Custom Food Trays

Kraft Trays

Made-to-order kraft Trays in grease-resistant sbs board, printed to your artwork and cut to your dimensions.

Minimum order
100 units
Production
3–5 business days
Construction
food tray
Delivery
US, UK, Canada, Australia

No obligation

Price this format

Name, email, phone and what you are packing and the volumes you run. Attach artwork if you have it. We reply with a specification and a written price, usually within one business day.

The more detail you give, the more accurate the quote.

Drop files here or browse

PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, JPG, WEBP or ZIP. Up to 5 files, 10 MB each.

    We use your details to answer this request only. See our privacy policy for how data is handled.

    The build detail that decides kraft trays

    An internal-only coating keeps the uncoated appearance outside while stopping the strike-through that ruins it.

    Kraft Trays are die-cut and folded from grease-resistant board into an open-top tray, with locking corners that hold the shape under warm food.

    What kraft trays have to cope with

    Kraft Trays hold food where an unbleached, natural appearance is part of the positioning. That is the starting point for the specification, because an internal-only coating keeps the uncoated appearance outside while stopping the strike-through that ruins it.

    In service they are used for artisan and eco-positioned food service where the material signals the brand.

    The substrate for kraft trays

    Kraft with an internal coating only — the natural exterior is the reason the material was chosen.

    The options we would consider for this format are below; an internal-only coating keeps the uncoated appearance outside while stopping the strike-through that ruins it.

    • Grease-resistant SBS board
    • Kraft board with grease barrier
    • Corrugated E-flute
    • Clay-coated news back

    How kraft trays fail, and what prevents it

    Grease shows dramatically on unbleached kraft — far more visibly than on a white board.

    An internal-only coating keeps the uncoated appearance outside while stopping the strike-through that ruins it.

    The environmental claim you can defend

    Recycled content, kerbside recyclability and certified compostability are three different claims requiring three different kinds of evidence. Brands get into trouble by treating them as one.

    Tell us which claim you intend to print on the pack and we will specify a material that supports it, or say plainly that it does not exist at your price point.

    Sizing kraft trays

    Across the standard tray range, most commonly 6 × 4 in through 10 × 7 in.

    Send the contents rather than a box size. Kraft is chosen for the natural look and then coated, which changes exactly the look it was chosen for.

    Holding kraft trays before service

    Grease shows dramatically on unbleached kraft — far more visibly than on a white board.

    Paperboard also absorbs moisture from the air until it equalises with its surroundings. If stock sits more than about six weeks in unconditioned space, a moisture-resistant coating is worth its small premium.

    Finishing kraft trays

    One or two flexo colours. Heavy coverage on kraft looks muddy and undoes the material choice.

    Every finish listed here is its own pass through the line, so each one is priced on its own rather than folded into a single figure.

    • Grease-resistant coating
    • Matte finish
    • Uncoated kraft

    Sampling before you order

    A plain structural sample is the cheapest way to find a fit problem — far cheaper than finding it across a full run.

    Sample costs are normally credited against the production order.

    How an order runs

    Start with dimensions and quantity. If you already run something similar, a physical sample tells us more in a minute than a specification does in a page.

    A dieline template follows, sized to your product. Prepress checks your artwork against it and issues a proof; nothing runs until you sign that off.

    Reference

    Kraft Trays at a specification level

    ProductKraft Trays
    CategoryCustom Food Trays
    ConstructionDie-cut with locking corners
    BarrierGrease-resistant coating
    Ships asFlat or pre-formed and nested
    MaterialsGrease-resistant SBS board, Kraft board with grease barrier, Corrugated E-flute, Clay-coated news back
    PrintingOffset lithography, Flexography, Digital press
    FinishesGrease-resistant coating, Matte finish, Uncoated kraft
    Minimum orderMinimum order is 100 units on any format, and unit cost falls sharply as the quantity rises.
    Lead time3 to 5 business days after artwork approval
    ShippingAcross the US, UK, Canada and Australia

    Specification builder

    Specify Kraft Trays in under a minute

    Set what you know, leave the rest. Everything here travels with your request, so nothing gets retyped.

    • 100-unit minimum
    • 3–5 day production
    • Free dieline
    • No obligation
    Approximation only — proportions, colour family and finish character. Not a colour proof, and the panel shown is a placeholder, not your artwork.
    Packaging type
    Box style
    Quantity
    Colour
    Material
    Printing
    Finish

    Drop files or browse

    Up to 5 files, 10 MB each.

      Prices start from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. Final pricing depends on size, material, printing, finishes, and quantity.

      What you get

      Why it is built this way

      Sized to the contents

      Across the standard tray range, most commonly 6 × 4 in through 10 × 7 in.

      The failure we design out

      Grease shows dramatically on unbleached kraft — far more visibly than on a white board.

      Where it is used

      Specified for artisan and eco-positioned food service where the material signals the brand.

      What decides the job

      An internal-only coating keeps the uncoated appearance outside while stopping the strike-through that ruins it.

      This format sits in our custom food trays range, alongside 11 other made-to-order formats.

      Answers

      Running kraft trays: common questions

      Specification, minimums and lead times for kraft trays.

      How high can these be stacked?

      That depends on board grade, contents weight and how long the stack stands. Send us the stack height and the weight above the bottom unit and we will specify to it rather than guessing at a grade.

      Is recycled board weaker than virgin board?

      Slightly, at the same caliper — recycled fibres are shorter, so the board is a little less stiff and takes on moisture a little faster. Stepping up one caliper generally restores the performance while keeping the recycled claim intact.

      Can you certify the recycled content?

      We can state the recycled content of the board and supply the mill documentation behind it. We do not issue certifications ourselves, and we would rather give you the underlying evidence than a claim you cannot substantiate.

      Are these food-contact compliant?

      We specify food-contact compliant boards and inks where the pack touches food directly. Tell us whether contact is direct or through a liner for kraft trays, because it changes which stocks are available to you.

      How do you stop grease showing through?

      A grease-resistant coating or a greaseproof liner. Untreated board will always strike through eventually with hot, oily food — that is a property of the material rather than a quality fault, and it is inexpensive to design out.

      Will these hold up under a hot, wet load?

      With the right board and coating. Moisture from hot food softens an under-specified tray faster than grease does, so we usually recommend both a heavier caliper and a grease-resistant coating for hot service.

      Can I order kraft trays in a custom size?

      Every run is cut to your dimensions — there are no stock sizes here. Send the product measurements rather than a box size and we will build the food tray around them, then send a dieline template you can design onto.

      What happens after I approve the quote?

      We issue a dieline template sized to your product, prepress checks your artwork against it, and a proof comes back for sign-off. Nothing runs until you approve that proof, and food trays then take 3 to 5 business days.

      Can you hold the specification for repeat orders?

      Yes. Once a first run is approved we hold the board, structure, dimensions, print method and finishes against your account, so a reorder references the same specification exactly rather than being re-derived. The board and coating are held together, so a reorder cannot quietly arrive on a stock with different grease resistance.

      Do you offer recycled or recyclable options?

      Recycled grades are available across most of the substrates we run for food trays. Recycled content, kerbside recyclability and certified compostability are three different claims though, so tell us which one you intend to print.

      What file format should I send artwork in?

      A print-ready PDF or a vector file, with fonts outlined and any raster images at 300 dpi at final size. We supply the dieline to design onto, and prepress checks bleed, safe area and crease clearance before issuing a proof. If you are printing on an uncoated or kraft stock, approve a printed sample rather than a digital proof — the substrate pulls colour down noticeably.

      What is the minimum order for kraft trays?

      A flat 100 units on any format. Most food trays in this range are quoted from 100 units upward because unit cost falls sharply above that, but the minimum exists so you can validate a structure first.

      Next step

      Price Kraft Trays by the case

      Send the fill size and the volumes you run. We reply with a full specification and a written price, usually within one business day.