Publisher's Letter

By Chris Lyons

The Essence of Collaboration

Our cover story on the award-winning packaging from private label powerhouse Safeway is a remarkable story of what happens when you blend multiple talent pools together. Congratulations to the teams of professionals that are bringing these award-winning product lines and packages to market. The rest of the issue touches on private label topics and insights into packages that were designed from the ground up.

This month's Designer's Corner concocts a recipe for design success that any designer could follow. And in a special Retail Focus, Bill Wynkoop provides a review of the private label packaging innovations and where some of the best private label trends originated.

Our spotlight series has a fascinating blend of product profiles that push the edge of the envelope in package design for wine, writing tools, tea, and learning products. And our monthly Wow! What a Package! does it again by showcasing how the cross-pollinating of packaging designs from one category to another can provide premium pricing for certain categories. Finally, our profile of Sonoco examines one of the country's most comprehensive and capable suppliers, their rich history, and their committed focus on service.

As always, we thank you in advance for your reflections on this issue of Package Design Magazine. With your input, our collaborative effort at serving your informational needs will only get better, and our issues will be that much more valuable.