The Pack Expo Experience

Oh are we tired!!

Dale and I just finished with the packaging expo over the past two days. The expo was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center this year, in 2 of their halls.

We were looking for packaging for the cookies, the roasted and smoked almonds, almond milk smoothies, the almond butter and Christmas boxes.

I’d gotten on line on Sunday, put in the info we were interested in and the computer figured out the businesses that we should visit at the expo. Then the computer mapped out our route so that we would not waste time looking.

This was all well and good until we got into Central Hall and went to the first vendor. There were machines that would take up most of our house, filling packages, sealing packages and labeling packages. $1, mil maybe each? Since we work out of the house this wouldn’t be real practical, unless we don’t need any space to live.

We made our way around and went to South Hall where we found so many vendors selling the bags that we could use that by today we quit looking for those.

We couldn’t find any vendors selling Styrofoam boxes so decided that we’d just quickly go up and down every isle looking for packaging for frozen cookie dough and icing, and cardboard boxes. We did find several ideas for shipping the frozen products that are quite exciting.

On the last isle we almost quit but then went to the end. Wouldn’t you know, there we found the little bags we use for individual cookies. They have several types which will work well for us.

We found that many vendors have minimum orders of 50,000 items but then we found some who said that they would work with us. One company will send me enough containers to ship the icing out for testing. They were so excited for us branching out with our products.

We were at one vendor looking at some packaging for the almond butter and the rep said she was gluten intolerant so I gave her a cookie just for fun. She then advised me that she works for a health food store in the Midwest. They are always looking for new products and would love to have a product that no one else makes. Since she immediately loved the cookie she said she’d like to get them into their stores. I’ll be shipping some cookies to them and we will see where it goes. Funny we went for packaging and ended up networking.

Sending some Cookies Out

When we were at the Food Service Expo in San Diego we’d met a couple of people who were interested in the cookies so promised that we would send some. A woman in Lancaster also wanted a dozen cookies but it hasn’t worked out well to send any cookies until now.

On Monday night Dale and I went to Santa Barbara to bake. Nate and family were really sick so we worked by ourselves baking then packaged everything up and returned back home. We baked about 105 crunchy cookies and 70 chewy some plain, with chocolate chips and some with raisins. We haven’t tried the raisin cookies until now. The raisin cookies turned out so good, they are easily my favorite.

I sent packages to the people I’d promised the cookies to plus some friends and a niece. I also took some cookies to the kitchen that makes the dough for fundraisers and they said they’d like to discuss pricing for dough.

One of the persons from the Expo was a man that led the e-mail workshop. He has now offered to help direct traffic once the web site is up and running.  What a lucky offer for me.