Garden centres became go-to destinations during the last Coronavirus lockdown, with the food and beverage offering becoming an essential part of the shopping experience. According to the latest UK Food to Go Market Report from Lumina Intelligence, people now increasingly prefer to socialise in outdoor spaces, and it is younger consumers who are most likely to walk around with a takeaway coffee.
Choosing the right food and drink packaging for your garden centre catering operation adds value for your customers while building your brand’s reputation. Tri-Star’s range of stackable quick-serve foodservice packaging is not only convenient, hygienic and fit for purpose, but also easy to store and use, therefore speeding up service.
Printed packaging is also an effective way to promote instore messaging for things such as offers and membership cards. Tri-Star Packaging’s digitally printed bags are available in short production runs so be frequently updated throughout the year and are perfect for seasonal promotions.
“Tri-Star is best known for its foodservice packaging, and we were certainly able to offer lots of advice to garden centre restaurants and cafés as they switched to takeaway,” says Tri-Star Packaging Senior National Account Manager Mike Clough.
“But we’re not just experts in packaging. With a heightened focus on cleanliness and hygiene, we supply everything a garden centre needs to operate safely and efficiently. Our Essentials Range now includes: personal protection equipment (PPE); convenient and flexible janitorial solutions; cleaning chemicals; paper hygiene products; and cloths and wipes.”
Be prepared for Natasha’s Law
“Garden centre caterers need to ensure they are properly prepared for the full implementation of Natasha’s Law in October,” says Mike Clough. “Ever since the new legislation was announced, we have been urging the industry to act immediately.
“Correct allergen labelling is vitally important for customer wellbeing and as the foodservice industry prepares for change, Tri-Label has been rebranded to Gen-Label, to offer a next generation food labelling solution and give full compliance with Natasha’s Law.
“Gen-Label makes complying with Natasha’s Law simple and straightforward. The online software solution allows food outlets to build and maintain lists of ingredients including specific allergens and then simply print them off onto pre-formatted blank labels using a standard PC and laser-jet printer.
“Whether you require bespoke labels supported by a full in-house design service or the convenience of simply using a wide range of off-the-shelf options, Gen-Label is a great service to guide you through the upcoming changes in the law.”
Improve your green credentials
According to Boston Consulting Group, the Covid-19 crisis has caused people to pay more attention – not less – to urgent environmental issues such as climate change. Choosing the right packaging can improve a garden centre’s green credentials by ensuring that it is responsibly sourced and is able to be properly composted or recycled at the end of its life.
Tri-Star Packaging stocks one of the industry’s widest ranges of sustainable foodservice packaging products, including some recent new additions.
The innovative 100% compostable BePulp range combines sustainable design with exceptional performance and is made from bagasse – a material that comes from natural fibres, which are both abundant and renewable. Meanwhile, the new microwavable and fully recyclable Infinity range represents the next generation of sustainable packaging and is made from EPP (expanded polypropylene). Tri-Star Packaging is also introducing a new range of home-compostable products, including the UK-manufactured EdenPak® range.
“With a focus on reducing the use of single-use plastics, Tri-Star Packaging offers many compostable and recyclable alternatives made from renewable resources,” concludes Mike Clough. “Garden centre caterers should seek advice to initially reduce, substitute out and eventually eliminate all single-use plastics. By reviewing all of their packaging choices with expert advice it’s possible to ensure that only the most suitable sustainable, long term solutions are specified.”