Food Service Packaging in Australia: A Category Guide
This guide to food service packaging in Australia covers eight categories: cups, takeaway containers, bowls, boxes and clamshells, food paper, cutlery, bags, and plates and trays. This guide gives one or two example products from each, with carton quantity, carton price and price per item, so you can price a working kit before you order.
Key takeaways
- Everything is sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and the price per item.
- Cups, lunch boxes and noodle boxes are paper with a PLA or aqueous coating; clamshells and serving cups are sugarcane; snack boxes and catering trays are corrugated board.
- Per-item prices in this guide run from $0.02 each for a flat kraft bag to $1.51 each for a large black catering tray.
- There is no minimum order, so you can buy one carton per category to trial.
- Custom printing with your logo is available on selected products.
Which cups should a café stock?
A simple café cup setup is a small double wall cup plus a larger single wall cup for coffee and tea. Both examples below are paper cups.
- 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500) is aqueous-coated paper with a multi-colour art print: $51.00 per carton, $0.10 each.
- 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) is brown PLA-lined paper: $159.57 per carton, $0.16 each. It can be custom printed.
Every size is in the coffee cups range.
What containers, bowls and boxes work for takeaway food?
A paper lunch box suits rice and combo meals, a noodle box suits stir-fries and salads, and a clamshell or snack box suits burgers, chips and finger food. The lunch box and noodle boxes are brown paper with a PLA coating.
- PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200), 197x140x90mm: $136.78 per carton, $0.68 each. It can be custom printed.
- 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 1000), the side size: $156.73 per carton, $0.16 each.
- 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 500), the main-meal size: $185.23 per carton, $0.37 each.
- 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200), natural sugarcane, 229x152x75mm: $34.85 per carton, $0.17 each.
- Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200), brown corrugated, 205x106x76mm: $73.10 per carton, $0.37 each. It can be custom printed.
- 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached (Carton of 2000), for sauces and dips: $128.23 per carton, $0.06 each.
To compare more container types, read our guide to compostable takeaway containers. For volume buying, see takeaway containers in bulk. Browse burger boxes and serving containers for more sizes.
What food paper, cutlery, bags and trays complete the kit?
Greaseproof paper lines baskets and wraps burgers, cutlery pouches with a napkin save packing by hand, bags carry the order out, and corrugated trays carry platters. Pick the ones that match how your food leaves the counter.
- Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham (Carton of 200), 190x300mm: $13.53 per carton, $0.07 each. The Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham Large (Carton of 200), 400x330mm, is $27.93 per carton, $0.14 each. See food paper.
- Kraft Cutlery – White Pouch With Napkin (Carton of 1000), a 75x190mm kraft paper pouch: $143.72 per carton, $0.14 each. Kraft Cutlery – Pouch With Napkin (Carton of 1000) is also $143.72 per carton. Both can be custom printed. See cutlery.
- Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500), 200x200mm brown paper: $8.50 per carton, $0.02 each.
- Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250), recycled paper, 305x305x175mm: $82.95 per carton, $0.33 each. See bags.
- 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides (Carton of 50), 560x255x80mm: $69.81 per carton, $1.40 each. The black version is $75.60 per carton, $1.51 each. Both can be custom printed. See plates and trays.
How do the categories compare on price?
| Product | Size / material | Carton qty | Carton price | Per item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print | 8oz / Paper + Aqueous Coated | 500 | $51.00 | $0.10 |
| 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm | 12oz / Paper + PLA Coated | 1000 | $159.57 | $0.16 |
| PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large | 197x140x90mm / Paper + PLA Coated | 200 | $136.78 | $0.68 |
| 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box | 32oz / Paper + PLA Coated | 500 | $185.23 | $0.37 |
| 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell | 229x152x75mm / Sugarcane | 200 | $34.85 | $0.17 |
| Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham | 190x300mm / Paper | 200 | $13.53 | $0.07 |
| Kraft Cutlery – White Pouch With Napkin | 75x190mm / Paper | 1000 | $143.72 | $0.14 |
| Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat | 200x200mm / Paper | 500 | $8.50 | $0.02 |
| 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides | 560x255x80mm / Corrugated | 50 | $69.81 | $1.40 |
Which one should I buy?
- Coffee cart or espresso bar: 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500) for small drinks and 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) for larger orders.
- Asian takeaway or rice bar: 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 500) for mains and PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) for combos.
- Burger shop or food truck: 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200) lined with Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham (Carton of 200).
- Delivery-heavy venue: add Kraft Cutlery – White Pouch With Napkin (Carton of 1000) and Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250).
- Caterer: the brown or black 80mm corrugated catering trays for platters.
For your logo on cups, boxes, bags or trays, see custom print.
How does ordering work?
There is no minimum order. Delivery is $35 flat metro, free on orders over $750, and $75 flat regional, free over $1,000. It 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 (customer pays return freight); damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free. Build a mixed order on the quick order page, or start with the takeaway containers range.
Setting up or restocking your packaging?
Send us your list for a trade quote, or price it yourself in the cost calculator.
No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · 14-day returns · Delivery details
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