Food products require special packaging conditions that companies must take into account to ensure that the merchandise arrives properly at the point of sale or at the hands of the customer. Find out how to choose catering boxes correctly.
The transport and handling of food requires special food boxes that have specific characteristics capable of guaranteeing the protection of the raw material and, consequently, the health of the people who will consume it.
The legislation of the European Union, focused on food hygiene, has promoted and regulated hygiene standards that companies must apply to their products and that affect the entire production and supply chain, until reaching the hands of the final consumer.
Companies are responsible for adopting these food care and protection measures through orderly and organized control systems, based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
These regulations are based on the education and training of workers, the design and maintenance of vehicles, cleaning and disinfection, good handling practices, among others.
On the other hand, and beyond current food safety regulations, organizations such as hotels and restaurants must also consider suitable catering cardboard boxes for their products, as they are an essential factor for the food to reach the consumer in good condition.
In recent years, takeaway food has grown exponentially. More and more Spaniards choose to buy food and pick it up at the premises or ask for delivery for greater convenience. This makes the type of packaging or food box used for the transfer even more valuable.
Resistance and quality: The material must be resistant to avoid food spills or heat loss. It will also be important that it has dimensional stability so that it adapts to the food it contains.
Suitability for food contact: The packaging material must be suitable for contact with products that are going to be eaten.
Optimum reception conditions: The product must arrive at the point of sale or the consumer's home in perfect condition.
The first step is to ask ourselves what is the most important functionality that the packaging that food needs must have. Surely the answer will be the same for all hotels and restaurants: that the food is protected from external agents and that it respects conservation, size, quality and design.
Recognizing these needs allows us to arrive at a better choice of cardboard boxes that we are going to use. There is a wide diversity of this type of packaging that is related to a specific functionality. Some ensure refrigeration, others adapt to the size of the product, others are ideal for liquids, etc.
The most used in the market are:
It is one of the most used materials in the world of food transport thanks to the fact that it is respectful with the environment, has great versatility and there are different thicknesses that ensure greater or lesser quality.
It is an ideal solution to achieve a good brand image through the presentation of the product, also to be packaged and it is even resistant to the action of the microwave.
It is a slightly rigid material that is capable of protecting against moisture as it is waterproof and maintains heat. It cannot be used directly in the microwave and it is usually a more expensive container than others.
It is a rigid, practical, light and transparent material, ideal for transporting food and not spilling it. They facilitate the customization of the packaging and the food inside can be glimpsed thanks to its transparency, a quality valued by consumers.
The vision of eco-friendly has reached the world of packaging as, more and more, customers value companies that use sustainable packaging for their products. An example is the disposable materials made from vegetables such as sugar cane that are often widely used in the field of catering.
Now that you know the different types of containers to preserve food, you need to consider some key criteria so that you can choose the best one for your products.
Do you sell products that are too wet? If this is your case, you should pay close attention to the quality of the container since the release of moisture can modify it and even break it. Kraft cardboard is usually the one that works best in these cases.
Refrigeration
Those foods that are perishable need refrigeration. Some cardboard boxes have an isothermal system that keeps food at a constant and favorable temperature.
On the other hand, in the case of transport that uses refrigerating machines, rigid and very resistant packaging should be chosen to prevent moisture from penetrating inside or weakening the material
Presentation
For consumers, the presentation of the packaging in terms of design and quality play an essential role when choosing a food company.
If your company uses transport packaging as a sales support, it is very important that its presentation and design be attractive and in line with the brand to generate visual attraction.
The same goes for inns and restaurants with take away and delivery possibilities: packaging presentation is an investment that quickly generates assets since it helps increase product sales.
Quantity
It is important to consider the amount of food or its weight when choosing a type of box for catering. Here the rigidity, quality and resistance acquire greater relevance.
Benefits of customizing your catering boxes
There is no doubt that the boxes for catering must be personalized since we can win more customers through the visualization of the packaging: the colors, the typography, the type of material and the design in general are essential to attract attention.
An attractive, practical and easy to handle packaging serves to stand out and thus create our own brand image so that customers and future buyers distinguish us and choose us from the competition.
The end result will be an increase in brand reputation and sales.
Do you need advice and a budget according to your needs? As manufacturers of cardboard boxes, we can help you and provide you with intelligent solutions, so that your food boxes stand out in quality and customization.
