Franchises and chains guide
How to harmonise packaging across all your locations
When two restaurants of the same brand serve the same dish in two different boxes, it is almost never a design problem. It is a purchasing problem. As long as each location orders wherever it likes, no guidelines will hold.
Why guidelines are not enough
A guidelines document describes colours and logos. It does not say where to buy, which template to print on, or which reference to order. A location manager out of stock on a Friday night will take whatever the local wholesaler has, guidelines or not. Harmonisation is settled at the moment of purchase, not at the moment of design.
The four elements to lock down
The template. The same artwork printed on two different box formats does not give the same result. The format is part of the identity.
The printing colours. A colour does not render the same way depending on the material, the paper and the process. This explains most of the visible gaps between two locations.
The logo version. Networks accumulate versions over the years. Only one should circulate.
The supplier. This is the lock that holds the other three.
The network product list
The product list is the closed list of references the network is allowed to order, with their negotiated prices. Each location accesses it, orders from it, and only from it. It is the simplest tool for holding an identity across several addresses, and it settles the price question at the same time.
Openings and special cases
A new address must be able to open with the right packaging from day one, which means the references already exist and stock is available. As for local requests, a franchisee who wants their own variant, they are handled as a documented exception rather than refused on principle, separating what touches the identity from what does not.
Frequently asked questions
How do you stop a location from buying elsewhere?
Through the agreement, and above all through price and availability. A location buys elsewhere when it is cheaper or when it is out of stock. Fix those two points and the problem largely disappears.
Who should approve the artwork in a network?
Head office, always, even when the franchisee pays. It is the brand's identity being printed.
Can a franchisee personalise their packaging?
Yes for anything that does not touch the identity, such as a local mention. No for the logo, the colours and the formats.
What should we do with old-colour stock after a rebrand?
Plan the transition in the rebranding calendar: run down existing stock, set a switchover date common to the whole network, and produce the new identity at the same moment for every address.
Pack On Demand by Publifood
We consolidate your network's volumes, we produce, we store and we deliver each location on demand. One box delivered, one box invoiced, even when it carries your brand.
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