A-Z of food and drink
Everyone eats and drinks so there is always a promotional food or drink item that will appeal to any customer. Find out how to eat, drink, and be noticed with the Product Media guide
A – Ask
We all eat and drink, but it is a specialist area, so make use of the expertise of food and drink suppliers. As well as asking them about their products, distributors should also take the time to ask what clients are looking to achieve with their edible products.
Asking about the date or dates of use, how the items will be used and the format of the event they will be used for is a great starting point. This will help you offer solutions that tick all boxes.
B – Barcodes
Originally developed in the nineties for labelling car parts, QR codes have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years providing a digital link that can be placed almost anywhere, and that includes on food.
Scannable QR code chocolates or cake toppers are just a couple of examples of how food can create a longer lasting connection with the person who consumes it.
The possibilities with food and drink are endless and bound only by imagination. So many distributors have been able to enhance their offering to clients by including these exciting treats as part of quote proposals.
C – Creativity
Food can be an important part of a creative diet – essential for anyone in marketing. Amino acids in protein, are essential for the production of neurotransmitters, that transmit signals between neurons in the brain. Some of these neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, are associated with creativity and positive mood. Certain vitamins and minerals are also important for brain function and creativity.
As a company, Eat My Logo loves finding out how products are being used, to helps it make sure it offers the perfect product for the occasion, as it learns more about the creative applications of its end users.
This approach has helped it launch memorable products including suitcase shaped biscuits to promote a new range of suitcases; sweetening a Wimbledon workplace event with cake jars, and treating delivery drivers over Christmas with oaty breakfast bars.
D – Drinks
Don’t forget the liquids. Eat My Logo has also launched a range of beers and ciders including 330ml cans of craft IPA and pilsner, and cider, branded with a full colour label wrap.
Promotional drinks specialist, Just a Drop can offer a plethora of liquid options including branded water in glass or plastic bottles, cans or tetra packs.
For those after a relaxing cuppa, The Sweet People offers its ‘Tea-licious’ eco bus box tin, which is filled with four Tetley tea bags and four shortbread biscuits.
E – Effective
Lara Leech of Distinctive Confectionery says that after 25 years working at the coalface of the promotional confectionery and chocolate sector, the offering retains its appeal.
“More and more companies are ordering promotional sweet treats. These clearly work for them as we get many repeat orders, proving that anything edible is an excellent way to promote your business and keep clients or staff happy,” she says.
F – Flexible
Everyone loves cake, and it is an incredibly popular and engaging giveaway at events, says Daniel Clarke, business development manager at Eat My Logo.
“Many distributors assume that branded cakes and biscuits sit on stands at exhibitions to entice people over, however only few know the full extent that these unique products can be applied,” he says.
In its almost 10 years in business, the company has noted many uses of branded cakes, biscuits and confections, including employee engagement; launches; anniversaries and milestones; thank yous; gestures, and meeting treats.
G – Giving
Workplaces are choosing to treat their staff members, to help create a fun and positive culture. Edibles are a small gesture but they go a long way in helping businesses celebrate the people who work for them.
“Employee engagement and gifting is our number one purchasing reason,” says Clarke. “With so many businesses focused on making sure staff are feeling positive in the workplace, offering treats as part of the working day, and special occasions is just a small way to create a fuzzy feeling for teams, and keep them on a high.”
H – Hygiene
This became paramount during the pandemic and having products individually wrapped is still a priority for many, as this keeps them fresh and hygienic. However, there has also been a return of sharing products such as large celebration cakes, which are a great cost-effective way to create an event centrepiece.
I – Inflation
It has been hard to avoid the rise on prices for everything over the past year. A combination of factors, from supply chain difficulties, geopolitical problems, and the pandemic recovery have contributed to UK inflation hitting more than 11% at its peak. Food inflation was even higher, at more than 19% earlier this year.
Those rates are coming down but they have pushed prices up. However, this doesn’t seem to be putting companies off ordering, according to Leech.
“I think everyone expects to pay a bit more and companies are still putting aside a good budget for this type of giveaway, as they know it will have a positive impact for their company,” she says.
J – Jelly beans
These chewable sweets were available as far back as the nineteenth century and remain a firm favourite with more than one hundred flavours.
As well as standbys such as Cherry and Buttered Popcorn, there have been some slightly less appetising versions for the foolhardy, including Dog Food, Toothpaste, and Rotten Egg. Dig in!
K – Knockout
Which is the response companies will hope to get from their tasty offerings, especially as we near Christmas when advent calendars come into their own. Chocolate is the traditional offering, and The Sweet People can create bespoke 3D moulded bars from its own production facility.
You can also provide a little Christmas cheer with boozy advents containing a selection of beer, whisky, or gin. Cheers!
L – Little and often
The Sweet People notices a growing trend is the use of edible treats as branded reminders and rewards sent to workplaces, used in retail incentives and at events.
These small tokens of appreciation, packaged professionally and responsibly make a huge impression, particularly if used creatively such as through seasonal flavour combinations.
During winter for instance the range will introduce gold chocolate and truffles infused with whisky flavours, while earlier in the year during the King’s Coronation the range contained clementine infused truffles which were popular too!
M – Made in Britain
Given the growth in interest in food miles, the fact that many food and drink products are UK-made, is another feather in their cap.
Companies such as The Sweet People have invested heavily in its production and gone to great lengths to make its products more sustainable.
Its Eco Bus Box is made from sustainable, recyclable materials in the UK, and lovingly filled by the team in Leighton Buzzard. It can be branded with full colour digital printing on the top and to both sides of the box.
Box – N is for New
Everyone loves novelty, and there is plenty to be had amid promotional food and drink players.
Distinctive Confectionery’s Lara Leech, says: “We are very excited about our new, most sustainable premium advent calendars which are TUV stamped, as well as new chocolate additions to the advent range, such as Tony Chocolonely extra-large premium advents and different eco chocolate box options with branded chocolate inside. We have recently launched a new giant swirly lolly available in a large variety of flavours and your choice of colourways and printed chocolates in different flavours.”
At Eat My Logo, the team has kept product development constantly moving. This year has seen new products including chocolate bars, macarons, funky cupcakes and confectionery.
Ahead of the Christmas rush, its launch schedule includes cheesecake jars; brandable candy canes; tray bakes, and individual mini loaf boxes filled with cake or chocolate brownie sponge topped with icing and a branding area.
O – Outdoors
The events sector was badly hit by the pandemic but has roared back as individuals and companies look to bring back face to face gatherings. It is estimated that as many as 14 million people attend festivals in the UK, which presents a mighty opportunity to engage with potential customers and clients.
More and more companies want inexpensive giveaways again such as mint tins, promotional lollies, sweets, branded drinks, promotional chocolate giveaways, and even ice creams for their events and exhibitions.
P – Post
With working from home a norm during Covid, companies looked for ways of reaching out to their dispersed workforces and the letterbox became the frontline of engagement.
Faced with an almost immediate end to their events business, companies created products such as brownies, flapjacks and biscuits that could be sent through the post to employees, encouraging a sense of belonging and even communal activity as teams gathered online for virtual meetings and breaks.
Postal products are still going strong for the WFH employee market, even as many workers are now back in the office on a fulltime or part time basis. The treat giftboxes that were popular during the height of the pandemic have now been replaced with larger orders delivered to office or workplace locations, according to Eat My Logo.
Q – Quality
End users want a quality product that is cost effective to promote their company name, be it for an event, promotion, or exhibition, says Leech.
“Our best sellers tend to be products that have a lasting impact on clients such as our personalised biscuit tins and personalised premium advent calendars which sit on clients’ desks for the whole of December, reminding them of the generosity of the sender and of their company name,” she adds.
R – Reliable
Following Brexit, exporting to the EU became problematic with increased red tape. However, the hunger for British products remains, and companies such as The Sweet People have adopted imaginative processes to make it smoother.
Advances in its edible product range are being mirrored by advances in production and fulfilment with the investment of its own EU based fulfilment house in the Netherlands. European based customers can now be served from within the eurozone, making access to treats, faster, cheaper and more reliable.
S – Sustainable
Food and drink companies have taken great strides to improve the carbon footprint of their products, such as replacing plastics and cellophane with more sustainable options.
The Sweet People has revolutionised edible treats in the UK promo marketing sector since its inception and continues to innovate including advances in sustainable, customisable packaging that can be composted and recycled.
T – Trends
As well as looking for more eco-friendly and sustainable items, clients want products that reflect their company standards and the changing tastes of their audience.
Vegan and healthy products are also becoming more desirable, hence the rise of items such as energy bars, vegan biscuits and chocolate. Nobody need be left out.
U – Utensils
You can’t eat without the proper kit and merchandise companies can help here too with promotional utensils.
CHX has launched a complete brandable cutlery set all contained in its own neat case ready for use and then stored for washing later. Lunch Mate is all made from recycled plastic and designed and made in the UK with four-branding areas available, all in full colour.
V – Value
Despite increasing costs in all areas, including ingredients, packaging, and delivery, suppliers have strived to protect clients and distributors as much as possible, says Clarke.
“We’ve been able to continue offering products at a great value price point, ensuring that end users can still enjoy the benefits of treats without exceeding budgets,” he says.
W – WFH
The past couple of years have seen a massive shift in how we work with more of us undertaking hybrid arrangements with at least some of our time spent working from home. This has made the task of reaching out to staff, clients and partners ever more important, and small, sweet treats have been one of the more popular ways of doing so.
“Mailings to individual clients are becoming more and more popular, especially as so many are still spending some days working from home,” says Leech. “We offer a fulfilment service, so any of our products can be mailed out to staff or clients.”
X – Xmas
All the signs are that events are back stronger than ever, according to Eat My Logo. As well as exhibitions, conferences, and corporate celebrations, Christmas parties are back.
“Last Christmas was our busiest yet, with the hundreds of UK businesses choosing edible gifting to help spread festive cheer. This year we are predicting an even bigger take-up, as businesses celebrate a year of uncertainty and difficulty in some industries and areas. It is so important that celebrations take place, to keep spirits high,” says Clarke.
Its Christmas gifting packs include fantastic selections including chocolates, confectionery, shortbread, and cookies, along with some extra special surprises.
Y – Yummy
Food is the only form of merchandise that triggers the taste sense, making it a powerful way to make an impression. Food has the unique ability to trigger positive endorphins, which will be directly associated with the brand image on the food item or packaging. Recipients won’t forget the fuzzy feeling they got when they received a tasty treat.
Z – Zap
Food can very easily zap energy and excitement into any situation, whether it’s an office celebration, exhibition or brand activation. Recipients and attendees are more likely to take pictures and post them to social media if there are eye-catching treats involved.
