Lancaster gift company looks to make corporate gifting easier

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With the majority of corporate gifting concentrated over the holiday season, companies are seeking creative ways to leave a lasting impression on their clients. As the holidays approach, Lancaster Gift Box looks to provide an alternative solution to corporate gifting while also supporting Lancaster County‘s local makers.

Located on the 300 block of North Queen Street in Lancaster City, Lancaster Gift Box, formerly Lancaster Local Provisions, was launched in 2020 as a marketplace concept to support local food producers. Owners Gabriel Luber and Diana Smedley began curating gift boxes with items created by their featured makers. As the new product line gained popularity, the pair decided to rebrand the company in September 2022 to focus exclusively on gifting solutions.

Since its establishment, Lancaster Gift Box has invested energy in cultivating strong corporate partnerships, coming alongside businesses to create a year-long gifting strategy. Diana and Gabriel sensed frustration from business owners as they sifted through the generic gift options available from mainstream gifting brands. They heard business owners struggling to stand out amidst the slew of holiday gifting in the corporate arena, so they doubled their efforts to create gifting options that would serve the business community. From placing an order to shipping out the gifts, Lancaster Gift Box aims to create a gifting experience without hassle.

“In a world that’s moving [toward] digital and less human experiences, there is incredible power in putting together a physical gift that’s made with really beautiful intention, that seems to break through the clutter and really connect with people,” Gabriel said.

Passionate about supporting small-batch food producers, family businesses, and local artisans, Gabriel and Diana ensure each item included in a Lancaster Gift Box is sourced from Pennsylvania makers. Popular brands featured by Lancaster Gift Box include Miesse Candies, Stroopies, Hammond’s Pretzels, Christina Maser, among others. Clients can choose from curated Taste of Lancaster boxes with sweet and savory items, or clients can get creative by requesting a theme for the box’s contents.

“When you buy a Lancaster Gift Box, you’re really supporting at least seven small businesses within that box,” Diana said. “People know that Lancaster is where yummy things are from, and so it’s really fun for companies based in Lancaster to send a taste of where they’re from to their clients around the country.”

Believing in the importance of expressing gratitude to one’s customers, Tom Malesic, president of EZ Solution, spent thousands of dollars on gifts to send clients each year. Despite the elaborate efforts to display gratitude for his clients and customers, Malesic noted that he only received a few responses from the clients receiving the gifts but, for the most part, heard crickets in response to their efforts. He questioned whether his clients felt valued and appreciated.

When a colleague sent Malesic a gift from Lancaster Gift Box, he was impressed by the presentation and the curation of the box he received. Malesic decided to try sending these gifts to his clients as well. Now, EZ Solution has incorporated Lancaster Gift Box as part of their routine, taking advantage of Lancaster Gift Box’s services weekly. To avoid the time of year when people are bombarded by gifts around Christmas, EZ Solution sends their annual client gifts on a less-commonly celebrated time of year in the corporate world, like Halloween or Fourth of July, in an effort to stand out.

“Every gift box I send out, somebody emails or calls me and tells me [how] amazing it was,” Malesic said. “It’s the presentation. It doesn’t have my logo on it. It’s a gift and I think that’s what makes it so special.”

Before using Lancaster Gift Box, Business Information Group, Inc.’s Marketing Manager, Maura McGowan, said their corporate gifting efforts were lackluster and required a significant time investment from internal staff. A colleague of McGowan connected with Gabriel at Lancaster Gift Box and pointed McGowan toward them. After meeting with the Lancaster Gift Box team to learn about their services, McGowan was impressed that the items included in each box were produced locally. Now, Business Information Group uses Lancaster Gift Box weekly, sending boxes when the company onboards a new client or to follow-up with prospective clients. McGowan loves receiving emails from clients who have received a gift, commenting that all the treats are gone.

“It’s the little things, the thing that just comes to your door [when] you aren’t expecting it [and] you open it and it’s a handwritten note and goodies. That goes a long way in a world where there’s not a lot of human interaction,” McGowen said. “It has really just brought our corporate gifting to the next level.”

McGowan appreciates the ease of the process and how utilizing Lancaster Gift Box services has saved her company significant time and energy. She said she loves being able to log into Lancaster Gift Box’s online portal to place an order, confident that Gabriel and Dianna will handle all of the shipping details.

In addition to client gifting, Lancaster Gift Box corporate partners send customized boxes to the homes of their remote workers to boost morale and ensure each employee feels they are a valued member of the teams they are part of. Regardless of how businesses take advantage of gifting, Lancaster Gift Box seeks to provide an added level of thoughtfulness and intention in each box.

“Our vision and mission is to make it easy for businesses and individuals to support local food producers [and] artisans makers [so] everyone benefits,” Diana said.