Digital Printed Pouches Benefits

Digitally printed pouches offer a highly customizable and impactful packaging solution for products like food, snacks, pet supplies, and dietary supplements.

Thanks to significant advancements in digital printing technology, these pouches can be produced quickly with vivid, fade-resistant colors that enhance shelf appeal. This makes it easier for brands to create eye-catching packaging that grabs attention and stands out from the competition in today’s crowded retail environment.

However, that’s not all. There are many other benefits of using digital techniques to print onto pouches. Let’s take a look at 8 of the most common benefits.

1) Reduced Upfront Costs

One of the key benefits of digitally printed pouches is the elimination of traditional setup costs, often referred to as origination fees. In conventional printing, these fees typically cover the creation of custom plates needed for each color and design—an expensive and time-consuming process.

Digital printing, on the other hand, uses a four-color process that relies on electronic files (like PDFs) and precisely applied dots of toner or ink to reproduce vibrant, detailed images. Because it doesn’t require physical plates, digital printing allows for quick turnaround times and flexible design changes without extra costs.

This makes digital printing ideal for small production runs, such as product samples, market testing, or limited editions. Brands can print only what they need, reducing financial risk, speeding up time to market, and keeping upfront investment to a minimum.

2) Quick Turnaround

Digitally printed pouches can be manufactured within just 5 to 10 days after artwork approval, offering a remarkably fast turnaround compared to traditional packaging methods. This accelerated timeline ensures that your product moves from design to shelf-ready packaging with unmatched speed.

Whether you need 500 or 50,000 pouches, production begins immediately once your artwork is approved and your slot is scheduled. The result is a high-quality, consistent packaging solution delivered faster than the industry standard. And if you need additional units, the process can be quickly repeated—making it easy to scale up or reorder without delays.

3) Low Minimum Order Quantity

One of the challenges with traditional printing methods—and many printing companies—is the requirement for high minimum order quantities, which can be a significant barrier for brands that only need a small number of pouches.

At Readability, our digital pouch printing process is designed to be far more flexible. While digital printing theoretically allows for no minimum order quantity, the practical costs involved in setting up very small runs typically make orders under 500 units less economical.

That said, our approach is ideal for small-batch needs, such as limited-edition flavors, seasonal releases, or new product launches. We also offer a range of trial options, including unformed, machine-printed, and laminated proofs for visual checks, as well as fully formed pouch samples so you can experience how your final product will look and feel—before committing to a full run.

Please note that while we can accommodate smaller volumes, the unit cost for runs of around 500 pouches will be higher due to setup and production expenses.

4) Great Flexibility with Packaging Designs

Digitally printed pouches provide a flexible and efficient way to test and refine packaging designs. Everything from colors and imagery to branding elements and copy can be adjusted to discover what best resonates with your target audience.

Because digital printing doesn’t require traditional setup processes, design changes can be made quickly and easily, allowing for continuous improvement based on customer feedback—all without disrupting your production schedule or supply chain. This makes it an ideal solution for brands looking to stay agile and responsive in a competitive market.

5) Order Only What You Need

Packaging waste is a common challenge in the industry, especially when it’s difficult to control production volumes. This issue has gained attention as more brands aim to reduce their environmental footprint. Excess packaging—often referred to as “overs”—can accumulate quickly, leading to unnecessary landfill or recycling and driving up costs over time.

Digitally printed pouches offer a smarter, more sustainable solution.

Thanks to the precision and flexibility of digital printing, brand managers and procurement teams can order exactly the quantity they need—no more, no less. This not only minimizes waste but also boosts efficiency and helps reduce costs, with potential savings that can be passed on to customers. It’s a more responsible way to manage packaging—both environmentally and economically.

6) Print Different Designs on the Same Run

If your product line includes multiple SKUs or variants—all using the same pouch size and material but featuring different designs—you can combine them into a single digital print run.

This approach allows you to order varying quantities of each SKU while benefiting from the cost efficiency of a larger combined order. It’s especially useful for introducing new or limited-run products, as smaller quantities can be included within a larger batch—avoiding small order fees and reducing your overall cost per unit.

Thanks to the versatility of our digital press and our team’s deep understanding of digital print processes, we’re able to offer this level of flexibility. It’s a smart, efficient way to manage your packaging needs—giving you greater control over inventory, cost, and launch timelines.

7) Ability to Reach New Customers

Digitally printed pouches provide a powerful advantage over traditional packaging by offering greater flexibility to connect with your target audience. Designs can be quickly updated with new colors, messaging, or language to reflect regional preferences or market-specific campaigns.

Whether you’re launching a product in a new location, targeting a different age group, or promoting a limited-time offer, digital printing allows you to easily localize and customize your packaging—without the long lead times or high costs of conventional methods. This agility helps keep your brand relevant, visible, and aligned with your evolving marketing strategy.

8) Publicizing Sustainable Pouches

As sustainability becomes a major factor in consumer purchasing decisions, it’s increasingly important for brands to offer packaging options that reflect a commitment to environmental responsibility. Having access to a variety of pouch materials with different eco-friendly properties is now essential.

With digital printing, pouches can be produced on a wide range of sustainable substrates—including fully compostable, curbside recyclable, and store-drop-off recyclable materials. This gives brands the flexibility to align their packaging choices with both their environmental goals and customer expectations.

An added advantage of digital printing is the ability to easily update and highlight sustainability messaging directly on the pouch, ensuring customers clearly see the eco-friendly benefits of their purchase. This helps differentiate your product from competitors still using traditional, less sustainable packaging—reinforcing your brand’s values and commitment to a greener future.

Stand Out with Digital Printed Pouches

The benefits of digital printed pouches for food, snacks, pet foods and supplements are prevalent and with DeerPak Industries you can take full advantage of them.

As well as offering efficiency benefits and a competitive edge over traditionally printed pouches and packaging product, you have the capability to make your products stand up and stand out on the shelf from your competitors.

Contact DeerPak Industries today to learn more about our digital printed pouches and request a quote.