Exciting technological advances are being made in corrugated manufacturing, enabling the package to more powerfully fulfill a key marketing function. Digital printing capabilities have improved dramatically in the past few years to support direct printing of intricate, colorful graphics on corrugated board. Many corrugated manufacturers are now investing in equipment to make production-scale, digitally-printed boxes with sharper, cleaner graphics on corrugated board than ever before.

Of course, innovations in retail are also driving an explosion in e-commerce options, even for fresh foods. Meal kit subscription services are making headway in capturing a new home delivery market. And then there’s the home delivery services cropping up that are extensions of supermarkets’ businesses.

E-commerce raises the visibility of corrugated as more boxes are delivered to consumer homes and offices. This trend will continue to grow as consumers transition toward online shopping and away from brick-and-mortar stores.

Corrugated packaging helps to convey information about the product inside

Big changes in the food industry are being driven by a shifting consumer paradigm. Today’s shoppers are concerned with product transparency – especially when it comes to food – as never before, a result of growing health consciousness. This creates an imperative for brands to communicate more information about their products. In produce and other perishable categories, consumers want to know the location of origin, nutritional information, farming methods, variety, and additional attributes that address the product’s sustainability and healthiness.

Thanks to improvements in printing technology, corrugated can now more effectively serve as a product’s advertising billboard when used as a primary package or display container. By direct-printing the box with brand messaging, beautiful graphics, product information, and more, producers can make the most of the package that so effectively transports their products from farm to store and doorstep.