Dom Organics introduces new packaging

Toronto seafood company Dom International has revamped its approximately 15-year-old Dom Organics product line, introducing new packaging and some subtle design changes.

It is the third major iteration for the product, and its first in about four years says Robert Sloan, vice-president of finance and marketing for Dom International. The process got underway in September 2015.

The revamp was done in association with Toronto-based Hoop Design, which has also overseen packaging redesigns for Quality Home Products and the Allan Candy Company’s Big Foot line of products.

The most significant change is a switch from printed plastic bags to a combination of an external paper sleeve and plastic that better reflects the product’s organic branding, says Sloan.

“We felt that our packaging wasn’t really selling the benefits of our product as well as it could,” says Sloan. “Organic products are more expensive than a conventional product, so we wanted to make sure that quality was shown in the packaging.

“It’s also a much more natural product, so we wanted to make sure the packaging hit those elements.”

The Dom Organics line—comprised of Atlantic salmon portions, three shrimp products, blue mussels and smoked Atlantic salmon products—continues to use vacuum-packed plastic pouches to maintain freshness, says Sloan.

The company also plans to incorporate the new packaging for planned additions to the product line. Sloan says that its Mediterranean sea bass and organic trout products will arrive on grocery shelves in 2017.

The new packages also feature what Sloan calls a “completely new look” that includes a slight tweak to the Dom Organics logo, more prominent product images, and an expanded window on the front that allows customers to see the product inside.

Sloan won’t say how much the company invested in the new packaging, but that it does cost slightly more to produce than the previous iteration. “Maybe we’re spending a few pennies more on the packaging, but I think our consumers will appreciate the new look and feel,” he says. Organic seafood typically costs 30-50% more than non-organic, he says.

Dom International products are distributed across Canada, primarily in Ontario and Quebec, and it also sells in the U.S., primarily in the New York region. The products are carried by organic and natural food stores, as well as major chains including Longo’s, Loblaws and Metro.

Sloan says that Dom Organics’ sales are rising as a result of changing consumer habits. “The seafood sector continues to grow, and organic seafood has been growing phenomenally over the last 15 years,” he says. “Our sales growth has been quite healthy as people eat more seafood and more organic food. This really hits the spot in both of those markets.”

Dom International is the sponsor of the upcoming Organic Week, a nationwide celebration of organic food, farming and products that is now in its seventh year.