Colour Label Printing for Farm Shops & Delicatessens
Print professional full-colour product labels in-house for jams, chutneys, honey, bakery products, meat, cheese, deli foods, ready meals, drinks, hampers and own-brand products.
An Epson ColorWorks printer gives farm shops, delicatessens and food producers greater control over product labelling, allowing you to print the labels you need, when you need them, without ordering a separate batch of pre-printed labels for every product variation.
Why print in-house?
More Control Over Your Product Labels
Short Runs
Print the quantity you actually need for small batches, seasonal products and limited editions.
Quick Changes
Update product names, ingredients, weights, barcodes and other variable information before the next print run.
Less Waste
Reduce stocks of pre-printed labels that can become obsolete when a product or design changes.
Full Colour
Print your branding, product imagery, text, barcodes and variable information together on the finished label.
Labels for Your Own Product Ranges
Farm shops and delicatessens often manage far more product variations than a conventional retailer. One range may contain several flavours, recipes, pack sizes and seasonal versions.
You may also make products on site, portion goods in store, buy products in bulk for repacking or sell products under your own brand.
Instead of buying thousands of each label design: keep suitable blank label media in stock and print the finished colour label when the product is packed or required.
What Can You Print on the Label?
Branding
- Business logo
- Product branding
- Full-colour graphics
- Product names
- Seasonal designs
Product Information
- Ingredients
- Allergen information
- Weight
- Storage instructions
- Serving or cooking instructions
Variable Information
- Barcodes
- QR codes
- Batch information
- Date information
- Product variations
Food labelling: printing in-house gives you control over the label, but the food business remains responsible for ensuring that the information, allergens, declarations and label format meet the regulations applicable to the product.
Applications
What Products Can You Label?
Jars & Bottles
Jams, marmalades, chutneys, preserves, honey, sauces, dressings and condiments.
Bakery
Bread, cakes, biscuits, pies, quiches, pastries and other bakery products.
Meat & Deli
Fresh meat, sausages, burgers, cooked meats, cheeses, olives and antipasti.
Prepared Foods
Sandwiches, salads, soups, chilled products, prepared foods and ready meals.
Drinks
Juices, speciality drinks and other bottled own-brand products.
Coffee & Confectionery
Coffee, tea, chocolates, sweets and other packaged speciality foods.
Seasonal Products
Christmas, Easter, harvest and other limited-edition product ranges.
Hampers & Gifts
Own-brand hampers, gift packs, boxes and locally sourced product collections.
Labels for Products Packed In-Store
Delicatessens, butchers and farm shops often portion or repackage products for sale. That can create many combinations of product, weight, pack size and storage information.
Printing labels in-house can make these shorter and more variable runs easier to manage, particularly for cheeses, cooked meats, antipasti, bakery products and prepared foods.
The label material and adhesive matter just as much as the printer. Refrigeration, freezing, condensation, oils, curved jars, plastic containers and other packaging surfaces can all affect label performance.
Printer comparison
Which Epson ColorWorks Printer Is Right for You?
| Printer | Label Width | Best Suited To | Typical Farm Shop Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson ColorWorks C4000e | Up to approximately 108 mm | Compact desktop colour label printing | Jars, bottles, bakery bags, deli containers, coffee, honey and smaller product packaging |
| Epson ColorWorks C6000 | Up to approximately 112 mm | More demanding regular label-production workflows | Businesses producing labels frequently across several ranges or departments |
| Epson ColorWorks C6500 | Up to approximately 216 mm | Wider colour labels | Prepared-food trays, large containers, boxes, hampers and wider packaging |
Epson ColorWorks C4000e
A compact desktop colour label printer well suited to businesses printing relatively modest volumes of narrower labels.
Available with matte-black or gloss-black ink configurations.
Epson ColorWorks C6000
A step up for more demanding workflows, with configurations including auto-cutter and peel-and-present versions.
Well suited to businesses printing regularly across multiple product ranges.
Epson ColorWorks C6500
Designed for wider colour labels that cannot be accommodated by the narrower C4000e and C6000 models.
Useful for larger food packs, trays, boxes and hampers.
How to Choose the Right Printer
Label Size
Measure the width and height of the labels you intend to use. This can immediately narrow down the appropriate printer.
Print Volume
Estimate how many labels you expect to print each day, week or month.
Number of Designs
Consider how many products, flavours, recipes, weights and seasonal variations you manage.
Packaging
Tell us whether the label will be applied to glass, plastic, card, flexible packaging or another surface.
Storage Conditions
Consider refrigeration, freezing, moisture, condensation, oils and handling.
Application Method
Let us know whether labels will be applied manually or as part of another packaging process.
Paper or Synthetic Labels?
Paper Labels
Can be a good choice for many dry, room-temperature products where the label is not exposed to significant moisture or handling.
Synthetic Labels
Can provide greater resistance where labels may encounter refrigeration, condensation, oils, moisture or heavier handling.
There isn't one label material that is right for every food product. Adhesive, packaging surface, storage conditions and the point at which the label is applied all need to be considered.
For that reason, we recommend testing the label on your actual packaging before committing to volume media orders.
Try before you decide
Request a Colour Label Print Sample
Send us your artwork and we'll help assess how your label could look when printed using Epson ColorWorks technology.
Include your label dimensions, packaging type and approximate monthly print volume. If possible, tell us whether the product is refrigerated, frozen or likely to encounter moisture or oils.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I print ingredients and allergens?
Yes. Ingredients, allergens, storage information, weights, barcodes and other product information can form part of the finished label. You remain responsible for ensuring the information and format meet applicable food-labelling requirements.
Can I print different weights?
Variable information can be changed before labels are printed. The most suitable workflow depends on how the product is currently weighed and how the label data is generated.
Can labels go in a refrigerator?
Yes, provided an appropriate media and adhesive combination is selected for the packaging surface, application temperature and storage conditions.
What about condensation and oils?
Synthetic media can offer greater resistance than standard paper labels, but the complete label, ink, adhesive, packaging and environment should be tested together.
Is printing in-house always cheaper?
No. The strongest case is usually where you have multiple designs, shorter runs, frequently changing information or seasonal ranges. Your print volume and existing label costs should be compared.
Can I see a print sample first?
Yes. Send us your artwork, dimensions and application details and we can help assess the application and arrange a colour print sample.
Bring Your Product Labelling In-House
Whether you run a farm shop, delicatessen, food hall, butchery, bakery or on-site kitchen, the right colour label printer can give you greater control over short runs, seasonal products and changing product information.
Not sure which printer or label material you need? Send us your label dimensions, packaging type and approximate print volume and we'll help narrow down the options.