When did the packaged food aisle get so cool?

You know how growing up, your mom would have you hide all the pantry items before the company arrived?

Today’s kids might never experience that mad rush, because packaged food is getting a makeover.

In place of the Jolly Green Giant and Toucan Sam are package designs good enough to frame:

• There’s Graza, social media’s favorite olive oil brand.
• Chickpea-based Banza pasta in its signature red-orange box.
• Magic Spoon cereal, decked out with eye-catching art.
• And, in the drink aisle, a seemingly endless array of beautiful cans, like adaptogen drink brand Kin Euphorics and prebiotic soda Poppi.

Helping brands get camera-ready…

… are creative agencies with their finger on the pulse.

Branding pros like Gander, Zero Studios, and RoAndCo are giving food and beverage products the Brooklyn tote bag treatment.

But it’s about much more than being cool: The global food packaging market is projected to reach $468B by 2028.

And packaging can make or break a product’s success:

• 81% of consumers have tried something new because of its packaging.
• 72% say packaging influences their purchasing decisions.
• 63% have purchased a product again based on its package.

Brands have their work cut out for them…

… to meet shifting consumer preferences.

Food packaging made from biodegradable materials — like bamboo or seaweed — will likely become more popular as consumers prioritize sustainability.

Other trends point to high-tech: Interactive packaging with QR codes linking out to immersive experiences, or smart packaging embedded with sensors to provide information on freshness and storage, could be next.

Our ask: Can someone design packaging to keep french fries hot, but not soggy?