Egg-cellent packaging for Easter!

March 15, 2018

by Simon Thomas Box Making Chocolate box Easter

Egg-cellent packaging for Easter!

For many, Easter means time off school, overdue family time, beautiful daffodils starting to head in the gardens and not to mention… eating copious amounts of delicious chocolate! We have all been there; sitting on the sofa with the ‘Christmas dinner feeling’ after successfully demolishing your final chocolate egg.

Easter is the number one chocolate-selling period of the year and quite astoundingly, the first Easter egg went on sale in Sainsbury’s in JANUARY this year! According to The Telegraph, us Brits eat 11kg of chocolate each year, so it’s no wonder why Easter is celebrated by the masses.

Easter boxes by GWD for Rococo Chocolates

For us, Easter is a fantastic marketing platform for gift & confectionery companies to show off! The pastel colours, the cute bunnies, the gold ribbon… it WORKS. Both B2B & B2C business can benefit from this holiday. Think about wowing your valued customers and suppliers with beautifully packaged edibles to show them how much you appreciate their support.

Be sure to consider your corporate clan in the Easter excitement as our cardboard engineers can create marvellous, bespoke and branded confectionery and gift packaging to meet your requirements.

In this day in age, a healthy conscience is being embedded into our brains by the TV, media, industry leaders and even our own family! Instead of gifting a traditional chocolate egg, more and more people are opting for Easter gifts (which last A LOT longer than chocolate!).

Even though the Easter gifts that are sent to us, to create beautifully packaging for, are not always egg-shaped, they are always guaranteed to hatch a smile!

We have been honoured to work with some of the UKs best names in chocolate including Rococo, Bettys and The Grown Up Chocolate Company.

Have a fantastic Easter!

Noel Greenwood is the Managing Director of GWD Ltd, the designers and manufacturers of presentation and promotionalpackaging. You can reach him on (01279) 416 093 or at the company’s website: www.gwd.ltd.uk

COMPANY FOCUS: Harry Specters

February 13, 2018

by Simon Thomas Box Making Chocolate box

COMPANY FOCUS: Harry Specters

Award-winning flavours and positive social change – that’s Harry Specters. Mona, Shaz and their son Ash, who has autism, are behind this social enterprise. While visiting a chocolate shop on a holiday in Scotland in 2011, Mona discovered a perfect way of combining her passion for creating positive change for people with autism with her love for chocolate. Ash came up with the name and a year later, Harry Specters was born – dedicated to crafting the most delicious chocolates that create employment for young people with autism.

We received a call back in 2015 when Harry Specters were ready to take their business to the next level. After their graphic designer had established their branding, colour scheme and logo, the next step was perfecting the packaging. They had an idea of what they wanted their packaging to look like, and it was our job to turn that vision into reality.

They wanted their packaging to exude quality and excellence whilst still being attractive to people of all ages and backgrounds. From our previous experience with food brands, we had a very good idea on what would work and what wouldn’t work in terms of size, shape and thickness. Our team of ‘cardboard engineers’ were able to create a whole range of options for Harry Specters to choose from.

As mentioned previously, Harry Specters was established for creating paid employment opportunities for young people and creating a product which everyone can enjoy! This cause is unique and is supported by us at GWD.

Harry Specters staff & work experience students

As well as the traditional selection boxes, Harry Specters wanted to be able to sell their chocolates in different quantities so they can fulfil different requirements. We created boxes which were made to hold their ‘Tasty Two’, ‘Finest Four’ and ‘Fine Nine’.

If you are looking for an award-winning sweet treat then Harry Specters have an online shop which you can visit here. Both Harry Specters and the GWD team are very pleased with our packaging creations thus far and we very much look forward to working with them again this year!

GWD Ltd are designers and manufacturers of presentation and promotional packaging.
You can reach them on (01279) 416 093 or at the company’s website: www.gwd.ltd.uk

Valentine’s packaging from GWD Ltd

January 13, 2018

by Simon Thomas Box Making Valentines Day

Love is certainly in the air here at GWD!

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion for many to show friends and family that they are loved. For GWD, it is the perfect occasion to help individuals box this concept up in a unique and special way. It is also important for companies who specialise in gifts such as chocolates and flowers to make the most of this celebration.

Gifts don’t have to be big – a little special something can have a huge impact. Visually, one of the easiest ways to add finesse and class to a gift is all in the packaging. Our team of packaging engineers encapsulate ‘love’ every year without fail and we take great pride in providing both ideas and products which hold such importance for many. As you will see in this blog, we are able to give those all-important corporate and personal gifts a heart-felt touch.

Chocolate Boxes

DID YOU KNOW: over 36 million heart shaped boxes are sold every year in the UK alone? And that is where we come in… we like to think of ourselves as experts in this field…

Chocolate has been a popular choice for those in love for hundreds of years and gifting chocolate is said to have originated in 1861. When we think of chocolate, we think of Cadbury’s and it was Richard Cadbury himself (the founder) who started the heart-shaped box trend and so a new tradition was born.

Here at GWD, we are currently working closely with Rococo Chocolates who are luxury chocolatiers based in London. They place heavy importance on Valentine’s Day and of course, want to get their chocolate boxes right. They came to the right place! Here are some of the boxes that we created for them:

Flower Boxes

Much like chocolate, there is a huge demand for flowers at Valentine’s. Flowers can be absolutely stunning on their own, but we specialise in boxing them up so they behold even more beauty.

Victoria Blooms are a florist who like to deliver a modern-luxury edge to their flowers. Our team have captured this vision again for 2018. From the colours and shape, to the design and finish; everything about this box had to be perfect.

As well as the Victoria Blooms design, we produce more traditional flower boxes if a client is looking for something which is simple yet stunning. These flower boxes work well all year round for any occasion! Inside could be anniversary flowers or congratulatory flowers perhaps… the possibilities are endless!

Our Blog has spoken previously about round, ‘hat’ boxes and how GWD is one of a very few companies in the UK with the ability to create them. Circular boxes are perfect for floral displays and show off the beauty of any arrangement to great effect, whether it is for 12 roses or a much larger bouquet.

Below is an example of a hatbox which was created for an independent florist in Scotland. They wanted a small order which meant that they could sell their beautiful roses in style. This demonstrates that you don’t have to be a multi-outlet company to have great packaging. The boxes were matt black with eye-catching gold foil lettering which gives a truly upmarket, luxurious feel to the arrangement inside.

Spread the love this Valentine’s Day! GWD Ltd. Team

GWD Ltd are designers and manufacturers of presentation and promotional packaging.
You can reach then on (01279) 416 093 or at the company’s website: www.gwd.ltd.uk

Christmas packaging from GWD Ltd

December 8, 2017

by Simon Thomas Box Making Christmas Presentation Packaging Uncategorized

We are certainly getting into the Christmas spirit here at GWD

Christmas is always a busy time for us here at GWD and is a period which we start early on in the year (sometimes as early as May!). We have been receiving orders thick and fast for our luxury and bespoke packaging services for quite a few months now, so in order for us to fulfil these orders planning and preparation is key!

As you will see in this blog, we are able to give those all-important corporate and personal gifts a bit of Christmas sparkle each and every year. This week we have been working on Bettys of Harrogate’s packaging.

‘Bettys’ opened in 1919 by Swiss confectioner Frederick Belmont. He mistakenly travelled to Yorkshire and the rest is history! Bettys has grown from strength to strength and is now classed as one of the UK’s top confectioners!

Bettys have chosen a range of shapes and sizes so that their products are delivered and displayed in style this festive period (and ‘style’ they will receive!). One of our favourites is the simple yet sophisticated round hat box which they are taking in 2 different sizes.

AT GWD Ltd, we remain one of the very few firms in the UK who can manufacture circular or semi-circular boxes in-house with the help of our ‘know how’ and bespoke machinery. It’s not only the artwork, or the company name which can help attract attention… it can be as simple as the shape of the box! So be different, be unique and get creative with us. We love a challenge!

Bettys Christmas design this year is based around the idea of an ‘Enchanted Forest’ which captures Christmas perfectly. Bettys believe in and encourage the use of local produce from dairy products to vegetables so where is best to set the scene…? Yorkshire, of course! Locally sourced produce has been a fundamental element at Bettys since day one which is something that we were keen to convey in the packaging design.

Excerpt of ‘The Enchanted Forest’ – full version can be seen in Bettys Christmas catalogue

It’s Christmas Eve in a Yorkshire town

A blanket of snow lies on the ground

Two children in Bettys choosing some treats

Gifts for the family and cakes for a feast…

It is often said that people ‘eat with their eyes’ so we knew that we wanted the appearance of the box to be just as impressive as the treats inside. A simplistic shape with the quality and feel of something that screams out luxury was the objective.

Christmas Packaging from GWD

Bettys hat boxes will hold a range of deliciousness including Fruit Jellies, Classic Onion Chutney, The Swiss Chocolate Shortbread Box, a Christmas Fruitcake Portion and SO MUCH MORE! Getting peckish? Us too! Due to their purpose, the round hat boxes had to have depth and a sturdy structure which has been crafted using the best quality materials along with our outstanding attention to detail.

The workmanship that goes into our products, especially these round hat boxes, can be very complex and time-consuming. That said, our talented and experienced team of in-house designers and cardboard engineers have become extremely well versed in addressing the complexities in packaging.

LIFT THE LID ON DELICIOUSNESS

Please don’t sit there and think that the feasibility of your design is ‘out of the question’ without speaking to GWD Ltd first, because you won’t know until you’ve tried! Call us with your ideas and I’m sure we can create packaging which is perfect for your business and your product.

Christmas is extremely important to us here at GWD Ltd. So if you are looking to stand out amongst the already-crowded retail shelves next Christmas, give us a call and we can help pack your gifts with creativity and finesse!

Merry Christmas to you all! GWD Ltd. Team

GWD Ltd are designers and manufacturers of
presentation and promotional packaging.
You can reach then on (01279) 416 093 or at the company’s website: www.gwd.ltd.uk

Chocolate Boxes Manufactured in the UK!

February 12, 2017

by Simon Thomas Box Making Mothers' Day Specialist Packaging

There are two very big dates coming soon for Chocolatiers: Valentine’s Day, when it is estimated that at least £1.6billion is spent on gifts and treats for the occasion across the UK, and of course, Mother’s Day, which this year falls on March the 26th.

New research shows that the average Brit is set to spend as much as £50 on their Mother this year, up from £27.17 in 2014, with as much as £928 million being spend across the Country. Naturally, a very large proportion of that will be spent of chocolate – which remains British peoples’ second gift of choice for the occasion, behind flowers. That’s a very substantial market.

mother’s day chocolate packaging — Mother’s day chocolate packaging

Many retailers will be (as usual) taking advantage of the increase ‘panic buying’ in the 48 hours up to Valentine’s and Mothers’ Day. If you are a florist or a chocolatier you want your products to be catching the eyes of the buyers – and what better way to do that than with attractive and innovative presentation packaging?

chocolate box makers UK — Chocolate box makers UK

Here at GWD Ltd we have been creating packaging for chocolatiers for almost 30 years, including boxes for big name brands such as Bettys of Harrogate, multiple Academy Of Chocolate and International Chocolate Award winners, Rococo Chocolates, and the Grown Up Chocolate Company. Our blog has detailed previously how we are one of a very few packaging companies in the UK who can create round ‘hat’ boxes , but we also manufacture star-shaped boxes, heart-shaped boxes and indeed pretty much any shape you can think of, including triangular, octagonal and even teardrop-shaped ones.

presentation boxes in unusual shapes — Presentation boxes in unusual shapes

Our cardboard engineers are adept at rising to challenges set by clients and their designers. We can either work from a specific design that you may have in mind, or our on-site design team can work together with you and come up with something entirely new and unique. We are not a wholesaler, we design and make the majority of our boxes here in the UK, meaning there is no minimum order number and we retain total control over lead times.

GWD are also happy to have face-to-face meetings to discuss your requirements and can offer quotes by email or telephone. Manufacturing in the UK means we can also handle short notice arrangements when possible.

Make your chocolates stand out from the competition. You know how good they taste – why not give them the presentation packaging they deserve!

Noel Greenwood is the Managing Director of GWD Ltd, the designers and manufacturers of presentation and promotional packaging. You can reach him on (01279) 416093 or at the company’s website: www.gwd.ltd.uk

Christmas Retail Packaging

December 13, 2016

by Simon Thomas Box Making Christmas Design Manufacturing Presentation Packaging Promotional Packaging

It will surprise no one that Christmas plays a major role in the presentation packaging industry. For us, however, Christmas starts very early in the year! Companies creating advent calendars like the one below created for Prestat will often send us their designs in May or June.

where can I get an advent calendar made? — “Where can I get an advent calendar made?”

Similarly, major brands like Lush will have their Christmas packaging planned and manufactured well in advance, for example the ‘Karma’ box below. Christmas, of course, is a massively important time for the retail sector as people purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies to celebrate. In retail the Christmas period is customarily defined as the six weeks up to December 24^th – a period that traditionally sees c.18% of the annual retail spend. It isn’t surprising that companies make such an extra effort with their packaging for the Christmas season.

Here at GWD we’ve been creating Christmas packaging since the early 1990s, so there’s little we haven’t seen over the last twenty five years or so. Below, for example, is a selection of Christmas pudding boxes we made for Bettys (chocolatiers), The Dorchester Hotel and The RAC Club.

Circular boxes for presentation packaging

At GWD Ltd we remain one of the very few firms in the UK who can manufacture circular or semi-circular boxes, which really do help your product to stand out from the crowd.

Circular chocolate boxes manufacture uk — Circular chocolate boxes manufacture UK

The hamper box above, again created for Bettys, gives a fantastic first impression to the potential consumer. Surely anyone who has gone to such great lengths over their choice of presentation packaging simply MUST have a great product that they’re offering? The same can be said for this gorgeous Christmas ‘Chest’, created for another chocolatier….

….and also theses lovely chocolate boxes below in their different shapes and sizes. The workmanship that goes into these creations can be extremely complex and often time-consuming. That said our team of in-house designers and cardboard engineers have become extremely well versed in addressing complex packaging problems. If you have any questions regarding the feasibility of packaging designs for your product please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Christmas is a hugely important time in retail. If you are looking to make your product stand out for next Christmas season give GWD a call!

Who else is using this to help them sell their product this Easter?

March 12, 2015

by seb Box Making Easter Uncategorized

Easter means lots of different things. New beginnings, bunnies, the end of Lent, Good Friday, Easter Monday, chicks, baby lambs, chocolate and children screaming at you because they’re just desperate for ‘one more Easter egg’.

It means all those things. But it also means something else. And for a business owner, it’s perhaps the most important thing.

The 5 Worst Things About Being a Parent in the Summer

August 27, 2014

by seb Uncategorized

As September draws closer I’m starting to notice those old familiar looks of desperate anticipation that seem to be dawning on most parents’ faces at this time of year. Thankfully we’re not currently going through this stage as our ‘kids’ have been moved out for a while now.

5 simple pleasures you get in a luxury hotel

July 8, 2014

by seb Box Making Design Hotels Manufacturing Presentation Packaging Promotional Packaging Uncategorized

There’s nothing quite like a stay in a luxury hotel. OK, so you’re not at home but you’ll have all the comforts that you could want while you’re away from the nest. Cleanliness, a decent mattress and a nice hot shower are all things we can expect when we splash the cash on an upmarket hotel.

Boxing clever on your Wedding Day

May 20, 2014

by seb Box Making Presentation Packaging Promotional Packaging Uncategorized Weddings

Finally we’ve ushered in some sun, and isn’t it nice to see it?! I’m a big fan of this time of year – the trees are green, the birds are singing and the Summer is nearly upon us! Each year these factors set little bells ringing in my mind. Not alarm bells, you might be wondering, but wedding bells. That’s right! Wedding season is fast approaching.

GWD Blog

Posts tagged: Chocolate