Our packaging is finally going to print: months of preparation, label checks and Eurofins

It is finally happening. After months of preparing, cutting, adjusting and checking again, the first Taste Filipino pouches have gone to the printer. In the photo you can see the first print proofs of our two pouches: Ube Powder and Ube Powder with Coconut.

That might sound like a small step. For us it is one of the biggest milestones so far.

Designing a pouch is one thing. Making a pouch that meets every European food regulation is a completely different story.

From design to a legally correct label

We started with the design you already know from us: deep purple, a playful speech bubble, the Filipino flag and the promise "Filipino flavors, packaged for the world". But the back of a pack matters at least as much as the front.

A food label in the EU must include, among other things, a correct legal name, a full ingredient list, allergen information, a nutrition table per 100 grams, storage instructions and the details of the responsible producer. All in a minimum font size of 1.2 mm, and in our case in four languages: English, Dutch, German and French.

We had every one of those points checked by Eurofins, one of the largest food safety laboratories and consultancies in Europe. That produced a list of improvements. Some small, like the order of allergens in an ingredient list. Some big, like the question of how to name a product honestly.

Nutrition values from the lab, not from paper

Many brands copy nutrition values from their supplier's specification sheet. We chose to have our ube powder tested ourselves at Eurofins. The energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat and salt values on our pack come straight from the laboratory.

That gives us and our customers certainty. What the pack says is what is inside.

Two variants, two stories

The pure Ube Powder was relatively simple: 100% purple yam, a single ingredient. Ube Powder with Coconut was more complex. The coconut milk powder contains a milk component, so the milk allergen had to be clearly declared on the label. We also chose an honest legal name that states the percentages of coconut milk powder and ube, so nobody is surprised by what is in the pouch.

A pouch that protects ube

We also chose the material itself with care. Ube is sensitive to light, so our pouches have a white, light-blocking inner layer and a strong barrier against moisture and oxygen. That keeps the colour and flavour of the powder for longer. And because European packaging legislation is getting stricter in the coming years, we looked straight away at materials that are already prepared for that.

What's next?

The print proofs have been approved and production is under way. Over the coming weeks the pouches will be filled and the first Taste Filipino packs will make their way to the Netherlands. Our first customers who pre-ordered will have their pouch at home by mid-December at the latest.

For us this feels like the moment Taste Filipino turns from an idea into a real product. Something you can soon simply hold in your hands, open and use in your latte, bakes or desserts.

Are you a coffee shop, bakery or food business that wants to get to know ube? Get in touch with Taste Filipino, we would love to tell you more.