Convenience, taste, and freshness are the key qualities emphasized in packaging for Kraft Food’s new line of Fresh Take meal solutions in six varieties. Fresh Take is a line of two-ingredient meal kits containing a special blend of Kraft Natural cheeses and seasoned breadcrumbs, that when added to poultry, meat, or fish, create a six-serving entrée in just five minutes.
“We know that time is a big factor in planning weeknight dinners,” says Arthur Sevilla, brand manager, Kraft Natural Cheese. “Americans often sacrifice freshness and flavor for convenience, but that doesn’t have to be the case. We created Kraft Fresh Take to help at-home cooks address that problem by giving them a fresh and flavorful meal solution with only five minutes of prep time and ingredients that are commonly found in their refrigerator or freezer.”
The Fresh Take line was introduced at retail in early 2012 in the shredded cheese section. To catch consumers’ eye in this cluttered category, packaging consists of a two-compartment film pouch that transforms into a “mixing bowl,” held in a die-cut, peg-hooked paperboard sleeve with vibrant graphics and food photography.
The rectangular, clear film pouch holding the meal ingredients features a seam down the center that separates the cheese from the breadcrumbs. Instructions at the top of the pouch, which also includes a tear notch at the top and a resealable closure, instruct consumers to “pull open center seal,” upon opening the bag. Once the center seal is broken, the pouch can be used as a mixing bowl to prepare the meal ingredients. Illustrations and copy on the pouch—made from a proprietary film construction—provide preparation instructions and cooking times on the front panel, and the Kraft logo and product name on back.
For retail display, the pouch is folded in half and glued to the inside of a protective paperboard sleeve that tears open at the top. The front panel features half-circle die-cuts on each side that provide consumers a glimpse of the fresh, pouched ingredients inside. Says Sevilla, “Kraft Fresh Take is a meal kit/meal solution—it’s more than a shredded cheese, and we believe the paperboard sleeve allows us differentiation within a category dominated by plastic bags.”
Spring Design Partners crafted the vibrant sleeve graphics, with the goal of engaging consumers with the product proposition. “Hero photography grabs attention, while the hand-tooled logo reinforces the ‘you make it fresh’ benefits,” says the firm. Copy reinforces the ease of preparation with “Mix, Coat, Bake” emblazoned across the front panel.
The six product varieties are color coded through a bright banner across the front panel that holds the variety name. That color is then repeated over the entire surface of the inside of the sleeve. Copy in white print inside the sleeve also provides recipe ideas and a list of the line’s other varieties. Additional recipes can be accessed via a QR code printed on the sleeve’s bottom seam.
According to Sevilla, all major retailers signed on to accept Kraft Fresh Take, with a retail cost of $2.99 per pack, in early 2012. As for consumers, he says: “Through development, we heard overwhelming positive response for Kraft Fresh Take. Consumers love the homemade taste and how quick and easy it is to prepare a fresh and flavorful meal.”
