When it comes to choosing a container for your meals, it’s easy to be swayed by an attractive unit price. After all, saving a few cents per unit can seem significant at high volumes. But if we look beyond the price tag, what do we really discover?
At Solpak, we invite our clients to take a more strategic view, like a supply chain manager who doesn’t just evaluate one item, but considers the full impact on operations, labour, safety, and even end-customer satisfaction.
1. Storage space: an often underestimated factor
Imagine a school caterer receiving a pallet of 10,000 containers each month. If every meal is packed in a tray with a rigid lid, that means twice as many boxes to manage, move, and store. The result? A warehouse that overflows, slower movement in the kitchen, and precious production space eaten up by… plastic.
And it’s not just a matter of comfort. Some clients end up renting additional warehouse space or juggling with more frequent deliveries, simply because of the unnecessary bulk of their containers.
Solpak’s solutions free up space and improve efficiency:
- Heat-sealed trays that stack compactly and securely
- No separate rigid lids to store
- Reduced the number of boxes to keep in stock
Less occupied space means more flexibility, more safety in the kitchen, and lower fixed costs.
2. Labour: a few seconds per tray… that turns into hours
Imagine a food service preparing thousands of meals per day: a military base, a detention centre, or even an airline caterer. Each tray must be filled, closed, and ready for delivery.
With lid-style trays, each closure requires a manual step: align the lid, ensure it snaps correctly, and redo it if it doesn’t. Eight seconds here, ten seconds there… at the end of the day, this adds up to hours spent just closing trays.
And that’s not all: every imperfect closure means a risk of leaks, potential complaints, or an extra check before delivery.
With Solpak’s heat sealers, every second truly counts:
- Automated sealing in seconds, effortless
- Uniform, safe, and professional closure
- Fewer human errors, fewer manual checks
- Up to 80% savings on cleaning products and 50% on maintenance costs*
- No more washing: trays are discarded with leftovers, saving up to 60% of time*
The result? More time for high-value tasks and smoother operations.
3. Food loss: When the container fails you
If you’ve ever tried to transport sauce in a poorly sealed container, you know how one leak can ruin the entire experience, not just for the client. Stained packaging, ruined presentation, cleanup work, and sometimes even refunds.
But the risks go beyond leaks. A container without compartments, or one that doesn’t retain steam properly, can alter food texture and flavour, or accelerate deterioration. And the more losses occur, the more hidden costs pile up.
Solpak’s plant-fibre trays are designed to prevent these issues:
- Individually sealed compartments keep food separate
- Sturdy material withstands freezing and reheating
- Optimal preservation of textures and flavours
Reliable packaging means less waste, more consistency, and greater customer trust.
4. Delivery efficiency: more than just logistics
Suppose a food service company supplies industrial sites and transports 200 meals per van. If the containers are unstable or take up too much space, delivery staff may lose time loading and unloading. Worse, meals may spill or cool unevenly, leading to calls from unhappy clients.
Every minute lost on the road or every temperature mistake brings human, operational, and reputational costs.
Solpak systems are designed for meal transport, from departure to destination:
- Stable, easy-to-stack trays for efficient loading
- Thermal bags with distinct temperature zones (unique in Canada)
- Optimized delivery times
You deliver faster, cleaner, and with less breakage.
Conclusion: think globally, not in silos
A tray is never just a tray. It’s a key element in a much larger system. Those who succeed are the ones who see the entire chain, from storage to delivery.
At Solpak, we don’t just provide trays. We help you make smart, sustainable, and profitable decisions.
Let’s discuss your operations: you might be surprised at the savings a good tray can generate.
*Based on a correctional population of 1,100 people, with 3 meals per day.
