Cardboard and kraft trays for fruit and vegetables

A cardboard tray starts as a flat sheet that is die-cut and folded. That gives it clean walls, well-defined corners and a surface that prints to a high standard, and it also makes it very efficient in logistics: it travels flat and takes up very little warehouse space until it is assembled. It is the punnet you see most on the prepared fruit shelf, above all for berries, cherries and cherry tomatoes, where the tray is also part of the sales pitch.

We work with three families. Solid board is the retail punnet, designed for presentation and printing. Corrugated board has a flute between two liners that gives it rigidity and stacking strength for very little weight, and it is used as a transport tray, as a base inside the box or as a display that reaches the point of sale without being unpacked. Kraft is not a different material but a finish of unbleached fibre that conveys a natural or local product and works well with a clear window. All of them are supplied with or without flaps and with or without lids.

The drawback of cardboard is moisture. Untreated solid board loses rigidity during long cold storage or with moist produce; if the tray is going to be exposed to cold and high humidity, you need treated board, moulded pulp or a plastic tray. And if you are going to heat-seal, the tray needs a suitable coating on the sealing area or a sealable inner tray: say so before choosing a format.

The size is not chosen by looking at the tray, it is worked out backwards: contents and real calibre, usable internal dimensions, board thicknesses, trays per box and boxes per pallet. Often there is a standard that fits; a custom die pays off when the standard leaves a lot of dead space or when the tray is part of the brand identity. Printing ranges from a single colour with the logo to full colour with a die-cut window and varnishes. For direct food contact, always ask for the declaration of compliance for the specific format.

Fontanet Group, from Fraga (Huesca) and with a team of more than 30 years in the sector, helps you define the tray with your product in front of you and prepares samples before you commit to the season. Sizes, grammages, finishes and minimum quantities are confirmed with our sales team.