We had a special request from one of our customers to curate local snack boxes for their team who was arriving in Tokyo to witness the Opening Ceremonies at the Winter Olympics 2020.
The brief was simple – curate and deliver 180 boxes as per dietary preferences that not only help the recipients enjoy their quarantine period in a hotel room but also give them an experience of the Japanese culture finely blended with some of their own favorite brands. The recipients were mostly from the US with some flying in from the EU.
The curation process was handled by our Japan ambassador. Extensive research was carried out to understand more about the recipients and their tastes. Some questions we constantly asked while working on the curation were:
Who are the recipients?
What are their preferences?
Any allergies or dietary needs to be taken care of?
If we were quarantined, what kind of mood lifters would we enjoy?
Deep Dive into Ingredients
After deciding on the main curated options, we then had to tackle creating 8 allergy-free boxes. A pain-staking process was followed by researching the allergen labeling regulation in Japan and listing all ingredients for each item. Our local ambassador researched allergen labeling regulations in Japan (based on the information listed on the packages, the official website, and contacted some manufacturers) to be 100% sure.
Packaging
We secured storage for retaining the items in proper melt-free condition until they arrived at their destination. An attractive package that was visually appealing and professionally designed was used. We also made sure the box was sturdy and provided ample protection for the contents.
Pilot & the Final Roll Out
We started the entire procurement by doing a pilot box to make sure all snacks fit securely in the shipping box and appropriate weight. After the box was approved, we got busy with purchasing, packing/shipping materials, creating gift tags, gift stickers, allergy stickers (hand made), packing, printing, and transporting of boxes. Here is a video of packing by our local ambassador.
Final Delivery
Throughout this process, thorough schedule was created with timelines & deadlines, paying attention to task dependencies. It was really important to us to deliver a superb experience and product that delighted and surprised our recipients. With the help of our amazing local team, we definitely think we won gold in the category of delicious snack boxes.
Are you looking to surprise and delight a team outside the US? We’re ready!
