Creating an Experience with Custom & Kitted Gifts
The world is an ever-changing place. Fads go in and out, companies adapt, and nothing stays the same for very long. Gourmet food gifts are no different. Customers are less inclined to simply make decisions based on price alone. Instead, they’re looking for an experience, a way to interact with the product beyond consuming it and being done with it. You might be wondering, “How can I accomplish that?” Well, an easy way to do it is with kitting and other custom-designed gifts from Maple Ridge Farms!
How can I build my own gift?
Thankfully, you have a lot of control over the complexity of custom gifts. You can make them as simple or elaborate as you want. In general, there are three kinds of custom gifts:
- Simple Substitutions – Do you see something you like in the Maple Ridge Farms catalog or on our website, but are looking to change packaging, ribbon or imprint colors? Maybe hoping to swap food components for a portion of the gift? No problem. We can help.
- Totally Custom Gifts – You name the theme, budget, packaging and favorite foods and we’ll build a gift to meet your needs.
- Kitting – Looking to add other promotional products to a stock or custom gift? We’ll help make it happen.
It’s pretty simple! We’ve worked with a wide variety of custom products, ranging from branded coffee mugs to more client-specific items like mini baseball bats. Needless to say, the Maple Ridge Farms team is ready to jump in and help make the magic happen!
This sounds great, but how will a custom gift impact my bottom line?
As a promotional products distributor, customized food gifts can be a good way to increase your profit margin. Here are a few reasons why:
- Custom gifts are “blind” – Clients can’t simply look in a catalog or on a website to compare prices.
- The client gains ownership over the gift – If they feel like the custom gift is their own, price concerns begin to fade to the background.
- Competition is eliminated – Mass merchandisers frequently do not customize gifts, and those that do only customize extremely large orders.
There are plenty of benefits that make custom gifts a worthwhile venture. Not only will it strengthen your relationship and bring joy to your customers, it can help your business thrive as well.
Alright, I’m convinced! Can you share some ideas for custom kitted projects?
The sky’s the limit on this one! Here are some examples of custom-kitted gifts to get you started:
- Picnic Kit – Send us a branded cooler or tote bag (and maybe even a picnic blanket) and let us create a gift with cheese, sausage, and other snacks for a beautiful day in the sun.
- Workout Combo – Combine a branded towel and water bottle with some protein-filled bites to create the perfect energy-inspired gourmet gift.
- Zoom Meeting Survival Kit – Incorporate some meeting must-haves like pens and notepads with some coffee and tea to help employees get through another virtual get-together.
- Breakfast Club: The Gourmet Edition – Comfort food is always a delight, and that includes the first meal of the day. Combining pancake mix, maple syrup, cheeses, jams, coffee and more can lead to a gift they won’t forget about.
Anything else I need to know?
The Maple Ridge Farms team is ready to help you and your customers leave a memorable impression and a delicious experience. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Minimum quantities for custom projects often start at approximately 100 pieces – though that may vary depending on the final scope of the project and the price point.
- Give yourself enough time. Production turnaround for custom and kitting project typically starts at about 10 working days from the time we receive the complete and final order info and can be longer for large volume orders or projects containing non-stock components.
- Leaning towards a kitting project? Here are a few important tips:
- The more details provided on the supplied goods the better. Sending a sample ahead of time to make sure it fits is always a good idea too.
- Make sure to get the products to us at least 2 weeks prior to the requested ship date.
- When you or your vendor ship the supplied goods to us, be sure your company name and purchase order are on the label or packing list.
At the end of the day, custom gourmet gift projects can be just about anything you dare to imagine. No matter who you’re trying to reach, a custom gift is sure to please, helping to foster a long-lasting (and profitable) relationship with your client.
