Packaging Decisions That Strengthen—or Break—Your Value Chain

Packaging Decisions That Strengthen—or Break—Your Value Chain
Wednesday, September 16th
3:30 – 5:00 pm MT
KeHE Innovation & Growth Office
1750 14th St, Boulder, CO 80302

Purpose of the Session:

• Packaging choices shape the entire value chain. Materials, design, specifications, supplier constraints, MOQs, claims, and consumer‑facing elements all carry operational consequences. This forum helps operators understand where packaging decisions create downstream risk — and how to build packaging systems that strengthen brand integrity, regulatory compliance, and manufacturing performance.

Core Discussion Points

• Packaging Materials — How material choices (glass, aluminum, paperboard, flexible films, multilayer laminates) influence cost, manufacturability, sustainability, and downstream performance.
• Packaging Design — How design decisions (shape, dimensions, tolerances, artwork layout, functional features) create operational constraints or enable efficiency across suppliers and co‑mans.
• Packaging Specifications — What a complete spec must include, how specs prevent ambiguity, and where incomplete or outdated specs create risk across the value chain.
• Supplier & Co‑Man Alignment — How packaging choices affect equipment compatibility, line speed, defect rates, production reliability, and how MOQs lock in cost structures, inventory exposure, and cash flow constraints.
• Consumer‑Facing Communication— How claims, certifications, required panels, and consumer‑facing design elements introduce regulatory risk, influence shopper perception, and shape brand trust.

Roundtable Discussion Questions

• Which packaging decision has created the biggest downstream impact for your brand?
• Where do materials, design, or specs most often create confusion for suppliers or co‑mans?
• How have MOQs influenced your packaging cost structure or inventory risk?
• What claims or consumer‑facing elements have created operational or regulatory challenges?
• What packaging decisions have strengthened your value chain — and why?

Optional Deep‑Dive Topics

• Packaging as a strategic lever vs. a tactical deliverable
• How to build packaging workflows that prevent rework
• Sustainability choices that don’t compromise operations
• Version control as a value‑chain safeguard
• Packaging governance models for small and mid‑size CPGs

Speaker: David Nardone

David is a multidisciplinary creative based in the mountains of Colorado. With 15+ years of experience in creative and design strategy, David continues to have a natural and insatiable curiosity to understand the world around him. With his inquisitive and analytical nature, David believes that an informed strategy is the key to successful design. He strives to improve communication — making information more accessible and easier to understand — and to do it strategically, beautifully, and thoroughly.