How to Nail Corporate Food Gifts (& Avoid The Sad Snack Box)
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Time to read 4 min
Let’s be real: most corporate food gifts are a letdown.
They’re easy to send, they check the holiday box, and they work for big teams or large recipient lists. But most of the time, they land with a thud. The presentation is bland, the contents are uninspired, and worst of all, the food isn’t even that good. We’re talking grocery-store-shelf level. It feels like a corporate afterthought—because it is.
But here’s the thing: corporate food gifts can be amazing. They can be crave-worthy, creative, and wildly memorable—if you follow some basic rules. Whether you're sending to five people or five hundred, here's how to give food gifts that people actually get excited about.
Psst - corporate food gifts aren't the only thing you can give to a group! Check out our guide to group gifting that actually works.
1. Don't overlook the presentation
When it comes to custom food gifts, what's on the outside really does count as much as the products themselves.
People eat with their eyes first, so great packaging doesn’t just elevate the look—it can literally make the treats more delicious.
This is true for the exterior packaging as well: whether it’s a beautifully branded mailer, custom inserts, or even something unexpected like a mini piñata or velvet drawer box, good presentation elevates the entire experience. (And yes, we can help you design the whole thing.)
Skip the cellophane: our corporate food gifts are wildly modern and undeniably premium.
2. Make the calories count
This is where corporate food gifts can really shine. Skip the big-box brands and instead seek out indie makers, small-batch producers, limited edition flavors or interesting global snacks they’d never find on their own. Your goal? Make them say, “Wait, where did you find this?" (And then, "Where can I get more?!")
3. Variety is king
Don’t overload a box with ten versions of the same thing. (No one wants to receive a mountain of mediocre popcorn.) The best corporate food gifts offer a mix of flavors and formats—sweet, salty, snacks, sips, and maybe even something quirky or unexpected. Variety increases your chances of hitting the right note and makes the unboxing experience more fun.
4. Make it occasion-specific
Just like gifts from any other category, corporate food gifts should match the moment. There are a couple of ways you can do this:
- With the type of products: Cocoa and gingerbread for the holidays, herbal tea and granola for a wellness initiative, or locally made goodies for a destination event
- With the flavor of products: Birthday cake flavored goodies for a company anniversary, champagne flavored items for a celebration or milestone, or tropical flavored treats for a summer gift.
- With the packaging of the products: Black-and-gold wrapped sweets for an executive gift, treats in special edition holiday packaging, or pastel-wrapped confections for a spring launch.
5. Aim for inclusivity
You don’t need to make the whole box allergen-free, but including at least one or two gluten-free, vegan, or nut-free options in your corporate food gifts shows that you’re paying attention. Bonus points for labeling everything clearly.
6. Consider non-edible complements
Level up corporate food gifts with a coordinating item or two for added dimension and utility: sleek drinkware paired with an included beverage (i.e. a modern mug side-by-side with artisanal hot cocoa); a modern insulated lunch sack or bento box with snack items; or even a book or game that's related to the products inside.
7. Brand with intention
Please don’t slap your logo on every. single. item. That’s how you take a $60 snack box and make it feel like trade show swag. That said, there are ways to brand corporate food gifts without making it feel like trade show swag:
- Co-brand with the maker: Consider adding your logo alongside the name of the maker - as long as it's a quality brand (which you should be using anyway!)
- Think beyond the logo: Branding doesn't just have to mean slapping your company's name on everything. Choose products in your brand's color palette or create a custom design / illustrations to weave through the entire gift, including the exterior packaging, for a very premium & intentional look. We can help with this!
- Choose brand-able products that actually taste good: There are lots of truly delicious artisanal food and beverage options from indie makers that can be customized — choose those over generic, mass produced promotional food every time.
8. Let recipients choose
While this isn't a must for corporate food gifts, it's always nice to give recipients a choice — whether that means picking from pre-set options "Sweet vs. Savory" or "White vs. Dark Chocolate", provide any allergy restrictions, or even select their exact gift. (Psst - GiftHub is perfect for this, and it's free!)
9. Include an insert
We can’t say this enough: a printed informational card or insert elevates the entire experience of receiving corporate food gifts. Share what’s inside, why you picked it, and who made it.
Telling the stories behind the snacks is what makes your gift feel like a curated experience—not just a random assortment from a warehouse. (Yep, we can do this for you!)
A little insert about the products makes a big impact - it's how recipients know these are actually special snacks (vs. the grocery store special).
10. Skip the booze (or offer an alternative)
Unless you really know your audience, including alcohol in corporate food gifts can be a risky move. A safer—and more inclusive—approach is to gift everyone a non-alcoholic option. Want something more celebratory than coffee or cocoa? Think zero-proof wines, sparkling teas, or adaptogenic drinks. If alcohol is on the table, consider giving recipients a choice between a spirited gift and a premium non-alcoholic alternative.
The bottom line? You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to treat corporate food gifts with the same care you’d give any other touchpoint of your brand. It should look good. It should taste good. And most of all, it should feel good—like a treat worth receiving.
Need help creating corporate food gifts that are actually worth the calories? That’s kind of our thing.
