QSR & Food Franchise Packaging Specialists
Packaging that keeps up
with your franchise growth.
We help QSR franchise operators with 5–50 UK locations get compliant, consistent, brand-right packaging — without the supplier chaos.
Growing QSR franchises deserve packaging that grows with them. Most operators are managing 3–4 suppliers, inconsistent branding across sites, and compliance risk they don't fully understand. We fix all three.
The problem we solve
Sound familiar?
Every franchise operator we talk to is dealing with at least one of these — most are dealing with all four.
01
Inconsistent branding across sites
Your customers get a different brand experience at location 3 than location 12. Franchisors are noticing. It's quietly eroding trust at every touchpoint.
02
Multiple suppliers, constant chaos
Different cups from one supplier, bags from another, labels from a third. Every reorder is a new project. One partner should handle all of this — and can.
03
Compliance gaps you can't see
Allergen labelling errors, Natasha's Law gaps, FSA non-compliance. The risk is invisible until it isn't — and by then it's expensive and reputation-damaging.
04
Every new location is a scramble
Opening a new site means racing to get packaging from whoever delivers fastest. Brand standards slip. Compliance is an afterthought. It shouldn't be this hard.
How it works
Simple. Structured. Sorted.
Four clear steps from chaotic to consistent — then ongoing management so you never think about it again.
Step 01
Packaging Clarity Audit
We map your entire packaging estate, flag compliance gaps, and deliver a priority action report in 5 working days.
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Step 02
Franchise Unification
We redesign and unify all packaging to one brand standard — compliant, print-ready, single supplier across your whole estate.
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Step 03
Growth Partnership
Ongoing management of all reorders, new location onboarding, and quarterly compliance reviews — handled monthly for you.
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Step 04
You focus on growth
Packaging sorted. Every location consistent. Every reorder managed. Every compliance update covered. You scale — we keep pace.
Our services
Three offers. One clear path.
Every client starts with the audit. Most move through all three. One client who does is worth £12,000–£30,000+ in year one.
Entry offerThe Packaging Clarity Audit
A forensic 5-day review across all locations — compliance gaps, brand consistency, supplier costs, all in one prioritised report.
Core offerFranchise Packaging Unification
End-to-end unification across every location — designed, compliant, single supplier, ready to reorder at any scale.
Monthly retainerThe Growth Partnership
Monthly packaging management — reorders, new locations, compliance reviews, design amends. Everything handled, every month.
Why Aetherium
We work exclusively with food franchises. Every decision we make is guided by what works at scale — across locations, not just one site.
— Aetherium Innovations founding principle
Franchise-specific expertiseWe only work with QSR and food franchise operators. We understand franchisor standards, multi-site compliance, and the reorder pressures single-site suppliers never encounter.
Full attention, not a handoffDirect access to our team — no junior account managers, no ticket queues. We treat every client as if they're our only client.
Compliance built in from day oneEvery item cross-referenced against FSA requirements, Natasha's Law, and your franchisor's standards before it goes near a printer.
Speed that matches your timelineAudit in 5 days. Projects in 4–6 weeks. No missed launch windows, no delayed openings, no chasing us for updates.
Our services
Three offers.
One clear path to packaging that works.
Start with the audit. Solve the problem end to end. Then let us manage it as your franchise grows.
Offer 1 — Entry offer
The Packaging Clarity Audit
A fast, forensic review of everything wrong with your franchise packaging — with a clear, prioritised roadmap of exactly what to fix first. Delivered in 5 working days.
Price£497 fixed fee
Timeline5 working days
Payment100% upfront
Best for5–50 locations
Book audit — £497
What's delivered
01
Full packaging inventory map
Every item across every location documented — cups, bags, boxes, wraps, labels. Most operators have never seen this in one place.
02
Supplier consolidation assessment
True costs including minimums, reprints, delivery, and management time — a precise number on the inefficiency across your estate.
03
Brand consistency scorecard
A visual rating of how consistent your packaging is across locations — graded against franchisor expectations and what customers experience.
04
Compliance gap report
Allergen labelling, Natasha's Law, FSA requirements — every gap identified and rated by risk level. No surprises on your next audit.
05
Priority action roadmap + 45-min delivery call
A clear ranked list of what to fix, what it costs, and what the impact will be — PDF report plus a live walkthrough call.
Day 1
Kickoff call + packaging asset collection
Days 2–3
Full audit and analysis by Aetherium
Day 4
Report and priority roadmap compiled
Day 5
45-minute delivery call — walkthrough of all findings
Offer 2 — Core offer
Franchise Packaging Unification
One brand. One supplier. One standard across every location — designed, compliance-checked, and ready to reorder. This solves the core problem end to end.
Price£3,500–£7,500
Timeline4–6 weeks
Payment50% start · 50% delivery
Includes2 rounds of revisions
Start with an audit first
Ask a question
What's delivered
01
Unified packaging design suite
All packaging items redesigned to one brand standard — bags, cups, boxes, napkins, labels, and every customer touchpoint relevant to your operation.
02
Full compliance sign-off
Every item checked against FSA allergen requirements, Natasha's Law, and your franchisor's standards before a single file goes to print.
03
Print-ready artwork files
All files formatted for your print supplier. We brief the printer directly — nothing gets lost in translation at the final stage.
04
Single supplier setup
All relationships consolidated into one account with agreed pricing, lead times, and minimum orders set in advance. Reordering becomes a one-call process.
05
Packaging brand guidelines
A one-page reference for your ops team — what to order, who to order from, what the standards are. No more guesswork at site level.
06
2 rounds of design revisions
Included in the project timeline. Additional rounds at £150/round if scope expands beyond initial brief.
Week 1
Brand discovery + packaging brief
Week 2
Initial design concepts presented
Week 3
Revisions + full compliance review
Weeks 4–6
Final artwork + supplier setup + handover
Pricing note£3,500 for 5–15 locations. £5,000–£7,500 for 15–30 locations or more complex estates. Always quoted after the Offer 1 audit — you know exactly what's in scope before committing.
Offer 3 — Monthly retainer
The Aetherium Growth Partnership
Ongoing packaging management as your franchise expands — reordering, new location onboarding, compliance, and design updates all handled for you, every month.
Price£750–£2,000/month
Minimum term3 months
PaymentMonthly direct debit
After termRolling monthly
Discuss the partnership
Included every month
01
Dedicated account management
One point of contact for every question, request, or issue. Response within 4 working hours — no tickets, no handoffs, no waiting.
02
Full reorder management
We manage all reorders — tracking stock across your estate, coordinating suppliers, ensuring no location ever runs out. You approve, we execute.
03
New location onboarding (up to 2/month)
Every new site stocked and packaged to the unified standard automatically. No scrambling, no brand compromises at launch.
04
Quarterly compliance review
Full allergen and labelling check every quarter — keeping all packaging compliant as regulations evolve and your menu changes.
05
Minor design updates (3 hrs/month)
Seasonal promotions, menu tweaks, label updates — up to 3 hours of amends per month included at no extra charge.
06
Monthly packaging report
A one-page summary of all spend, reorders, compliance status, and upcoming actions across your entire estate — without asking for it.
Pricing note£750/month for 5–15 locations. £1,200–£2,000/month for 15–50 locations with higher reorder volume. Reviewed at 6 months as your estate grows. One client at £1,500/month = £18,000/year.
The client journey
How the three offers work together
Every client enters through the audit. The audit sells the unification. The unification earns the retainer.
Step one
Packaging Clarity Audit
£497 · 5 days
Get in the door. Build trust. Show the client exactly what's broken and what it's costing them.
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Step two
Franchise Unification
£3,500–£7,500 · 4–6 weeks
Solve the core problem end to end. Make yourself indispensable before the retainer conversation.
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Step three
Growth Partnership
£750–£2,000/mo · ongoing
Lock in recurring revenue. Scale with the client. Build a stable, predictable business.
A single client through all three offers in year one
£12,000 – £31,500+
audit + unification + 12 months retainer at £750–£2,000/mo