Compostable Cups and Carry Trays for Multi-Drink Orders
Packery does not list any cup in this range as compostable by name, so we describe each cup by what it is made of: sugarcane, PLA-lined paper, aqueous-coated paper, bamboo fibre with a BioPBS or aqueous coating, or clear PLA. If you are buying cups for multi-drink takeaway orders, the bigger question is usually how customers carry them, and that comes down to the 4-cup egg board carry tray or the corrugated 4-cell cup holder.
Key takeaways
- No cup in this range has "Compostable" in its product name, so check the material on each product page rather than relying on a label.
- The Coffee Cups – 4 Egg Board Carry Tray (Carton of 300) is made from recycled paper, measures 225x225x50mm and costs $81.21 per carton, or $0.27 each.
- The Corrugated Coffee Cups – 4 Cell Holder (Carton of 100) is corrugated, measures 175x290x38mm and costs $26.35 per carton, or $0.26 each.
- Carry trays earn their place when customers regularly order more than one drink to take away, such as office runs and drive-up pick-ups.
- There is no minimum order, so you can add a carton of trays to your next cup order.
Are any of these cups sold as compostable?
No. None of the cups in this range carries "Compostable" in its product name, so we do not describe them that way. What we can tell you is the material, which is listed on every product page.
Here is how the range breaks down by material:
- Sugarcane: the 12oz Sugarcane Coffee Cups (Carton of 400), in white.
- Paper with a PLA lining: the 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) in brown and the 12oz PLA Coffee Cups – White Lined SW 80mm (Carton of 1000) in white.
- Aqueous-coated paper: hot cups in 6oz and 8oz, and cold cups in 16oz, 22oz and 24oz.
- Bamboo fibre: the 16oz Bamboo Coffee Cups – DW (Carton of 500) with an aqueous coating, plus BioPBS-coated bamboo fibre cold cups and ice-cream cups.
- Clear PLA: cold cups in 500ml and 600ml.
If your venue has a specific disposal stream in mind, match the material to it. For a broader look at the coffee cup side of this question, see Compostable Coffee Cups Australia.
Does my venue actually need carry trays?
You need carry trays if customers often order more than one drink at a time and walk or drive away with them. Cafés near offices, building sites, schools and hospitals get these orders all day, and so do drive-up and pick-up windows.
If almost every order is a single coffee, trays mostly sit on the shelf. In that case, keep one carton on hand for the occasional group order rather than stocking deeply. Catering drops, events and food trucks parked at worksites are the other venues where a tray is close to essential, because one person is often carrying drinks for a whole team.
Egg board carry tray or corrugated 4-cell holder: what's the difference?
The main difference is material and shape. The Coffee Cups – 4 Egg Board Carry Tray (Carton of 300) is moulded from recycled paper and measures 225x225x50mm. The Corrugated Coffee Cups – 4 Cell Holder (Carton of 100) is made from corrugated board and measures 175x290x38mm.
The egg board tray is the familiar moulded style: drinks sit in cups formed into the tray, and it comes in a larger carton, so you reorder less often. The corrugated holder is a flatter, longer format, and its smaller carton suits venues that only send out group orders now and then and do not want much storage taken up.
Per item, the two are close: $0.27 each for the egg board tray and $0.26 each for the corrugated holder. Your choice is really about carton size, storage space and the style you prefer at the counter.
Which cup sizes and types suit a carry tray?
A typical group order mixes standard takeaway coffee cups with a cold cup or two for iced drinks, so the tray needs to hold whatever you serve most.
Fit depends on the base and rim of the cup, and our product pages do not list a cup-to-tray fit for each size or say whether either tray suits cold cups. Before you commit to a large order, test a few of your regular cups in the tray you plan to use, especially the larger cold cups and the clear PLA cups. If you serve iced drinks in tall cups, our Iced Coffee Takeaway Cup guide covers the cold side of the menu.
How do the cups and trays compare?
| Product | Size / material | Carton qty | Carton price | Price per item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee Cups – 4 Egg Board Carry Tray (Carton of 300) | 225x225x50mm, recycled paper | 300 | $81.21 | $0.27 |
| Corrugated Coffee Cups – 4 Cell Holder (Carton of 100) | 175x290x38mm, corrugated | 100 | $26.35 | $0.26 |
| 12oz Sugarcane Coffee Cups (Carton of 400) | 12oz, sugarcane | 400 | $86.23 | $0.22 |
| 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) | 12oz, paper + PLA coated | 1000 | $159.57 | $0.16 |
| 12oz PLA Coffee Cups – White Lined SW 80mm (Carton of 1000) | 12oz, paper + PLA coated | 1000 | $159.57 | $0.16 |
| 16oz Bamboo Coffee Cups – DW (Carton of 500) | 16oz, bamboo fibre + aqueous coated | 500 | $94.82 | $0.19 |
| 16oz Aqueous Coated Cold Cups (Carton of 1000) | 16oz, paper + aqueous coated | 1000 | $99.45 | $0.10 |
| PLA Cold Cups – Clear 500ml (Carton of 1000) | 95x125mm, PLA | 1000 | $236.52 | $0.24 |
Every product page shows the carton price and the price per item, so you can compare like for like.
Which one should I buy?
- Busy café near offices: the Coffee Cups – 4 Egg Board Carry Tray (Carton of 300) with the 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000). The larger tray carton suits steady group orders, and the kraft cup is a 12oz paper cup with a PLA lining.
- Café with occasional group orders: the Corrugated Coffee Cups – 4 Cell Holder (Carton of 100). The smaller carton takes up less room.
- Venue wanting a sugarcane cup: the 12oz Sugarcane Coffee Cups (Carton of 400), in white.
- Larger hot drinks, double wall: the 16oz Bamboo Coffee Cups – DW (Carton of 500), made from bamboo fibre with an aqueous coating.
- Iced drinks and smoothies: the 16oz Aqueous Coated Cold Cups (Carton of 1000) for a paper cold cup at $0.10 each, or the PLA Cold Cups – Clear 500ml (Carton of 1000) when you want customers to see the drink.
- Branded cups: the 12oz kraft and white PLA-lined cups, the 16oz bamboo DW cup and the clear PLA cold cups can take custom printing with your logo. See custom print.
You can browse every hot cup in the coffee cups range.
How do I order?
Cups and trays are sold by the carton, and there is no minimum order. Delivery is $35 flat to metro areas, free on orders over $750, and $75 flat to regional areas, free over $1,000. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities and 4–6 business days regional. All orders are prepaid online and prices include GST. Unopened full cartons can be returned within 14 days of delivery (the customer pays return freight), and damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free. When you know what you need, add cups and trays together on the quick order page.
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No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · 14-day returns · Delivery details
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