New Spice Company. Help us, please!

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WeCurry.com

Assistant Cook
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
2
Location
San Pedro
Good day to you all.

We are a new spice company (in its bare infancy) named WeCurry, and we really need help from honest spices and herb customers.

The setup:
My business partner and I are at a slight impass about the packaging material we will be using.

His argument is that going with plastic jars will be more cost-effective (i.e. shipping; cost per bottle); While understanding that the aesthetics would not be as pleasing as glass jars would be. He believes glass jars cost more, thus have to be sold for more which would only attract the one-time buyer. Or give us a superficial "expensive gourmet" look.

I, on the other hand believe, that while glass jars will cost a couple more cents per bottle and shipping; An "investment" into the aesthetics (via glass jars) will lead to our product standing out, MORE sales, and the possibility of more recurring customers. (assuming the customer enjoys the product).

*Attached is a picture of a couple of glass and plastic jars I found at a store the other day. Suffice it to say, the look of the glass jars stood out to me more than the plastic ones - and converted me into a customer that day.

The Question:
Who do you think has a better argument/reason? Why? (we have done the numbers for both scenarios and can afford both.) Any advice or personal examples?

We are not trying to go for a high-end expensive gourmet look but rather a down-to-earth, modern and fresh look, because our goal is simply not to obtain one-time buyers of an expensive spice bottle, but returning customers of a great spice bottle!

Thank you all for patiently reading through my long story and horrible grammar. We hope to hear from many of you.

Team
WeCurry





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My suggestion would be to sell in plastic with the option of purchasing in glass at a more higher cost. Or you could sell the glass jars in different sizes and labels separate also. If you sell the labels separate, sell them in sheets that the buyer can then place in their printer and put what title they want on them. Your could in very small print at the bottom place the name of your company. Such as "Provided by WeCurry Spice Co. You make a profit all around.

I realize that as a member of the buying public I am cutting my own throat. But I do enjoy seeing new companies make a go of it. Good Luck. :angel:
 
I buy all of my spices in plastic bags, and buy the jars separately. As a consumer, it costs much less to do this, as I'm not paying for a new glass jar every time I need a refill.
 
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Whats your target market?

Serious cooks care about what's in the bottle not what it looks like -- quality and freshness first. You have stiff competition in that department and your bottle will not differentiate you.

People who don't care about quality will likely shop based on price.
 
Serious cooks care about what's in the bottle not what it looks like -- quality and freshness first.

I don't disagree with this. I shop that way myself. But I also think it only applies when people are shopping for themselves.

One of the things I've noticed in places like Penzey's is that there are often people shopping for gift sets. So for something like that, I think that it's probably important to factor in aesthetics, as well as quality and freshness.

Taking that idea a step further, one suggestion for a bricks and mortar spice store might be to include a service for putting together custom gift sets. That's something I haven't seen offered anywhere else, and might help make the OP's business stand out from others.

Just a thought.
 
Thank you to everyone for your responses!! I guess the consensus is: Product Product Product! The customer can care less about packaging when the product is of good caliber. (At least that's what we THINK we're hearing)

Addie, Steve & Roadfix:
My partner and I agree that we wouldn't start with the plastic/foil bag just yet. But it would be wise to consider it in the future as it seems to work very well for Penzey's. Excellent point Steve about not paying for a new glass every time you'd need a refill. Also, our spices will be available for individual purchase or cheaper if bought in sets.

Jennyema:
It would be so simple - and lazy - of us to say that our market goes from cooking teens to cooking seniors but in our current efforts to find our target market, our roughest estimates would put us in with the young adult to middle aged audience.... This is still a work in progress.



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I wouldn't count on sets being repeat purchases. We use a lot more of certain spices than others and probably wouldn't buy sets to begin with.
 
I guess the consensus is: Product Product Product! The customer can care less about packaging when the product is of good caliber. (At least that's what we THINK we're hearing)

That's it in a nutshell.

Quality wins every time.



But your other consideration is "Price Point".

Offer me a product that's a good value you'll get my business.

Offer me a product that's similar in quality to your competitor but costs more? Sorry but the competition wins.

A snappy label will get my attention but I'll decide on the price and what I see offered in the package. (I'm one of those who reads the label) ;) I don't really give a darn about the package itself.

Best of luck with your endeavor.
 
have you researched the "cause" of "fresh" stuff going "bad"?

the biggies: moisture & oxygen
the contenders: age and light

there are two "perfect barriers" to moisture and oxygen:
glass
metal

all the fancy plastics and co-hi/lo-extruded films, metallized and not, are attempts at being "better" barriers. some are decent, some are not so good.

you've probably heard the ole party line "throw out / replace your spices after a year." that is whistles in the wind for about 99.999999999999996% of home kitchens.

so, offer an initial purchase in a glass-with-metal-lid jar - and a prominent explanation of "why" - with purchase also offered in sealed foil packets.
 
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