Each caramel is wrapped on its own, because caramel is sticky and soft and pulls moisture from the air; then the wrapped caramels go in a bag, box or tin. Wax paper squares twisted at the ends are the classic wrap and the cheapest; cellophane shows the caramel; printed wax wrappers carry the brand on every piece. A cello bag with a twist tie is the cheapest package, a kraft box looks like a gift, and a tin is for December. In the example below, a Washington cottage food maker prices four options for a dozen: 28 cents to $1.45 a package.
The short version
- Wrap each caramel: it's sticky and pulls in moisture.
- Wax paper twists are classic and cheap; cellophane shows the caramel.
- Printed wrappers carry the brand on every piece.
- A cello bag is cheapest; a kraft box or tin looks like a gift.
- Declare milk, and nuts if there are any.
- Under a cottage food permit, the label adds the permit and statement.
- TaroStack puts the wrappers and box in each batch's cost. More below.
The options
| Option | Shows the caramel | Looks | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wax twists in a cello bag | Through the bag | Classic | Markets |
| Wax twists in a kraft box | No | Gift | Markets, orders |
| Cellophane twists in a gift tin | When opened | Gift | December |
| Printed wrappers in a cello bag | Through the bag | Branded | A settled line |
Caramels are cut once set, wrapped the same day, and bagged so the air can't reach them; a humid day makes them sticky in the wrapper. How long they keep is in caramels shelf life.
The label
A package's label lists its ingredients in order by weight (21 CFR 101.4), the name and place of business (21 CFR 101.5) and the net quantity (21 CFR 101.105), and declares any major allergen (21 U.S.C. 343(w)): caramels made with butter and cream contain milk. Under Washington's cottage food permit, the label also carries the business name and WSDA permit number and the statement "Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria," in at least 11-point type, as washington cottage food laws sets out. This is general information, not legal advice.
An example: four options for a caramel maker
Columbia Orchard Kitchen, the made-up cottage food maker in Wenatchee, Washington, I use in these examples, wraps about 300 dozens of caramels a week before the holidays, for two farmers markets and website orders paid at pickup:
| Option | Parts | Per package | 300 a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wax twists in a cello bag | 12 wax squares, bag 6¢, tie, label | $0.28 | $84.28 |
| Wax twists in a kraft box | 12 wax squares, box 45¢, label | $0.66 | $197.50 |
| Cellophane twists in a gift tin | 12 cellophane squares, tin $1.20, label | $1.45 | $434.52 |
| Printed wrappers in a cello bag | 12 printed wrappers, bag, tie, label | $0.50 | $151.02 |
The market sells cello bags; website orders for gifts get the kraft box; the tins are a December item priced well above the bag. Printed wrappers cost two and a half times plain wax squares, and 5,000 is four months of caramels. The packages are sold in person, as the permit requires. Pricing the caramels themselves is in how to price candy.
Get the calculator
Download the caramel packaging calculator. Two sheets: components, each part of each option with its pack price, units, how many a package uses and waste; and compare, each option's cost per package and per week at your volume, with notes. It's an ordinary Excel file with no macros, and it works in Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Numbers.
Where this stops working
A cost sheet doesn't know which batch is in which bag. When a customer asks about one bag, or a lot of cream is recalled, the bags it went into have to be found.
How TaroStack does it
TaroStack keeps each batch's lot, the packaging in its cost, and where every case went.
Each batch a lot. Each batch of caramels records the ingredient lots it used, gets its own lot and dates, and lot labels print for the packages.
Packaging in the recipe. The wrappers, bags and boxes are items in each caramel's recipe, so every batch uses them up at the price you paid, and the count of what's left stays current.
Where it went. Each customer's order records the lots it got, so one recall report shows every customer a batch reached.
| The job | Notebook | In TaroStack |
|---|---|---|
| Which batch is in a package | Written on it | The lot on its label |
| Wrappers, bags and boxes left | Counted when you run out | Used by every batch |
| Which shops got a batch | Invoices | One recall report |
Lots, batches, recipes and true cost are on every plan, from $49 a month. The first 30 days are free, with no credit card. If you'd like a hand setting up, ask, and we'll do it with you.