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Ben, a member of our R&D team, conducting market research at a Chicagoland retailer.
Located just outside Chicago, creative werks is an Illinois-based co-packer offering end-to-end co-packing and packaging design services for leading CPG brands. Our in-house design and R&D team eliminates the need for an outside agency, specializing in seasonal, sustainable, and functional packaging solutions.
We also conduct comprehensive market research across seven major retail channels in the Chicagoland area, analyzing nearly every SKU in the seasonal aisle to ensure our clients stay ahead of trends.
Because we co-pack food, our research zeroes in on seasonal packaging and the formats that dominate the category – from cartons and Doy bags to specialty items like novelty tins and candy cane tubes.
By focusing on these packaging formats, we explore their impact on key holiday occasions and consumer behavior. The insights we generate complement our partners’ existing market research and help them stay ahead with innovative, sustainable solutions tailored to the marketplace.
Here are the notable trends from Holiday 2024:
1. Cartons own the Category
We won’t belabor the point. Cartons are still on the rise. For Holiday 2024, we saw theatre boxes (think the small cartons of treats at movie theatre concessions), and fun books (a carton with an added flap – it opens like a book for printed games or other unique activities). To support this growing format, creative werks launched automated novelty cartoning this fall – enabling us to deliver these playful packaging formats at a fraction of the cost of competitors still running manually.
One of many holiday fun books we saw at market.
2. Rigids are on the Rise
Potentially surprising – with sustainability goals driving shifts to cartons – to also see rigid containers on the rise. Still, rigids deliver a strong visual impact during the holiday rush. For short seasonal windows, it makes sense why we’re seeing more of them.
In addition to rigid plastic containers, tins stood out on the shelves last holiday. We saw a large uptick in the number of holiday tins at major retailers from 2023 to 2024. We see brands leveraging nostalgia, and sustainability nods with re-usable seasonal tins.
3. Private Label Play
Retailers are seeing the success of seasonal SKUs – and they want their owned brands in on the action. According to insights from The Hartman Group, Gen Z is especially open to exploring new formats from private label brands. For these consumers, eye-catching packaging can outweigh the traditional brand loyalty that guided their parents’ generation. (PLMA Lunch & Learn, 2024)
4. Unique Food Gifting
Our market research spotted both private label and major brands experimenting with creative packaging & kitting to transform everyday items into impactful gifts. The assortment was wide: boba tea kits, holiday popcorn with add-your-own toppings, hot sauce countdown calendars, and even a twist on the pickle holiday tradition - proving snacks are a hit for a holiday gift.
5. WOW Gifting
We consider WOW items to be anything that makes the recipient say… WOW! At creative werks, we’ve helped brands launch super-sized formats of their hero products, from a giant Kit Kat to a mega Slim Jim cane using our in-house manufactured candy cane tubes. We love seeing WOW items in market, and it was exciting to see more SKUs in this space than ever before.
6. Canes Held Strong
Canes continue to be a holiday staple – and 2024 was no exception. SKU count was flat year over year, and several new canes programs were launched, including into Meat and Pet. The largest category in terms of price point? $2-$3; these candy cane tubes made up the majority of the SKUs we saw at retail.
Ready to launch your own seasonal SKU? Reach out to our team today ⬇