Help to grow a labour of love

As the first national lockdown took hold, the people of the nation threw themselves into learning new skills and taking up hobbies. As a result, many businesses providing specialist and artisan products began to soar. However, as they grew, they needed to outsource packing and mailing. 

The challenge

Our client was the owner of a new gourmet 'at home' style meal kit and with demand on the rise, keeping up with the increase in orders was proving to be challenging. They wanted to outsource the packing and concentrate on growing the business. It wasn’t just a case of packing the products quickly – it was vital the quality of the final product continued to shine through the brand. 

Whether fresh or dry, each ingredient needed to be weighed and measured accurately by hand and packed into individual packaging. Variations in the weights could cause problems with the quality of the final product, which would be damaging to the business’ reputation.

When customers ordered kits, they were offered different customised services. Some required gift wrapping and handwritten personalised messages with their orders which meant predicting the uptake of these services would be difficult.   

Completed orders would be sent direct to a customer’s chosen address, but as this could be a one-off order or part of a longer-term subscription, the monthly numbers would be constantly changing. 

With so many changing variables, this was a complex project. Our client needed flexibility to add services as and when they were needed, and at very short notice.

The blp solution 

Not only could blp be flexible with our client’s evolving needs, we could also become an extension of their business. 

We completed the kits in our BRC food safety certified clean room, providing reassurance that the strictest industry standards are maintained throughout the project.

When handling customer data, there is no room for error – we are both GDPR compliant and ISO 27001 certified – this is vital when sending products direct to customers. Furthermore, our knowledge of mailing services meant we could deal with Royal Mail requirements with ease. 

We complete all services in one location, which allows us to adapt quickly to any changes in the project requirements. Not only did this help to reduce costs and lead times, which is vital for smaller businesses, it allowed the client to add extra services when needed. 

The results

Our client has seen huge growth in the sale of the home meal kits and continues to add new recipes to their range. Initially available online, their products are now available in some of the most prestigious retailers in the country. This is a huge achievement for them, and we look forward to supporting their future growth with our diverse range of capabilities.