Custom Double Wall Trays

Choosing Board for Custom Double Wall Trays

Folding boxboard suits lighter food service trays and bakery selections, where a smooth printed finish matters more than heavy load bearing. It folds crisply and takes detailed full colour print well.

E-flute corrugated board is a thin corrugated with a fine profile. It gives noticeably more stiffness while still printing cleanly, so it is a common choice for produce trays and catering platters. B-flute corrugated is thicker again and suits trays carrying heavier loads, such as boxed jars or bottles in a shelf-ready display.

For food that touches the tray directly, food-contact grade board is available on request, and we can add a grease-resistant coating for pastries, fried foods and anything oily. For produce that might be damp, a coated board helps the tray hold its shape in a chiller.

Getting the Dimensions Right

Measure the footprint of what goes in the tray, whether that is a grid of punnets, a row of jars or a sandwich platter, and add a small allowance so items can be lifted in and out easily. Then decide on the wall height, following the clearance advice in the guide to measuring your product. Low walls of 30–40 mm show off the contents and suit display; higher walls of 60–80 mm hold items more securely for carrying.

Remember that the double wall takes up some of the internal space, since the folded-in layer sits inside the tray. We work out the internal and external dimensions for you and show both on the proof. If the tray needs to fit inside a shelf, a chiller or an outer case, give us that space too so the external size works.

Printing Inside and Out

The outer walls are your shelf branding, seen by customers walking past. The inner walls and base are seen once the contents are removed, or when a customer looks down into a catering tray; the print and finish options compared page covers inside print. Many businesses print a logo and colour on the outside and a simple pattern, message or serving suggestion inside.

On produce trays, a clear product name and origin panel on the front wall helps shoppers and staff alike. On bakery trays, a repeat pattern of your logo on the inside makes even a half-empty tray look smart on the counter. Keep in mind that the fold line sits along the top edge, so design elements should not straddle it.

For shelf-ready trays, the front wall is often lower than the sides or has a tear-off panel. That way the product inside stays visible and easy to grab, while the side walls keep their full height for strength and branding. We can print a perforated panel with a small instruction so store staff know to remove it.

Practical Tips for Busy Counters

Order a size that nests or stacks with your existing stock where possible, so you can store flat trays together. If staff will erect trays during service, ask for a self-locking design with no glue, which is quicker than taping corners, the same way our foot lock trays close. For trays going into a chiller, choose a coated board and leave space above the contents for airflow.

If the trays will be used as takeaway platters, consider a matching lid or a sleeve that slides over the tray. It turns the tray into a closed pack for transport without needing a separate box.

Think about how many trays are used in a typical day and how much space you have for flat stock. Flat double wall trays take up little room, but a large run still needs a dry shelf away from the ovens or the wash-up area. Damp board loses stiffness, which defeats the purpose of choosing a reinforced tray in the first place.

Finally, if you sell the same contents in two quantities, such as a half tray and a full tray of pastries, order both sizes with the same artwork. Customers then recognise your brand whichever size they buy, and staff can tell the sizes apart at a glance by the dimensions alone.

Lay Out the Punnets or Jars on the Counter Before Choosing a Wall Height

A double wall tray is sized from the grid it holds, so arrange the punnets, jars or bakes on the counter the way they will sit in the tray and measure the rectangle they make, adding a little so items can be lifted out. Then decide the wall height from the job: 30 to 40 mm for display where the product should show, 60 to 80 mm for carrying or shelf-ready stock. The folded inner layer takes a few millimetres off the inside, which we allow for. Say if the tray goes into a chiller, which calls for a moisture-resistant coating.

Send the contents, the dimensions, the wall height, the board choice and the quantity, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, low minimums quoted per job. A free design proof shows the flat dieline with print on each panel before anything is cut. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and the flat trays ship by free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days. Food-contact grade board is available on request. Greengrocers who also sell loose produce often add printed fruit boxes in the same artwork.