Sophisticated handcraftsmanship

It’s important to note that, packaging awards aside, Larry Blanton still has his day job. Chili Chaser’s transition from a great recipe to successful retail product remains a work in progress. If it does succeed, it will be because Blanton recognized from the outset that it would take special packaging for his product to have any impact in a marketplace already crowded with numerous salsa brands and packaging strategies from generic to highly sophisticated.

“Our objective was to conceive a name and a packaging design that would establish a definitive identity for this award-winning salsa,” says Aaron Stapley, creative director for the consultancy. “The solution had to feel down-to-earth and ‘hand-packed authentic’ while showcasing the recipe. We chose an earthy palette to broadcast the flavor profile, with screen-printed peppers to indicate the level of spice.”

The tall jar is left mostly uncovered so the consumer can see the mouth-watering salsa, especially what Calder says is its mix of chili peppers. The wraparound paper label reinforces the small-batch personality, Stapley says, “letting the consumer wonder if the jar was delivered straight out of Larry Blanton’s own kitchen.”

Why did such a prestigious design firm take on a small-budget assignment? The design company viewed the project as a special project that was enhanced by the full creative license offered by Blanton.

Looking ample and interesting

The name was chosen to represent Blanton’s quest for the ultimate salsa and the fact that it’s an authentic homemade recipe with an abundance of chili varieties. Typography used for the product name was designed to reflect Blanton’s Texan heritage.

The primary container, Stapley says, was chosen because it was felt that a taller, thinner jar carried the perception of a more ample product, not something small and precious. However, because the recipe is more sophisticated than most, the height was accentuated by using a smaller label applied closer to the jar’s base.

In addition, the label needed to carry the handcrafted design. The intentionally torn edge of the Estate Label No. 8, coated-one-side paper p-s label from Fasson and misregistered type helped to create the handmade feeling of the label. The paper is a rough-finished stock, says Bill de Haan of Custom Label, that works especially well with the random-looking graphics. It’s flexo-printed in eight colors with a matte ultraviolet-cured varnish. A special die was made for die-cutting.

The rough paper label also contrasts with the screen-printed, beautiful hanging chili illustration that communicates a higher price point and the reusability of the jar. Each jar is printed by Custom Decorative in two colors. This was just about the only sacrifice Blanton made in packaging. Originally, he wanted the graphic produced via applied ceramic labeling, but the budget didn’t permit it. “Because our volumes are small, screen printing was the way to go,” Blanton says.

Wood crate touch

Although it’s not yet part of the selling package, the wood crate for the three-variety pack was an important element in the total design. The crate was custom-built from birch plywood and pine, says Bruce Gibbs, owner of Crate Ideas. The only part decorated is the sliding lid.

The lid uses a combination of screen printing and laser scoring from a programmable laser that burns or vaporizes away part of the surface of the wood. The screen printing in red is used for the word “fire” in fire-roasted, and it’s also used to give what looks like a hand-stamped batch number in the upper left corner. This corresponds to a batch number that similarly looks stamped onto each product label.

Thus far, Blanton tells Packaging World, the crate has been mostly used as a promotional sampler for store buyers. However, he says, once retail distribution is more established, Blanton’s company, Lava Foods, hopes to use the three-pack in the crate as a package for specialty gift stores.

For now, Chili Chaser is available in select gourmet stores, especially in northern California. Blanton is working with a food broker to get the products onto store shelves in Texas. In the gourmet stores, the jars retail for $6.99, but Blanton feels grocery store margins will probably bring that price down a bit.

“But we’re still just getting started,” Blanton says. “Our budget was certainly limited and PrimoAngeli:Fitch has done an amazing job for our packaging. They helped keep costs low without any sacrifice in the appearance of our packaging. Everyone who sees the packaging seems to want to try the product, so it’s working hard for us.”

“Larry Blanton took all of our suggestions, and despite the tight budget, he figured out a way to make it happen,” says the designer’s Stapley. “He paid us the ultimate compliment by offering to put our name on the back of the label. We accepted gladly, of course.”