Hey Innovators,
Simon from Sandwich Break here 👋 Your go-to lunch break newsletter for bite-sized insights, practical takeaways, and a sprinkle of inspiration.
It’s Wednesday, January 7th.
On the menu today: a condiment brand that nailed “ordinary done right,” an AI tool that can bring your packaging dreams to life, and a quick tax form heads-up.
🛎️ TODAY’S SPECIAL
Acid League just took salad dressing from “meh” to must-have.
Food-scientist founders dreamed up bold flavors, paired them with clean, colorful design, and anchored it all in real-world values that resonate, like health-consciousness, plant-based sourcing, and preservative-free quality.
That’s the secret sauce that turned a humble condiment into a cult favorite.
🧀 LAYERED LESSONS
Here’s how you can take a page from Acid League’s playbook:
Push boundaries: Take risks with flavors, features, or ingredients. When you surprise people, even everyday items feel premium.
Lean into values: Sustainability, craftsmanship, and authentic messaging all resonate with customers.
Give packaging a pick-me-up: Clean, colorful visuals set products apart and communicate quality right off the bat.
Details make the difference: Ingredients, origins, and thoughtful storytelling turn everyday items into must-haves.
Make the product experience shareable: When people feel proud to use your product, they become brand advocates.
☕ SIP OF TECH
Does your product packaging need a facelift? If you’re bootstrapping, this AI can handle the mundane tasks, so you have more time to add the human touches that make your products stand out.
Try Packify.ai it generates packaging concepts and product photos from simple prompts. No design team? No problem.
Example Packaging Made With Packify.ai
🍿 SNACKABLE SIDE
Heads up: the 1099 reporting bar just got higher. Starting January 1, 2026, W9/1099-MISCs and 1099-NECs are only required for people or businesses paid $2,000+. That means less paperwork and a cleaner plate heading into the new year.
🍪 LAST BITE
Before you take your last bite of today’s newsletter, here’s a tasty tidbit to chew on that can help you rethink how you craft product descriptions.
AI Prompt of the week:
“Reimagine my [product] as if it were a must-have lifestyle item. Write 3 short product descriptions (under 50 words) that tie it to values like community, sustainability, and style. Make it punchy, memorable, and impossible to ignore.”
Until next time,
Simon
from Sandwich Break
