Tiny Arms Coffee original kraft board packaging with label acting as brand and seal.

The supply chain has impacted all types of businesses, large and small. The costs of raw goods have increased, and inflation hit 9.1% in June. This puts new pressure on all business owners—especially small yet growing businesses

Supply chain issues have forced small businesses to shift their thinking and approach to the form and function of their packaging design. An excellent example is Tiny Arms Coffee, a small coffee roaster in Lowell, Mass. Their original packaging was on kraft recycled boxes, with a label affixed to the top to seal the package. The labels are bold, colorful, and fun. John Santos, the owner, shared that it took him and his wife 11 steps to complete a final package, including folding, filling, and labeling. Their current labels were ordered in minimum quantities, but rising paper costs were eating into their margins. When it was time to re-order packaging, the company was faced with a dilemma. Stay with their current packaging or look for more cost-effective alternatives and redesign. Tiny Arms Coffee chose to move to a plastic package. While plastic packaging did not align with is not in line with their core values.