Custom Kraft Paper Cones

Grease Resistance and Paper Weight

Not all kraft paper behaves the same with hot, oily food. For chips, churros and fried seafood, a greaseproof or coated kraft paper stops oil soaking through to the outside and onto customers' hands. For dry foods such as nuts, sweets and popcorn, an uncoated kraft paper is perfectly adequate and feels more natural.

Paper weight affects how sturdy the cone feels. A heavier paper holds its shape when filled with a generous portion and does not collapse in the hand. A lighter paper is fine for small portions of light snacks and keeps costs down. Tell us what you serve and the portion size, and we will recommend a paper weight in your custom quote.

For very hot food, some traders use a double-layer cone: a printed kraft outer with a plain greaseproof liner. It stays cooler to hold and keeps the print looking clean. Food-contact grade paper is available on request for any cone where food sits directly against the paper. Stalls serving very oily foods often add a sheet of greaseproof paper for lining inside the cone.

Branding Custom Kraft Paper Cones

Kraft paper has a warm, brown tone, so printing works differently than on white paper. Dark inks, such as black, deep green, navy or burgundy, read clearly and look smart. Lighter colours appear more muted, which can give a soft, vintage effect. White ink is possible and can look striking on kraft, but it is less opaque than on coated stock.

Most traders keep the design simple: a logo, a name and perhaps a social media handle so customers can tag their food. A repeating pattern around the cone ensures the logo is visible from any angle as it is held.

If you sell at several events, adding your website or a short line about where to find you next turns every cone into a small advert as customers walk around the market.

Some traders like a stamped, hand-made look and choose a single ink colour with a slightly distressed logo. It suits the brown paper perfectly and keeps the printing simple, which also helps keep the price per cone down on smaller orders. Our one colour print on kraft compared guide shows which inks hold up on brown paper.

Sizing Your Cones

Cones are usually described by their height and the diameter of the opening. A small cone suits a handful of nuts or a portion of sweets. A medium cone suits a regular portion of chips or churros. A large cone is for sharing portions and generous servings.

The best way to size a cone is to fill one with your normal portion. Too small, and food spills over the top; too large, and the portion looks mean. If you offer several portion sizes, ordering two or three cone sizes in the same design keeps everything consistent.

Consider a cone holder or stand for your counter as well. It keeps filled cones upright while customers pay and stops them tipping over on a busy service.

Remember that cones taper, so the usable volume is smaller than the height suggests. A cone that looks generous when empty may hold less than expected once filled to a sensible level below the rim. Testing with real food avoids that surprise. Our method for sizing a cone from the portion works for any funnel shape.

Practical Tips for Traders

Store cones somewhere dry, as kraft paper can soften in damp conditions. A sealed plastic box in the van keeps them in good shape between events.

Fold the top edge down slightly on very full cones to stop food falling out as customers walk away. For saucy dishes, add a small pot or a sachet rather than pouring sauce directly into the cone, which can soak through even greaseproof paper over time.

Nested stacks of cones are easy to count, which helps with stock control at the end of each day.

On busy days, prepare a stack of cones within arm's reach of the fryer or serving area before service starts. It sounds obvious, but it saves time and keeps the queue moving when demand peaks. Cones waiting to be filled sit upright in our cone holders for the counter.

Scoop a Portion Into a Paper Funnel First

Cone sizes are easy to get wrong because a cone holds far less than a box of the same height. Roll a sheet of plain paper into a funnel, fill it with the portion you serve, chips, nuts or churros, and mark where the food reaches; the height and the mouth width of that funnel are the cone size. Tell us those two figures with the foods you serve, because hot oily chips need a heavier grease-resistant paper than dry sweets. Decide on one or two ink colours, which look best on brown kraft, and whether a white underprint is needed for a bright logo. Artwork is a vector logo and perhaps a social handle, and the free proof shows it on the cone template so you can see where the seam falls. A custom quote comes by email within one working day with printed cones from £0.25 on smaller runs, and production takes 4–7 working days after approval with free tracked UK mainland delivery. Seated customers who need a flat base are better served from our fries cups for seated customers.