Small Pets and Big Opportunities: Reaching a New Consumer Segment with E-Commerce
Planting A New Opportunity for an Agricultural Leader
Anderson Hay & Grain is one of the largest hay exporters in the United States. Located in Central Washington, this family-owned business put down roots in the early 20th century that over decades grew into a global corporation. Known for their quality Timothy and alfalfa hay, today the company maintains its position as a business-to-business category leader by focusing on personal relationships and family values.
In 2021, the Anderson family had a vision of growth to reach a new audience. They imagined that the same hay that built Anderson Hay & Grain could be harvested, packed and delivered directly to consumers’ doorsteps. Thus, Andy by Anderson Hay was born as a 100% online e-commerce storefront serving small pet owners.
Nurturing an Online Brand
The team at Andy knew that to create a brand that connected with their online audience would require a strong visual presence, creative marketing, and great packaging. They hired an experienced agency to develop their brand assets and loved the bright and bold direction that was created.
When it came time to translate the Andy brand into an eye-catching packaging design, challenges began to present themselves. The Andy team ran into roadblocks when searching for a supplier who could produce their box designs to be color-accurate to the brand and still promote a natural look using kraft material.
As a startup, Andy needed a packaging supplier who could provide excellent print quality and high-quality finished goods in small quantities to accommodate for artwork changes and shifts in SKU demand.
The BoxMaker Answers the Call with Digital Print
After knocking on many doors, Andy was able to find their perfect match in a supplier with The BoxMaker. Our Enterprise Sales and Structural Design teams listened to the brand’s needs and helped conceptualize a creative solution powered by digital print.
To give the packaging a natural look that would still accurately reflect Andy's brand colors, The BoxMaker incorporated a faux kraft image into the design and printed it on uncoated white boxes. Not only does the colorful aspect of the design stand out more, but the overall box looks like actual kraft.
Digital print requires no print plates, empowering Andy to change their graphics with every print run. Recently this provided significant cost savings when Andy launched a new organic version of their Timothy hay and were simply able to update their print design without incurring new plate costs. Additionally, digitally printed boxes can be cost-effectively purchased in low order volumes, allowing Andy to start small and scale as they grow.
Harvesting a Great Outcome and Getting Ready for Growth
The Andy brand is being embraced by small pet owners across the United States, with an active online following and highly engaged community. From unboxing videos to social media shares, it’s clear that the Andy team have created a beloved brand that will last.
“We didn’t hear ‘No’ from [The BoxMaker]. We just heard different options and different ways that we could make it work.”