Marketing

White Castle packaging is 'easy to heat, fun to eat'

Bold colors and a new tagline highlight White Castle's retail packaging revamp. (Provided)

January 26, 2021

On the heels of what White Castle said was both a record year and decade for its retail division, the brand is putting a new face on its retail product packaging, according to a news release.

The nation's first fast-food hamburger chain began rolling out the design on select packages in October. By the end of March, all retail packages will sport the new look, which features a contemporary design that capitalizes on clean lines and bold colors which the company said heightens consistency in the look of all its products.

Notably, the update also appeals to customers' sense of taste with a dominant image of a single Slider.

"This package refresh proclaims 'tasty,' and we love the fact that it coincides with our hundredth birthday," Jamie Richardson, White Castle vice president, said in the release. "For a family-owned business spanning four generations, we're always looking for new ways to respond to our customers' preferences and satisfy their crave."

In 2019, White Castle began to explore the packaging design elements that matter most to its consumers including benefits, brand identity and taste appeal. Working with a food packaging and branding company, White Castle then redesigned the boxes for its frozen Sliders, introducing the tagline, "Easy to heat, fun to eat."

Well-known as a fast-food restaurant brand, White Castle is also a successful consumer packaged goods company. White Castle launched its retail division in 1987, becoming the first quick-service restaurant to offer its menu items for purchase at grocery stores for preparation at home.

Today, White Castle's retail product line-up includes five Slider varieties in a range of package sizes. The Sliders are sold in freezer aisles at grocery, convenience, drug and club stores nationwide.

"The retail division represents about 25% of White Castle's total sales, and we had another strong year in 2020," Tiffany Carreker, White Castle GM and vice president of the division's sales, said in the release. "In a year of gains for many CPG brands, our growth outpaced the category by 8%. We've seen steady growth year after year, to the point where our retail business today is more than double the size it was in 2010."

The makeup of the sliders that are available in the frozen food aisle are virtually identical to those served in one of its more than 360 restaurants, White Castle said. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio.