Who would’ve thought that choosing packaging would be this hard?
When I started Black Sheep Bread Company, I considered all the things I would need to start selling my bread to customers. I purchased the obvious supplies such as banneton baskets, Dutch ovens, more pans, etc. When I got to packaging needs, I had no idea there would be so many options to choose from, and that I’d go through several before I finally found one suitable for my needs. I started with the commonly used brown bread bag with the clear window. The price was low, the bag pretty durable, and it came with cute stickers for sealing them shut. Great right? Well… I noticed when using these bags at home that they were difficult to close after use, as they kept coming unrolled, and the sticker only worked for the initial closing of the bag. They also tore easily after opening/closing a few times, and overall, just felt cheap.
This just wouldn’t work for what I was going for. I wanted my customers to feel like they were getting a quality product, not just in flavor, but in the packaging as well. On to bread bag #2!
I searched around on Amazon and found a bag that looked like the first option but offered little metal tabs so that you could easily re-close after each use. Jackpot! Y’all, this one worked great for a while. It was durable, could be easily closed, only a few dollars more expensive for 100 bags, and my customers loved the improvement over the first one. The only issue I kept running into is the size. I like to make my sourdough loaves THICK and it felt like I was constantly having to squeeze a fat loaf into a little bag. *Cue the Chris Farley “Fat Guy in a Little Coat” earworm. My search continued…
As they say, the third time’s a charm. I found a bag on Amazon that was roomy, had the metal tabs for easy closure, AND a big wrap around window to show off the beauty of my baked goods. It’s about $10 more expensive than the second one, but it’s bigger and comes to only $0.10 extra per bag. I can live with that. The best part is the positive feedback I’ve received from my customers. They love that the bag is roomy, durable, and easy to close. From a selling standpoint, they add a lot to my presentation at vendor events. Customers get a clear view of the baked goods they’re buying, plus they stand well and are much sleeker looking. Winning!!
This is now the bag I currently use, and I have yet to find any issues with it. I use it for sourdough, sandwich bread, bagels, and it even holds focaccia. If you are looking for some excellent packaging for your baked goods, I can’t recommend this one enough.
Order on Amazon!
As a fairly new blogger, I’m not sure if these ramblings about something as tedious as finding the perfect bag for my sourdough is helpful to y’all, but here it is. It’s just one of the many obstacles I’ve encountered as a cottage business owner that I didn’t consider in the beginning. My advice? Buy in small quantities and try out your packaging before use. It will save you some time, money, and avoid negative feedback. I now have a tub full of bread bags that I no longer use, and I can’t help but thinking of the money wasted. Don’t make my mistake and good luck!