Wexford Farms is an emerging, privately owned pet food company founded by veterans of the pet care industry. With a combined 75 years experience in the pet food business, the founders set out to make a huge impact in the way consumers care for their beloved animals.
Being pet owners themselves, the innovators at Wexford Farms understand that today’s dog owners treat their pets like children, concerned about their physical comfort and emotional well-being. They embarked upon a project to revolutionize the pet feeding experience. Their efforts resulted in Warm Ups Dog Food Enhancers, an oatmeal-based product made with all-natural ingredients and essential vitamins and minerals introduced in March 2013 to help create a warm, wholesome meal that dogs thoroughly enjoy.
Recognizing the importance of creating a brand presence with Warm Ups, Wexford turned to Printpack for all of their packaging needs, including the cup, lidding, and label.
Packaged in a rigid polypropylene cup with a high-gloss shrink label and easy-peel barrier lidding, the product pops out as something new in the pet food aisle. Pictured on the package are images of dog breeds similar to those of the company founders and recognized by pet owners across the U.S. With oven mitts in mouth, the dogs look happy to have a “home-cooked meal.”
Printpack designed the PP cup with the strength to withstand hot temperatures without warping or loss of structure. The lidding offers protection and shelf stability by creating a tight seal. It also doubles as a canvas for creative graphics. Shrink sleeves contour to the cup to create a high-gloss, visually appealing brand identity.
Nurturing with convenience
Cooking for our loved ones has long been a family tradition. Warm Ups now allows consumers to extend that tradition to their dog. The bowl offers the appropriate serving size without the hassle of measuring, and there is no need to wash a dish. The product never has to touch the stove, microwave, or any other heating mechanism, which makes cross contamination of dog and human food a low risk.
With innovations from Printpack, the package design was created to provide an uncomplicated cooking method and effortless disposal. The rigid bowl and easy-peel barrier lidding forms the framework for a container that allows a dog owner to prepare a meal in three easy steps:
1. Peel off the protective lid and add hot tap water to the mix.
2. Pour or spoon Warm Ups over the dog’s regular food.
3. Serve.
After the dog consumes the product, the container can be disposed of or set aside for recycling. By having a proven dog food concept in a functional and convenient package, consumers are able to nurture their pets with a no-fuss, no-muss approach. And with four different formulations, there is a specific solution for any dog’s nutritional needs.
Say Rich Rothamel, COO of Wexford Farms. “Printpack has been a great partner, and the convenience of the one-stop shop streamlined the process of launching Warm Ups. By providing all of our packaging needs, we expect to increase brand awareness with innovative packaging ideas.”
Printpack’s next project for Wexford Farms is to use the same packaging concepts from the first product to create packaging for their second product line. This product will be a cup of dry dog food with the Warm Ups Dog Food Enhancers already included. Four different serving sizes will be available to fit the needs of every breed. This item was revealed at SuperZoo 2013, and is expected to be another groundbreaking development in the pet-care world.
