging design? Here are some festive elements you may consider:
Invoke the festive mood of CNY by incorporating auspicious colors into your products. For instance, as seen in how 100Plus not only has special golden cans for CNY, they also incorporated their iconic 100 into meaningful Chinese characters. It is also common for cookie cans, and delicacies packaging to be in red, orange, gold, and other vibrant colors to match the festivity. Strong brands such as KITKAT also used gold in their packaging during Chinese New Year last year, complementing the original vibrant red to level up the celebrative mood.
Purchases around the CNY period often net shoppers with red packets from various brands. Go the extra mile by incorporating CNY foods and flavours into your menu — mandarin oranges anyone? Rebates and ‘angpow’ themed promotions where everyone is rewarded are also a good pick for the festive season, as are family packs to target those with large family gatherings. Experiment with different color, shapes, sizes and texture of boxes if you are offering gift sets to enhance consumer experience – but remember to keep them having great, auspicious symbolism! Love Earth Organic did this part right in 2022, using premium packaging for their gift set, then topped with another RM20 voucher in the packaging to encourage more purchases.
Consider adding personalized messages or greetings in the languages they like, or even in the local Chinese dialects, such as Hokkien or Cantonese, to connect with your customers on a more personal level. A warm greeting in their language can create a strong bond and enhance the festive experience. Let your customers make their packaging uniquely theirs, fostering a strong connection with your brand and the joy of the festive season. Lacher Patisserie included a complimentary message card along with their Chinese New Year Cookie Set. This is a small gesture, yet it can leave great positive impact in both consumers and their gift recipients.
Incorporating these elements into your food packaging not only makes your offer more appealing but also helps your customers feel the warmth and festivity of the Malaysian Chinese New Year with every delicious bite.
Follow Ajinomoto Food Biz Partner for more tips and tricks, let us prepare you to face challenges and opportunities of the food service industry!
Ajinomoto Food Biz Partner
