How to Choose a Package Design Firm.

Before launching SmashBrand, our award-winning packaging design firm, we built and managed several global consumer product brands. After more than a decade of hiring agencies for our own products, we learned precisely how to choose a package design firm that drives real retail performance.

In today’s crowded shelves, where consumers make decisions in seconds, selecting the right partner may be the most critical step in your product’s success. Think of your packaging as the last 15 seconds of your marketing: what’s capturing attention and converting the sale?

Exceptional design does more than look good. It builds visibility, reinforces your brand, and drives purchase intent. Whether you’re vetting food packaging design companies, beer packaging design companies, or custom packaging design companies, the right fit will understand both creative impact and retail strategy.

The best packaging design agency combines research, testing, and creativity to deliver packaging that performs. If you’re looking for inspiration, explore the best food packaging designers and retail design firms that build with data, not just decoration.

And while we’d love to show you how SmashBrand can make your product stand out, the goal is simple: find a partner who designs for outcomes, not opinions.

Positioning, Design, Testing

A 30% sales lift was achieved after a packaging refresh for Yucatan.

A 34% increase in purchase preference drove the sales boost, attracting younger consumers and expanding market share.

Read Full Case Study.

Look for Experience

Experience is the difference between design that looks good and design that sells. When deciding how to hire a packaging designer, look beyond flashy visuals. The best talent combines creativity with commercial acumen, knowing how to transform product packaging into a valuable business asset.

At SmashBrand, we’ve built, scaled, and sold global CPG brands ourselves. That means we understand firsthand what it takes to compete in retail, not just how to design for it. Most retail packaging design companies can create visually appealing designs. Few can create something that moves product.

A great packaging design company doesn’t just master color and layout; they understand the realities of packaging materials, deadlines, and market pressures. Whether working with custom packaging, corrugated packaging, or sustainable packaging design, experience ensures the final product performs on-shelf and online.

The top food packaging designers and agencies understand that success stems from combining visual appeal with storytelling that effectively sells. That’s what sets a trustworthy packaging design agency apart: one that offers a comprehensive packaging design service and understands sustainable packaging not as a trend, but as a growth driver.

When evaluating how to choose a packaging design firm, look for one that has lived the retail battle, not just observed it. The right packaging solution comes from teams that design with strategy, compete with confidence, and deliver measurable results.

Look for Happy Clients

Client feedback says more about a designer than any portfolio ever could. Before choosing the right packaging design company, verify that their glowing testimonials come from authentic brands and real results. It’s a simple check that separates credibility from clever marketing.

Once verified, dig deeper. Ask clients about their experiences with communication, responsiveness, and collaboration throughout the design process. Great packaging designers don’t just deliver visuals—they provide consistency, reliability, and measurable success.

A reputable packaging company will have clients eager to share how their product packaging design performed in the market. Were sales impacted? Did the design elements strengthen brand identity? Did the team understand the nuances of packaging materials or label design for specific categories, such as food packaging or CPG brands?

True success is reflected in repeat business and results. The most effective packaging design addresses a packaging need, drives purchase intent, and strikes a balance between creativity and strategy. Whether you’re seeking premium aesthetics or eco-friendly packaging, happy clients are your best proof that you’ve found a partner who knows how to make designing packaging work for your brand, not just your shelf.

Look for a Packaging Designer with a Process

Strong brands don’t happen by accident; they’re built through process. A credible package design company creates from insight. Every custom packaging design project should begin with thorough research, a well-defined strategy, and validation before any visuals are presented. That’s how you move from decoration to differentiation.

A proven process fosters alignment between design and brand positioning, ensuring that every decision supports your market goals and aligns with customer expectations. The right partner doesn’t just deliver a good product packaging design; they provide effective packaging that performs both on the shelf and online.

Experienced teams consider every detail from print design and structure to selecting the right packaging material for form, function, and sustainability. Whether you’re developing smart packaging that connects digitally or recyclable packaging that connects ethically, the process ensures impact and consistency.

A true packaging engineer also understands the commercial side—how packaging decisions affect cost, manufacturability, and scalability. The result? Great packaging that works as beautifully as it looks.

Don’t mistake cheap for efficient. The best results come from a thoughtful packaging strategy and an experienced team that treats design as both art and performance. The same level of discipline that goes into your product should also be applied to its packaging, from brand visuals to stationery design and beyond.

That’s not just good design. That’s deal design, a strategic partnership built to win at retail.

Look for a Portfolio that Pops

Every artist has their own style, but a packaging design firm’s portfolio should feature a diverse array of projects that shouldn’t necessarily be identifiable by the designer. If you can look through a designer’s portfolio and see obvious design similarities between projects for different clients, that is a strong indication that the designer either cannot vary their aesthetic or believes leaving a personal mark trumps creating a unique visual identity for the client. Your company has a unique story to tell, and your design should reflect that in an original way.

However, some designers specialize in certain statements for specific markets. If you know that the package designer’s major successes have been in designing strong, bold, simple brands and you, likewise, want a strong, bold, and simple brand, then you might be in business.

Finally, be cautious of designers who have a high concentration of unused designs in their portfolios. You want to see how successfully a designer collaborated with a company, not what the designer would do if they had tons of free time to dream up random concepts.

Use the same judgment and standards when choosing your packaging designer as you would when choosing your plastic surgeon. You want to make sure that he or she has the experience, has a track record of success, and can show you a roster of happy clients, because the work is going to be with you for a long, long time.

Data-Driven Brand Development

Want a best-selling brand? SmashBrand is a brand development agency for FMCG and CPG companies. From brand strategy to packaging design testing, our Path To Performance™ process guarantees a retail performance lift. Book a time to discuss your project with our team.