The drinks manufacturer asked Smurfitt Kappa to develop packaging for the tipple that would reflect the brand identity of Black Cow Vodka, which is made from cows' milk.
The luxury gift pack contains a 50cl bottle of Black Cow, a black waxed truckle of Black Cow’s deluxe cheddar and a serving of Dorset quince jelly.
Jason Barber, the West Dorset dairy farmer who came up with the idea for Black Cow Vodka, said that the packaging was important for the brand: “The packaging has to be an extension of the story and the brand guidelines that are a core part of Black Cow’s identity.
“We wanted a piece of packaging that was simple, innovative and created a fun reveal for our products. The materials that were chosen, namely the gold blocking and the tactile finish, give a premium feel and appearance that reflect the very high-quality nature of our product.
“The combination of a unique tie-in between food, alcohol and farming is a luxury gift box featuring a soft-touch feel matching the smoothness of the vodka, finished by gold foil decoration topped with a gloss varnish reflecting the award-winning quality of the cheddar cheese.
“The luxury gift pack is designed to transport the liquor firmly and safely but with a light touch to ensure the freshness and purity of the ripe cheese.”
Smurfit Kappa Barnstaple was responsible for overseeing the design and specification of the pack.
The firm's general manager Patrick Sweeney said: “We are often approached by brand owners wishing to extend their franchise. However, this is the first time that we have been asked to package such a unique mix of innovation and tradition.
“It is immediately apparent that Black Cow Vodka is a labour of love for the Black Cow team so creating a pack that can be used as a high-quality display item as well as a practical transit unit was the top of our priorities.
“The pack has been extremely well received by the retail trade, and we believe that the opportunity to match food with alcohol is a trend that many other artisans and commercial manufacturers will be moving towards in the future.
Smurfit Kappa recently opened its second UK Experience Centre in Mold, North Wales, bringing the company's number of regional centres across Europe to seven.
