Gift baskets have been circulating in personal and professional circles for decades now, and over the years they have developed a somewhat unfavorable reputation. David Porat, owner of Chelsea Market Baskets in New York, states that the gift basket industry "has the reputation of being a little like fruitcake." It looks pretty, but it doesn't taste the best.
Food is a very popular item in gift baskets. According to Packaged Facts most recent report, “Food Gifting in the U.S., 5th Edition,” published in 2016, sales of food gifts were up by about 3.5% from the previous year, so there is a great demand for these edible gifts. Popular food gift baskets found in large chain, brick-and-mortar stores as well as online gift basket companies are notorious for having cheap food that is wrapped in pretty packaging to boost their profit margins. This low quality food in "click and ship" gifts are easy for a customer to purchase but can leave a bad taste in the mouth of the people who have received these gifts.
Breaking the mold
Local boutique gift basket companies are doing their best to combat this reputation. Good quality specialty food can be difficult to find and obtain at a reasonable cost. But these businesses are putting a great deal of time and effort into sourcing luxury, delicious and even locally sourced food items that taste as good as they look. With this new world of gourmet food items comes a wide spectrum of customization, offering options to every client whether they have particular tastes or dietary restrictions.
Here at Nifty Package Co, we work hard to create gifts and gift baskets that reflect not only our local flavor but also the brand and themes of the companies we serve. We have spent countless hours sourcing only the best luxury goods and gourmet food brands for both our pre-curated and custom gifts. As consumers ourselves, we appreciate the importance of delicious tasting food, so we meet with each of our vendors and we taste everything, whether it be cookies, teas, coffees, or even specialty items like hot sauce or drink infusers. It's a tough job but an important one, and it is a sacrifice we are happily willing to make.
Our job is to not only encourage the client to participate in the process but also guide the process with their unique style and mission. We utilize trends and timing to create a maximum impact with recipients. For example, bacon is hot right now, so we keep things fresh and fun like suggesting bacon caramel popcorn or bacon chocolate bars. Other clients might be more health conscious, so we offer a variety of gluten-free and all-natural items that are currently very popular. Our gifts cater to both men and women, so we keep items in stock that can be used for gender specific gifts as well.
Another way we customize our gifts for our clients is with reusable and multi-function bases, not just baskets. We use galvanized tins, round stained wood containers, wire lattice baskets, copper strainers, and wooden crates, allowing the recipient to have a keepsake and use the container after the gift items inside have been consumed. We spend time learning design trends and sourcing beautiful fabric ribbons, staying away from the big sparkly outdated bows. With our attention to detail, our gifts are luxurious from the inside out.
It is a special treat to get to put together custom baskets with very unusual and specific themes. The basket pictured below was a Zombie themed request for a Halloween charity function. It is not your typical basket and is definitely not just fruitcake!
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