Bucked Up in Canada: A Box Designed for the Brand, the Retailer and the Co-packer

Launching an energy drink in a big-box retail environment takes more than a strong product. The packaging must protect the product, meet retailer requirements, run efficiently on an automated packaging line and support the brand. Every detail matters, especially when production involves a co-packer.

As part of this Canadian launch, l’Empreinte worked with the client and project partners to develop a  carton folding box for Bucked Up, an American energy drink sold at Costco. The mandate went well beyond printing. The packaging had to be strong, stable and adapted to the weight of the cans, palletization constraints, warehouse presentation and the requirements of an automated packaging line.

Structural Design Guided by Packaging Constraints and Brand Objectives
One of the key challenges was the can format, which was not commonly used in the local market. This made the structural design stage even more strategic. Before moving into production, the team had to validate the structure, rigidity, closure as well as the required space around the cans and the compatibility of the paperboard box with the co-packer’s equipment.

Several prototypes were produced to test different options. The client wanted a handle-free box with a clean, straight and as-square-as-possible appearance. This requirement guided the structural design work: paperboard selection, flap configuration, box stability and resistance to bulging. The goal was to create packaging with a clean visual presentation, while also supporting the realities of shipping, stacking and market rollout for a high-volume retailer.

Prototypes to Reduce Risk Before Production
Blank samples were then produced and sent to the co-packer to test how the box would perform on the packaging line before printed production began. This step is essential. A box may be approved on paper and work well by hand, but react differently once exposed to the actual product, machine speed and packaging parameters.

Proximity as an Advantage
In this type of project, proximity becomes a major advantage. L’Empreinte was able to produce mockups quickly, adjust the structure throughout the validation process and provide hands-on technical support to both the client and the co-packer. This local presence reduces risk, accelerates decision-making and allows details to be corrected before they become production issues.

For Bucked Up, the packaging was not simply a printed box. It was a key part of the brand’s entry into the Canadian market: a tool for protection, presentation and packaging-line performance, developed to meet the requirements of a chain where the brand, the retailer, the co-packer and the printer all have a role to play.