Introduction

Murukku is one of the most loved savoury snacks in Sri Lanka and across South Asia. Crisp, crunchy and often spiced with chilli, it is shared at home, served to visitors, packed for journeys and prepared in large quantities for festivals such as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and Deepavali. Families have their own recipes, and every town has its favourite makers.

As more traditional snacks move from home kitchens and small shops into supermarkets, local producers face a new challenge. Their product may taste excellent, but on a crowded snack shelf it competes with international crisps, large local brands and dozens of similar packs. Packaging becomes the first and often the only chance to persuade a shopper to try it.

This case study describes how Dsigngo Group designed packaging for Sam Products’ hot and spicy murukku, a 135 g metallised poly bag that brings the heat of the snack to life with flames, chilli and bold colour, while giving shoppers and retailers the information they need.

The client

Sam Products is a Sri Lankan food brand based in Malwana, in the Gampaha District, producing and marketing traditional snacks and food products. Dsigngo Group has also worked with Sam Products on its Kalawan Pure Ceylon Tea packaging, which is described in a separate case study.

For the murukku range, Sam Products wanted packaging that would help the snack move confidently from local shops into larger retail outlets, while keeping the warmth and authenticity of a traditional Sri Lankan snack.

The brief

Sam Products asked for a pack that would:

• Make the hot and spicy flavour obvious at a glance.
• Show the snack clearly and make it look appetising.
• Build a recognisable look for the Sam Products snack range.
• Show Sri Lankan origin with pride.
• Include ingredients, net weight, dates, batch and price fields, and the packer’s details.
• Print well on a metallised (silver) poly bag suited to snack products.
• Stay affordable to print in the quantities a growing local brand needs.

The challenge

A crowded snack shelf

Snack shelves are among the busiest in any shop. Packs are small, colourful and often hung on strips or stacked in baskets. A new local pack needs strong colour and a simple message to be noticed in seconds.

Showing taste and heat

“Hot and spicy” is a feeling, not a picture. The design needed to make shoppers almost feel the heat before they opened the pack.

Traditional, but modern

Murukku is traditional, and many shoppers buy it because it reminds them of home. At the same time, the pack had to look modern and trustworthy enough to sit alongside national brands.

Working with a flexible pack

Poly bags are filled, sealed and handled in ways that crease and stretch the surface. Important text and images must stay clear of seals and folds, and the design must still look good when the bag is full and curved.

Label information in a small space

Ingredients, net weight, dates, batch number, price and packer details all need space. The design had to fit this information neatly without crowding the front.

Research and insight

Our team looked at how murukku and similar spicy snacks are sold in Sri Lankan supermarkets, small grocery shops and bakeries. Many local snack packs used plain backgrounds or clear bags that showed the product but did little to communicate flavour. International snack brands, on the other hand, used strong colour, flavour cues and appetite imagery.

We also noted that shoppers choose spicy snacks for excitement. The heat is part of the fun. Fire, chilli and warm colours are universally understood signs of spiciness, and they cross language barriers easily, which matters in a country where shoppers read Sinhala, Tamil and English.

The insight was to make the whole pack feel hot. Instead of placing a small chilli symbol in a corner, the pack would be wrapped in flames, with the snack sitting in the heart of the fire.

The creative concept

The concept is “bring the heat”. The top half of the bag is covered in a repeating pattern of stylised flames in red, orange and yellow, inspired by traditional decorative motifs. Through the centre runs a bright yellow band carrying the Sam Products logo and the product name in large red letters with a white outline.

Below, a plate of crisp, red-orange murukku sits on top of a burst of real flames, with a fresh red chilli lying across the front. A “Hot & Spicy” flash in red and yellow sits to the left, and a round “Product of Ceylon” badge with a lion emblem shows the snack’s origin.

The lower part of the bag changes to a light cream background with a subtle traditional pattern. This calmer area holds the ingredients, net weight, dates, batch and price fields, and the packer’s details, all clearly readable.

Design decisions

The flame pattern

The flame pattern is the pack’s signature. It turns the whole top half of the bag into a visual statement of heat. Its shapes echo traditional Sri Lankan and South Asian decorative patterns, which gives the design a local feel rather than a generic fire effect. When packs are lined up on a shelf, the pattern repeats across them and creates a strong block of colour.

Product name

The product name is set in a bold, rounded display type in red with a white outline and a soft shadow. It is large enough to read from a distance and friendly enough to suit a snack. The yellow band behind it makes it stand out against the flame pattern.

The snack image

The plate of murukku shows the product’s ridged texture and rich colour. Placing it on top of real flames creates a direct visual link between the snack and its heat. The red chilli in front adds freshness and confirms the spicy flavour.

Hot & Spicy flash

The flash uses a rough, brush-style type in red on a yellow splash shape. Its energetic look suggests the kick of chilli and makes the flavour easy to spot. The same flash can be changed for other flavours, such as mild or garlic, to build a range.

Product of Ceylon badge

The round badge with a lion emblem communicates Sri Lankan origin. “Ceylon” is a name many international buyers associate with quality food products, especially tea and spices, which can help if the range is exported.

Colour

The palette is built from fire: red, orange and yellow. These colours are proven appetite stimulants and are strongly associated with spicy food. The cream lower section provides contrast and keeps text readable.

Metallised silver bag

The pack is printed on a metallised film, which gives a subtle shine and helps protect the snack from light, moisture and air, keeping it crisp. Areas printed with white ink underneath look bright and solid, while unprinted or lightly printed areas let the metallic shine come through.

Information panel

Ingredients, storage advice, net weight, dates, batch and price fields, and the packer’s name and address are placed on the cream panel at the bottom. Text is kept to a clear, readable size, and blank fields are provided for date and price printing at the factory.

Our design process

1. Discovery: discussing the product, target shops, budget and print method with Sam Products.
2. Shelf research: reviewing competing snack packs in local stores.
3. Concepts: developing several directions, including a traditional pattern concept, a photographic concept and the flame concept.
4. Concept selection: the flame concept was chosen for its strong flavour communication and shelf impact.
5. Artwork development: building the flame pattern, product name, snack image and badges.
6. Label content: organising ingredients, weight, dates and packer details.
7. Mock-up: creating a realistic 3D bag mock-up to show the client how the pack will look when filled.
8. Technical preparation: setting up dielines, seal areas, white ink layers and colour separations for the printer.
9. Approval and handover.

Technical preparation for flexible packaging

Flexible packaging is usually printed by rotogravure or flexographic printing on rolls of film, which are then formed, filled and sealed. Good artwork preparation is essential:

• Seal areas: top and bottom seals and the back seam are kept free of important text and images.
• White ink layer: on metallised film, a white base layer is needed under colours that must look solid and bright. We prepare a separate white ink layer for the printer.
• Colour separation: colours are prepared for the printer’s process, with attention to how reds and yellows reproduce on film.
• Registration and trapping: small overlaps between colours prevent gaps if the printing plates shift slightly.
• Variable data areas: blank fields for manufacturing date, expiry date, batch number and price are positioned where the packing line’s coding printer can reach them.
• Barcode: if the product enters supermarkets, a barcode is added in a high-contrast area with enough quiet space around it.

Label information and compliance

Food labels in Sri Lanka must follow the Food Act and its regulations, including requirements for the product name, ingredients, net content, manufacturer or packer details, dates and, where relevant, food additives. Requirements on languages and specific wording should always be checked against the latest regulations before printing.

The pack lists permitted colours (E102 and E110) and a flavour enhancer (E621). These are common in spicy snacks, but they matter for export. In the UK and the European Union, foods containing certain colours, including E102 and E110, must carry a warning that they may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. Gulf markets have their own additive and labelling rules. If Sam Products plans to export, the recipe and label should be reviewed for each market.

We also recommend reviewing allergen information. The pack lists wheat flour and sesame, both of which are common allergens, and many markets require allergens to be highlighted in the ingredients list.

Building a snack range

The pack was designed as the start of a range. The structure can stay the same while the flavour flash, product name, photo and accent colours change:

• Hot & spicy: red, orange and yellow flames.
• Mild or classic: warm golden tones with softer patterns.
• Garlic or curry leaf: greens and creams with herb imagery.
• Other traditional snacks: such as mixture, banana chips or cassava chips, using the same Sam Products band and layout.

A consistent range layout helps shoppers find their favourite flavour and makes Sam Products easier to recognise on shelf. It also lowers design costs for each new flavour, because the structure, technical setup and label panel can be reused.

Keeping the snack fresh

For a crunchy snack like murukku, freshness is part of the product promise. Once murukku absorbs moisture, it loses its crunch, and once its oil is exposed to light and air for too long, its flavour can turn stale. The metallised film helps here, because it provides a stronger barrier than clear plastic.

We recommend that Sam Products confirms the film structure, seal strength and shelf life with its packaging supplier, and tests packs under typical storage conditions, such as warm shops without air conditioning. The storage advice printed on the pack, to store in a cool, dry place, supports this. The note that the expiry date may vary with environmental conditions should also be reviewed against current labelling rules, because dates on food labels are generally expected to be fixed and reliable.

Bringing the pack to market

Good packaging works best when supported by simple marketing:

• Social media posts showing the pack, the snack and serving moments.
• Shelf strips and small posters for shops.
• Festival promotions around Avurudu and Deepavali, when demand for murukku rises.
• Gift packs or multipacks for festivals and visitors.

Measuring success

Sam Products can track new retail listings, reorders from shops, sales by flavour and feedback from shoppers and retailers. Comparing sales before and after the new packaging helps show its impact.

Deliverables

• Front and back artwork for the 135 g metallised poly bag.
• 3D pack mock-up for presentations and online use.
• Print-ready files with white ink layer and colour separations.

What made this project work

• A flame pattern that makes the whole pack communicate heat.
• An appetising snack image combined with real flames and chilli.
• Clear origin messaging with the Product of Ceylon badge.
• A calm information panel that keeps label details readable.
• Careful technical preparation for metallised flexible packaging.

Lessons for local snack brands

• Make the flavour visible across the pack, not just in a small symbol.
• Show the real product clearly and appetisingly.
• Use origin as a strength, especially for traditional products.
• Plan for a range from the start.
• Prepare artwork carefully for flexible packaging and coding printers.
• Review ingredients, additives and allergens for every market you plan to sell in.

Relevance for local food producers

Many Sri Lankan food producers make excellent traditional products but struggle to compete on supermarket shelves. Professional packaging can help them win listings, build loyal customers and prepare for export. Dsigngo Group works with local producers, including Sam Products and our own Udari Nuts & Spices brand, on packaging, labelling and launch materials for Sri Lanka, the UAE and international markets.

Frequently asked questions

Do you design flexible snack packaging?

Yes. We design poly bags, pouches, stand-up pouches and other flexible packs, and prepare artwork for rotogravure and flexographic printing.

Can you help with food label information?

We organise and design label content supplied by the client, and flag areas that may need checking. Final regulatory approval remains with the client and their advisers.

Can you design packs for traditional Sri Lankan foods?

Yes. We design packaging for snacks, sweets, spices, teas and other traditional products, combining local character with modern shelf appeal.

Can you create a 3D mock-up of the pack?

Yes. We create realistic mock-ups for client approval, presentations, websites and online stores.

Can the design be adapted for export?

Yes. We adapt languages, label content and layouts for export markets, including the UAE, the wider Gulf and Europe.

Conclusion

Sam Products’ hot and spicy murukku pack shows how a traditional Sri Lankan snack can compete confidently on a modern shelf. A flame pattern, a bold product name, an appetising snack image and a clear Product of Ceylon badge make the flavour and origin obvious at a glance, while a well-organised information panel and careful technical preparation make the pack practical to produce.

Ready to give your traditional products packaging that sells? Talk to Dsigngo Group about snack and food packaging design in Sri Lanka.

Design Your Snack Packaging

Sources

• Dsigngo Group project files.
• Sri Lanka Food Act No. 26 of 1980 and Food (Labelling and Advertising) Regulations, for general reference.
• UK Food Standards Agency, guidance on food colours and the required warning for certain colours, for general reference.