The 2020 Guide to Gifting Gourmet Food Swag
In this article
Food is a powerful swag gift. It works for everyone and can add a massive experiential element to your custom swag pack. It also lends a unique human touch. Few things can compete with good food.
Here’s why gourmet food swag is a great idea.
- It’s different.
Swag items such as stickers, t-shirts and mugs are quite common. Gourmet food isn’t. For that reason alone, you stand out. However, it goes further than that. Food is by its very nature, a thoughtful gift. It shows you care.
- Food is an emotion.
When was the last time you celebrated without food? Probably never. Good food elevates satisfaction and well-being, creating great memories. Think of the restaurants you keep going back to. Now imagine your clients and employees feeling the same way about your company. Incredible, right?
- It’s flexible.
Remember we talked about the experiential element of food? Take it to a whole new level by combining with other essential swag. Check out our featured swag packs below. It also lends for a great option since you can purchase at low minimums.
Obviously, gourmet food swag is a great idea. Thinking of putting together a pack? We've got your back with these essential tips.
1. Choose products with a long shelf-life
Many companies shy away from gifting food owing to its exhaustive nature. One way to overcome this is by choosing products that have at least six months of shelf life. Another way is to provide a variety of selections. Chocolate may be consumed quickly but a bag of ground coffee or hot cocoa blend will be relished many times over. If you plan on sending food for swag, we recommend sending items that travel well. Sending chocolates to someone in Florida might not be the best option since it may melt on their front door. We also don’t recommend warehousing any food options for long term. Swag food is perfect for rush orders, low minimums and a stress free option.
2. Express your brand’s voice
Food has always had power to set the mood. Gifting a VIP? Include champagne or wine with a custom label (and everything needed to enjoy it) in your branded swag pack. Similarly, if you’re a creative agency, custom branded coffee might work better than nuts. Choose items that reinforce your brand voice. Nevertheless, you can rarely go wrong with food. Some food options allow for custom branding and personalization which really enhance the experience.
3. Take note of preferences
Do they have any allergies? Do they only consume gluten-free or vegan? Being given food you can’t consume is hard to appreciate. If you don’t know your audience well, the safest route is to choose items that anybody can have. And even then, your options are aplenty.
4. Think outside the holidays
Holidays aren’t the only time we celebrate. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider adding elements that can be used for any occasion, further enhancing the WOW factor. Sending some custom branded food either as an addition to a custom branded swag pack or as an individual swag gift is great for company milestones, employee onboarding, or work anniversaries. We even have seen success in sending food to clients as a simple thank you for leaving a good review, new partnerships or as part of a marketing campaign.
5. Don’t forget the personalized note
Food is personal. Enhance it with a personalised Moo card. Thank them for their time and add in a request to enjoy the wonderful swag goodies you’ve sent them. As the food conquers the heart, let your note conquer the mind.
Alright, you’re all set to put together your gourmet food swag pack. Confused between candies, chocolates, coffee and dry fruits? Here are a few items to get you started.
Table of Contents
For Work Anniversaries
For Employee Onboarding
For Virtual Happy Hour
For Employee Recognition
Bonus: Food Swag Accessories
Bonus: Food Swag Packs
Top Food Swag for Work Anniversaries
1. Custom Branded Wine
Why we like it:
Classy? Yes. Thoughtful? You bet. A good ol custom branded bottle of wine is the quintessential "I'm happy for you" gift. They last long and can be used for several occasions. It’s an easy choice, honestly. It’s the perfect way to celebrate someone’s company anniversary and it’s easy since you don’t have to worry about buying high minimums. It makes it extra special having some personalization on the bottle for any company milestone, anniversary or promotion.
Best swag for: Client Gifts, VIP Thank You, Company Milestones, Company Culture, Employee Appreciation
2. Harry & David Gift Basket
Why we like it:
Everybody loves receiving a gift basket. You can choose from a wide variety of sizes, items and packaging to find the perfect combo. These baskets ooze class and are super easy to order. A huge basket of snacks to share with the family? Few things come close.
We love this option since it’s filled with goodies and you can select from a variety of options. Similar to the Custom Wine Bottles this option comes in minimums as low as one! Making it a good stress free option for a one time occasion.
Best swag for: Client Gifts, Employee Birthdays, Company Milestones, Employee Anniversaries, Reward Pack, Newly Funded, Company Mergers
Top Food Swag for Employee Onboarding
1. Snacknation Snack Boxes
Why we like it:
Okay, we’re just gonna say it. Snacks are cool gifts! With the entire remote-work thing becoming mainstream, your team will definitely appreciate being given snacks to munch on. All of us get hungry while working. Let’s face it, we might all miss the unlimited snacks our offices provided. So sending some monthly snacks to employees is a great perk idea! You can send a fun snack box to employees and ensure to schedule a virtual snack break!
Best swag for: Remote office gifts, Welcome Swag, Employee care, Wellness gifts, Functional Swag
2. Fully Custom Eliqs Cans
Why we like it:
Ever wanted to drink out of a personalised can? Eliqs lets you do exactly that. Convey your brand’s unique culture with custom branded beverages. You can choose from craft beer, canned wine, hard seltzer and purified water. This is great for any virtual celebration! We love these custom cans from Eliqs for it offers water and alcohol options!
Best swag for: Company Culture, Happy Hour Swag, Virtual Celebration, Holiday Gift, Brand awareness
3. Kind Power Bars
Why we like it:
Power bars are the most functional of food gifts for a nice throw in option to a custom swag pack. They can work as a quick snack or even as a meal replacement. Kind bars are made with real, recognisable ingredients, resulting in healthy and tasty bars. It’s the perfect aid for productivity. When creating custom swag packs for onboarding it’s always great to offer items they can use right away. Adding a nice powerbar for a new hire's first week will surely be needed during training! We also have been seeing companies scheduling power brakes with other co-workers as part of their onboarding to meet other team members!
Best swag for: Onboarding, Remote Teams, Employee Culture, Wellness, Productivity
4. Raaka Chocolate
Why we like it:
Raaka is chocolate anyone can have. It’s vegan, and free of gluten, soy and dairy. Plus, all Raaka chocolate is unroasted which means you’re gifting the brighter, bolder, and fruitier side of cacao. Chocolate is an intimate desire for all of us. Raaka helps you tap into it effortlessly. We love this chocolate for onboarding swag since its branding is fun and it’s a great addition to any new hire pack!
Best swag for: VIP Gifts, Employee Appreciation, Specialty Swag, Premium Swag, Holiday Gift
5. Sustainable Snacks - Chocolate Superfood Snacks
Why we like it:
All the yumminess without the guilt. These chocolate superfood snacks from Sustainable Snacks are the perfect midday pick-me-up. Using simple, wholesome ingredients you can actually find in your pantry, these plant-based clusters come in three flavors: Blueberry and Pecans, Cranberry and Walnuts, and Spicy Cherry and Almonds.
Best swag for: Office Snacks, Employee Appreciation, Edible Swag, Health & Wellness
Top Food Swag for Virtual Happy Hour
1. W&P Craft Cocktail Set
Why we like it:
Let’s face it. 2020 hasn’t been an easy year. We’ve needed all the support we can get. Virtual happy hours are no substitute for the real ones your team is used to. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it special. Send over these craft cocktail kits that include everything needed to make an exotic cocktail. All they need to do is add the hard stuff ;) It even makes for a perfect option for sponsored virtual happy hours!
Best swag for: Virtual Happy Hours, Remote Teams, Company Culture, Company Milestones, Office Celebration, Sponsorship Virtual Events
2. Sencha Naturals Matcha Latte Mix
Why we like it:
Got any teetotallers in your team? Instead of skipping happy hours, get them to join in with some creamy, vegan green tea latte! Soon, even team members who prefer the hard stuff are gonna be craving these refreshing antioxidants. We also love this vegan option as a pack addition. It’s a perfect pair for client care packages or virtual event snacks.
Best swag for: Virtual Happy Hours, Remote Teams, Company Culture, Company Milestones, Office Celebration
Top Food Swag for Employee Recognition
1. Noms Cookies in Custom Wood Box
Why we like it:
Noms believes good cookies save friendships, marriages and lives. And we think personalised cookie boxes are an amazing way to appreciate your team members. There’s something warm and intimate about cookies, making them oh so irresistible! We also love that the box can be repurposed. This box has a wow factor to it and is by far one of our favorite swag snacks since it offers personalized and something sweet!
Best swag for: Employee birthdays, Employee Anniversaries, Reward Pack, Company Culture, Client Gifts
2. Custom Film Reel Tin with Giftcard
Why we like it:
This snack-filled film reel tin is the perfect gift for the cinephile on your team. Combine it with a gift card to show how much you really appreciate them. Who doesn’t like being gifted a great movie experience? This swag snack pairs nicely with a movie night theme swag pack or care package gift.
Best swag for: Employee appreciation, Client gifts, Leisure, Holiday Swag, Date Night
3. Movie Night Gourmet Popcorn Gift Set
This glorious set comes with 3 different flavoured popcorn kernels and 5 seasonings. Combine it with a branded popcorn bowl and you’ve got a gourmet food swag winner on your hands. They’ll smile remembering you everytime they watch a movie. This is great pack option for anyone with kids or for remote workforce swag gifts. It offers both swag items and food, which our favorite type of combo!
Best swag for: Client Gifts, Leisure, Holiday Swag, Wellness, Relaxation
4. Sugarfina Candy Cubes
Not mentioning candy on a gourmet food guide would be a sin.This pack of champagne flavoured gummy bears from Sugarfina was named ‘the perfect party flavor’ by Cosmoplitan magazine. You can obviously add these to your swag. You can also indulge in them yourself. We’d totally understand ;)
Best swag for: Executive Gifts, Holiday Swag, Happy Hour Swag, Company Culture, Fun Swag
Bonus: Food Swag Accessories
1. Custom Logo Coasters
Apart from avoiding the annoying “ting” noise every time you put down your mug, coasters have legitimate purposes. They catch condensation and prevent scratches and stains on surfaces. Chances are, you’ve given mugs in earlier swag. Follow it up with some good looking coasters. We love swag gifts that are made for home or to be on someone’s desk. It’s a great way to have some brand reminders at home especially when working remotely. We like the Stick and Stone Coaster Set (shown here).
Best swag for: Essential Swag, Onboarding Swag, Home Office, Company Culture, Swag Pack Addon
2. Branded Bottle Openers
With all the custom wine bottles and cocktail swag kits you’re gifting, it’s a no-brainer to throw in a bottle opener. Bottle openers are strong contenders for "that tool we can never find when we need." Having an extra one of these can’t hurt.
Best swag for: VIP Swag, Client Gifts, Employee Care, Company Milestone, Holiday Swag
3. Branded Corkcicle Flute
You love your drinks. And so do the folks over at Corkcicle. This custom branded champagne flute keeps your favorite beverage chilled and bubbly. Store upto 7oz. of your favourite drink in a shatter-proof, slip-proof, slide-proof, stemless flute.We love this option especially when paired with some champaign and other swag goodies. It’s a perfect swag gift that calls for some celebration!
Best swag for: Happy Hour Swag, Holiday Swag, Employee care, Milestones, Company Anniversary
4. Custom Logo Moscow Mug Set
Gifting a moscow mule craft cocktail kit? Complete it with a moscow mug. The copper helps in enhancing the taste and aroma of the cocktail, while its thermal properties make sure that your drink remains colder for longer. A moscow mule is best enjoyed in a moscow mug. Period.
Best swag for: Happy Hour Swag, Holiday Swag, Client Gifts, Employee milestone, Executive swag
Bonus: Food Swag Packs
1. Holiday Night Movie Pack
Gift a family movie experience with our Holiday Movie Night pack. It contains a Custom Herringbone Wool Blanket, W&P Peak Popcorn Poppe, a Movie Theater Popcorn Box and a Smartphone Projector 2.0. Let the show begin!
Best swag for: Employee Appreciation, Holiday Swag, Leisure Swag, Company Culture, Care Package
2. Moscow Mule Pack
Our Moscow Mule Pack is the perfect swag pack for a virtual happy hour with the C-suite. It contains a custom copper mug, a craft 3-piece cocktail kit, a custom wooden box, a branded stone coaster and a Moo insert card. Cocktail party anyone?
Best swag for: Happy Hour Swag, Holiday Swag, VIP Gifts, Client Gifts, Company Milestone
3. The Wine Down Pack
The ultimate wine swag pack. This classy set contains everything required to enjoy wine including bottle openers, sweet and salty snacks, Raaka chocolate, two tumblers and a bottle of red and white wine. Whoever receives this will be one fulfilled person.
Best swag for: Happy Hour Swag, Holiday Swag, VIP Gift, Virtual Events, Employee Appreciation
Food Swag is the best!
Whether it’s corporate gifts or employee swag, food is an excellent option. Remember that memories are forever. With top-notch food experiences, your clients and employees will keep thinking about your brand for ages. Simply refresh the memories with more amazing swag the next holiday season!
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