Mike Dittenber and other officials at Warren Packaging do not mind the pressure being but on the company by retailers to think, pardon the pun, outside the box. In fact, the Ontario, CA-based packaging company has made a reputation for itself as a company that will work with its clients to develop the right program for each and every company it works with.
“Packaging has definitely become much more important and complex within the produce industry over the past few years with a high focus on branding and marketing as well as sustainability,” said Dittenber. “Retailers are interested in new and creative ways to display produce and we get to help develop those. There is also a high demand from retailers as well as consumers for sustainable options, which we have also been seeing more and more opportunity for us to step in and help establish.”
Dittenber adds that on the branding and marketing side, produce growers and distributors, as well as retailers, have been using more bring colors and full graphic images to show off their product and make their brand stand out to the consumer. They are also using more creative structural designs to display product differently.
“Fortunately, structural design has always been the backbone of Warren Packaging,” he said. “Creating new and creative boxes and displays has been a specialty of ours since the beginning. We also became one of the first companies to offer digital printing on corrugated, which has made printing full graphics on boxes and displays much more affordable while maintaining great quality.”
Sustainability is a key focus as well over the last few years. Warren Packaging was one of the first companies to introduce a paper clamshell to the produce industry, which was a biodegradable and 100 percent recyclable 2 pack avocado box. “From there, we expanded to many other varieties such as tomatoes, grapes, kiwis, onions, garlic and many others,” Dittenber adds. “We have incorporated a cellulose (non-plastic) window on many of these for better visibility of the product, but also maintaining the sustainable properties. We continue to innovate regarding both of these areas which have been a huge factor in our success and growth within the produce industry.”
One of the other areas Warren Packaging helps is with multiple product lines. By offering corrugated boxes/displays, folding cartons and product labels, the company’s customers can rely on Warren for all three products rather than having to source each individually from different suppliers. Design is another area where the company has great expertise. “We design each product to meet the specific needs of that supplier or retailer,” Ditterber said. “We can make modifications to existing items or create a brand-new look.”
It has been quite the journey for Warren Packaging, which was formed in 1999. Phil Warren had been in the box and packaging industry for more than 30 years, starting out at his father’s box plant, Marlin Container when he recognized an opportunity to supply corrugated box customers with product labels and folding cartons. Along with his son, Phil Jr., now a part owner and vice president, he started another company.
Not long after Ditterber joined the operation about a decade ago, the company merged together to bring everything under one roof under the Warren Packaging name. “This is really the key event that led to the growth of the company,” he said. “Since then, we have found ourselves in the position of requiring more and more space along with more capability to keep up with production and become a leader of innovation in the industry. We now have multiple facilities in California, as well as several partner facilities throughout the United States.”
And the future? Ditterber, who has been involved with sales and marketing for about five years, says the company will focus growth and expansion in California as well as nationwide through partnerships and acquisitions. While the majority of Warren’s business and production is in California, the company is gradually expanding its capabilities to surrounding states, plus Texas and New Mexico), the Midwest and northeast over the last few years.
“As our network and relationships grow, our capabilities will grow simultaneously,” he said. “Even though a large amount of our business is in the produce industry, there is still a large number of suppliers and retailers that we still have not worked with yet. We are excited about how much potential is still out there for us.”
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