When Hormel Foods launched a first-of-its-kind e-commerce premium ham, the company wanted every detail of the product to have a premium look and feel. To get everything just right, they worked with Smith Design and printing and retail marketing company Meyers on packaging that focused on details as small as making strings and grommets out of paper. Meyers initially produced the Curemaster Reserve® Smoked Ham wrapper, label, and other elements from Kona® paper, a stock made from recycled jute coffee bean bags. But when mills producing Kona stock shut down, Meyers had to find other solutions that maintained the same look and feel. Ultimately, they chose grocer kraft, part of Neenah Paper’s Environment line, and a 5.5-mil synthetic film printed to give it the same butcher paper-like appearance.
Available online only, Curemaster Reserve bone-in, spiral-sliced ham is a premium product; it is priced at $80 for an eight- to 10-lb ham. Setting itself apart from the competitive set, the ham is available in Vermont Maple, Campfire Sugar Rubbed, or Double Smoked varieties, each of which comes with a collection of three glazes. These include either Honey Dijon, Pineapple Ginger, and Cranberry Chipotle, or Crunchy Brown Sugar, Apple Cider Bourbon, and Brown Sugar Sriracha, in small glass jars.
Smith Design created the packaging for Curemaster Reserve and its accessories. “We were tasked with creating a design experience that worked across packaging, e-commerce, and product engagement,” says the firm. “It was important to leverage the small-batch quality and heritage of the Cure 81® brand [Hormel Foods’ retail line] to marry to the premium price point.”
