Unwrap Profits with Holiday Gift Boxes and Meal Kits

Send your brand home for the holidays with stocking stuffers and meal convenience.
A star-shaped holiday gift box holds baked goods and nuts
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Restaurants have adjusted plans and menus throughout 2020, and the holiday season will be no different. Instead of big dine-in crowds and catering events, operators this year are looking for a new approach. Gift boxes and meal kits could be the solution.

Gordon Food Service Culinary Specialists suggest these sales-building ideas for operators looking for an edge during the typically busy Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

Gift boxes

The gift of food is always in style, says Chef Bobby Viel. ā€œGift boxes are an opportunity for the operator to create something craveable for people to enjoy,ā€ he says. ā€œAnd it can be food to be enjoyed over an entire weekend.ā€ Suggestions include foods contained in jars, tins or bags:

  • Fruits and roasted nuts
  • Jellies, jams, spices, infused oils and salami
  • Cheese, spreads and sauces
  • Crackers and breads

With any holiday box, don’t forget the power of marketing, says Chef Rachel Mazur. ā€œAlways think about the brand aspect and make sure you have your name on product labels,ā€ she says. Other ideas include tucking in a holiday card, a menu, or a discount coupon for a future visit. 

To enhance the appeal, make sure each box looks like a gift, using a festive liner inside and a ribbon, bow and gift tag outside to make it special.

Meal kits

A lesson learned during Mother’s Day and Easter is that meal kits and family meals provide convenience for customers and keep your restaurant top of mind. These meals can take a couple of forms:

  • Meal kits. Provide a complete dinner—turkey, ham, pasta, etc.—ready to serve or to heat and eat. This also works for your house specialties—seasonal vegetarian entrees, salads, taco bars, etc. Market this idea as a way to add holiday convenience.
  • Deconstructed meals. Provide all of the ingredients with instructions on how to create the meal at home. Market this idea as a way for families to enjoy the holiday in the kitchen and at the table.

Neither of these ideas are limited to the holidays. They are a great way to connect with customers who love your food but are not comfortable eating with a crowd. Taking a page from the Blue Apron playbook is how Wild Oats Bakery & Cafe in Brunswick, Maine stayed in the game during the pandemic, Viel recalls.

ā€œThey took some of their best baked items and sold their recipes separately, creating clever point-of-sale material, cooking  instructions and a branded box,ā€ he says. ā€œThey even made some videos—if you purchased the recipe box, you would find a special link that showed how to make the recipe.ā€

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