After 20 years of working across large companies in the UK and Australia, industry identity Liza Vernalls has launched her own package development consultancy, LV Consulting. It is open to service SMEs and larger businesses Australia-wide, as well as into the Asia-Pacific.
Vernalls has an extensive background in packaging development for a range of firms, such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Mondelez International, and most recently held the position of packaging director at Campbell Arnott’s.
Speaking to Food & Drink Business, Vernalls said she found a gap in the market for package development, where the emotional and ritual aspects of pack interaction is fundamental to the success and longevity of certain pack formats.
“Companies often focus on the technical aspects which although very important, doesn’t guarantee consumers will notice it and interact with it. After all packaging is the ‘silent salesman,’” said Vernalls.
“Unlocking the right attributes to build into the design is the ‘secret sauce’ and what has kept me in the industry so long.
“In addition, there is much guilt associated with the use of packaging and consumers are often confused as to which bin to use for packaging disposal. My passion is to help businesses with these aspects.”
LV Consulting will offer three services, including:
- Packaging Innovation: To help companies define and unlock the right package based on a methodology that Vernalls has developed over a number of years. “This then becomes the menu for development and communication with cross functional partners such as marketing or packaging suppliers,” she said.
- Packaging Sustainability Strategy: Helps companies define and formulate strategies to comply with the 2025 targets; and
- Packaging Team Mentorship: Helping teams build “T-Shaped” capability, where they balance the technical and creative/commercial aspects, “thereby moving the mentality from a service department to a business partner”.
Responsible packaging is a focus at LV Consultancy, with Vernalls starting her sustainability journey back in 2008 while working for then owner of Ribena, GSK. She helped launch the UK’s first 100 per cent rPET bottle, which she says, “fuelled my passion for sustainability”.
“There is much angst regarding the environment with many consumers expecting the brand owner to do the right thing,” Vernalls told F&DB.
“Future clients can benefit from having a defined pathway to sustainability as well as communicate the what they are doing to the consumer.”
For businesses looking to engage with LV Consulting, clients are asked to send a general overview of the project or work is required, as we as outline which of the three services they are interested in.
For more information and to get in contact with Vernalls, visit http://www.lvconsulting.org/
