When is packaging more than just something to put food in when you hand it over to your customers? There’s certainly an argument to be made that the answer is “always,” but for now, just listen to the story of Gold Star Chili and its “Coney Crate.”
Gold Star is a chain of just over 100 units that specializes in Cincinnati-style chili and all the things one can put chili on. The cheese coney is a good example; it’s a popular carry-out item that also has the nice attribute of being easily promoted for bulk purchase. In fact, for years the restaurant has successfully promoted a 10-pack of the tasty treats at a special price point as part of the annual marketing program.
These bulk orders had always been packaged in typical clamshell boxes, but in 2002 Gold Star began developing and testing unique packaging for the 10-pack promotion, with a goal of allowing customers to carry out 10 cheese coneys with one hand. The end result was the Coney Crate, a package about 18 inches long that looks a bit like a handyman’s toolbox.
Of course, Gold Star tested the package to make sure it maintained the quality of the product and held the proper temperature. Splashy graphics made it both eye-catching and a great brand-identity promotional tool. But the bottom line was, well, the bottom line: With the new packaging in hand, Gold Star has been able to boost the success of its 10-pack promotion --- as well as make the 10-pack a regular menu item at full price.
The industry took notice, too, as the Coney Crate won first place in the “Wow!!! Factor” category in the 2004 QSR/FPI Foodservice Packaging Awards. The criteria for this category required packaging that is unique, creative, designed to get consumers’ attention, and increases sales because it makes consumers say Wow! That’s a pretty dead-on description of Gold Star’s Coney Crate.
It's also a good answer to the question of when packaging is more than just a food container.
For more information about Gold Star, visit www.goldstarchili.com. For info on the 2005 QSR/FPI Foodservice Packaging Awards, for which entries are currently being accepted, visit www.qsrmagazine.com/packagingawards/.
