Podcast Episode 2: “Does My Packaging Even Work?”
The 2025 CPG Packaging Playbook: Design, Compliance, and Shelf Impact
By Adriana – CPG Founder, Mentor & Host of The goCPG Super Connector Podcast
Your packaging does more than hold your product—it sells it. In this episode of The goCPG Super Connector Podcast, I’m joined by Jenny, a packaging designer who’s helped countless food and drink brands go from good-looking to shelf-ready (and legally compliant). We answer the founder questions that keep you up at night:
- How do I know if my packaging is actually working?
- Is sustainable packaging worth the cost right now?
- What has to be on my label to avoid legal trouble?
- What does it mean when a buyer says “it doesn’t pop on shelf”?
Whether you're about to print your first run or thinking about a rebrand, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you avoid costly mistakes and design with confidence.
Why Packaging Is a Make-or-Break Factor in 2025
As a founder who’s launched multiple brands, I can tell you: your packaging is your silent salesperson. In a crowded aisle or scrolling through an Amazon listing, customers give you mere seconds to impress. Packaging that fails to connect is the fastest way to burn cash and kill velocity.
Jenny and I started this conversation with a hard truth: beautiful packaging that doesn’t sell is just expensive wallpaper for your storage unit. You don’t want 10,000 pouches gathering dust while your cash flow suffocates. Here’s how to avoid that trap.
The Three-Step Shelf Test: Does Your Packaging Work?
If you take nothing else from this episode, steal Jenny’s 3-5-8 rule for testing packaging before committing to a large run:
- The 3-Second Glance: From three feet away, can someone immediately tell what your product is? Granola should say granola. If your bag says “Ancient Grain Awakening Clusters,” you’re in trouble.
- The 5-Second Edge: After two more seconds, can they see what makes you unique? Grain-free? Maple pecan? Vegan? Your point of difference must be obvious by second five.
- The 8-Foot Shelf Scream: Tape your pouch to the fridge between competitor products. Step back eight feet. Does your eye land on yours first? If not, back to the drawing board.
Fail one test? Tweak your design. Fail two or three? Call in a professional designer before you waste money on a massive order.
Surviving the MOQ Shock: Avoiding Dead Inventory
One listener, Louise from Austin, shared his nightmare: his printer wanted a 25,000-unit minimum order for custom pouches, but he only sells 800 per month. Jenny’s advice was clear:
- Start with blank pouches in neutral colors and use high-quality digital labels. Most consumers won’t notice if executed well.
- Never order more than six months of packaging inventory. Anything else becomes expensive furniture for your warehouse.
- Consider “gang runs”—splitting large orders with another brand using the same pouch size to lower cost without crushing cash flow.
Ignore this advice, and you’ll spend more time staring at pallets than selling product. Cash is oxygen—don’t suffocate your business with packaging you can’t move.
Label Compliance: Your Legal Survival Checklist
Marcus from Vancouver asked the most important question of all: “What has to be on my label so the government doesn’t come knocking?” Jenny and I walked through the must-haves:
- Clear product name (call granola granola, not “morning energy clusters”)
- Net quantity in metric and imperial if crossing borders
- Ingredients in descending weight
- Allergens clearly bolded
- Nutrition facts panel, properly sized and legible
- Business address (no P.O. boxes if selling in major retailers)
- Date codes for any product with a shelf life under 90 days
- Bilingual labeling for national sales in Canada
Skipping even one of these can trigger reprints, stop-sale orders, or recalls. As Jenny says, “A $300 compliance review today beats a $30,000 recall tomorrow.”
Does It Pop? Decoding Buyer Feedback
Finally, Samir in Brooklyn got feedback that his jar “doesn’t pop.” Translation: it disappears on shelf. Buyers use this shorthand to warn you that your packaging isn’t commanding attention where it matters.
Jenny’s tips for improving shelf impact include:
- High-contrast color choices to stand out against competitors
- Clean typography that’s legible from 3–6 feet away
- Distinctive shape or label orientation to break the pattern on the shelf
- Strategic use of matte versus gloss finishes to guide the eye
Remember: function beats form. If the customer doesn’t notice your product, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is up close.
Sustainable Packaging: Worth It in 2025?
Many founders ask if sustainable packaging is worth the extra cost. Jenny and I agreed on a nuanced answer:
- If your brand story is eco-driven, it’s almost mandatory to align packaging with your positioning.
- Premium shoppers increasingly notice and appreciate compostable or recyclable materials.
- But cash flow comes first. If sustainable packaging doubles your unit cost and limits your marketing spend, start with a hybrid approach and upgrade as you scale.
The future is sustainable, but the present demands survival.
Adriana’s Final Packaging Playbook
To wrap up, here’s the distilled 2025 founder checklist for packaging that sells and keeps you out of trouble:
- Run the 3-5-8 shelf test before spending a dime on large orders.
- Start small with blank pouches and digital labels to protect cash flow.
- Never order more than six months’ worth of packaging inventory.
- Double-check compliance—nutrition panels, allergens, weights, addresses, and bilingual requirements.
- Prioritize visibility: color, typography, and contrast beat intricate designs every time.
- Invest in quality photography and mockups—digital shelves are just as competitive as physical ones.
- Approach sustainability strategically—align with your brand but avoid financial self-sabotage.
Conclusion: Packaging is Strategy, Not Just Art
If there’s one takeaway from this conversation with Jenny, it’s this: packaging isn’t just a creative exercise—it’s a survival skill. Every founder falls in love with their product, but the market only rewards the ones who can communicate value in seconds, avoid legal headaches, and protect their cash along the way.
Do the work upfront, test before you print, and remember: your packaging is your loudest pitch when you’re not there to sell.
Related Articles:
Jenny is a friendly packaging designer who knows how to create packaging that retailers love, consumers notice, and regulators approve.
Questions you can ask me:
- What needs to go on my label?
- Should I use a pouch, bottle, or jar?
- What makes packaging stand out on a shelf?
