Custom Food Tray Packaging for Retail and Foodservice
Custom food tray packaging is one of the most versatile and widely used formats in the food industry, serving everything from supermarket produce displays and bakery counters to food delivery services and airline catering. Trays provide an open, product-forward presentation that showcases food visually while providing structural support and portion control. At Teal Packaging, we produce fully branded custom food tray packaging for retail, foodservice, and delivery applications, available from a minimum order of 50 units with free shipping included on every order and complimentary design support on every order.
The appeal of food tray packaging lies in its combination of practicality and presentation. Whether you need a locking tray for meal kit ingredients, a display tray for packaged deli portions, or an open tray for bakery goods sold by weight, the tray format positions your product face-forward and accessible. Custom printed trays branded with your logo, colors, and messaging elevate the perceived value of the food product and create a professional appearance that builds consumer confidence. Corrugated, solid board, and pulp tray options are all available through Teal Packaging's manufacturing network.
Materials and Board Specifications
Our manufacturing partners offer custom food tray packaging in several material options suited to different food applications:
- 250-300gsm SBS Board: White, food-safe surface suitable for lightweight baked goods trays, confectionery display trays, and individual portion trays. Full-color print on outer surfaces.
- E-flute corrugated (white-lined): Lightweight corrugated tray construction for medium-weight foods and shipping trays. White-lined inner surface accepts print. Excellent stacking strength.
- B-flute corrugated: Heavier corrugated tray for produce display, market stand presentation, and commercial catering trays. Superior stacking and crush resistance.
- Kraft corrugated (unbleached): Natural brown corrugated tray for farm-to-table, artisan, and organic food presentation. Print-ready on white-lined variants.
- Molded pulp: Recycled fiber pulp trays for produce, egg-style food packaging, and compostable foodservice applications. Can be customized with embossed logos and product information.
Food-safe inner coatings, FSC-certified fiber, and soy-based inks are standard across all board-based tray options.
Customization Options
A branded custom food tray makes an immediate visual impact in retail settings. Customization available from Teal Packaging includes:
- Full-color print on all tray walls: Logo, brand colors, product photography, and regulatory information printed on all visible surfaces of the tray.
- Custom tray depth: Shallow display trays for single-layer presentation versus deep trays for stacked portions or bulkier food products.
- Lid options: Clear PET lids, printed board lids, or cling film compatible open-top trays are all available depending on the product and retail requirement.
- Perforated dividers: Internal cardboard dividers printed with branding to separate individual portions within a shared tray.
- Gloss or matte lamination: Applied to exterior tray surfaces for durability and premium presentation on retail shelves.
- Grease-resistant inner coating: PE or clay coating on inner tray surfaces to prevent grease and moisture from compromising tray integrity during display or transit.
Standard Sizes in Inches
Common food tray packaging dimensions across retail and foodservice applications include:
- 4 x 3 x 1.5 inches - single-serve portion trays for deli, bakery, or sushi counter use
- 6 x 4 x 2 inches - standard individual meal tray or deli portion display tray
- 8 x 6 x 2.5 inches - medium meal prep tray or multi-portion bakery display tray
- 10 x 8 x 3 inches - family-portion tray, sharing platter tray, or catering service tray
- 12 x 8 x 3.5 inches - full meal tray for foodservice, airline catering, or institutional catering
- 16 x 10 x 4 inches - display counter tray for retail deli, farmer's market, or artisan food vendor presentation
Custom dimensions are available on request. For produce and fresh food applications where industry standard tray sizes apply, confirm your required dimensions and our team will source or produce the appropriate tooling.
Sustainability Commitments
Tray packaging has historically been dominated by styrofoam and single-use plastic, and Teal Packaging is committed to offering genuinely better alternatives. All board-based custom food tray packaging uses FSC-certified fiber, guaranteeing responsible forest management from source. Soy-based inks reduce chemical load and maintain recyclability. Corrugated trays are curbside recyclable in standard paper streams without requiring specialist collection.
Molded pulp trays offer a fully compostable alternative to plastic and styrofoam food trays and are increasingly accepted by major retail chains and food service operators seeking sustainability compliance. Water-based coatings on board trays preserve recyclability better than plastic film lamination. For brands seeking compostable certification, PLA-coated board trays are available, meeting industrial composting standards.
Our manufacturing partners operate under internationally recognized environmental management frameworks to minimize production waste and energy consumption.
Explore complementary food packaging including our custom food boxes for packaged food retail, our display boxes for retail shelf and counter presentation, and our corrugated boxes for shipping and bulk display tray outer packaging.
How to Order
Placing an order for custom food tray packaging with Teal Packaging follows a clear and predictable process:
- Step 1 - Quote request: Submit tray dimensions, material preference, print specification, and quantity.
Our team responds with a full quote within one business day.
- Step 2 - Design: Share your artwork or work with our free design team. Digital proofs are issued for approval before production begins. Interior and exterior surfaces are reviewed together.
- Step 3 - Production: Production begins once artwork and payment are confirmed. Standard lead time is approximately two weeks from approval date.
- Step 4 - Delivery: free shipping included on every order with tracking provided on dispatch.
Minimum order is 50 units. Volume pricing applies at larger quantities, with significant per-unit cost reductions for retail-scale orders. Also see our retail boxes for complementary shelf-ready packaging and our kraft boxes for natural-aesthetic food packaging alternatives.
