Sustainable Food Packaging: A Materials Guide for Cafés
Sustainable food packaging for a café mostly comes down to matching a material to the food: sugarcane for clamshells and small portion cups, PLA-coated paper for noodle boxes, lunch boxes and 12oz cups, aqueous-coated paper for 8oz coffee cups, and kraft paper or corrugated board for bags, wraps and catering trays. Below is which one to buy for which job, with the carton price and price per item for each.
Key takeaways
- Sugarcane: the 9x6x3 clamshell is $0.17 each and 2oz serving cups are $0.06 each.
- PLA-coated paper: noodle boxes start at $0.16 each (8oz) and the extra large lunch box is $0.68 each.
- Aqueous-coated paper: 8oz double wall coffee cups are $0.10 each, or $51.00 per carton of 500.
- Paper and corrugated: flat kraft bags are $0.02 each and large corrugated catering trays are $1.40 each.
- Everything is sold by the carton, with no minimum order.
What materials count as sustainable food packaging for a café?
For a café menu, the practical choices are sugarcane, PLA-coated paper, aqueous-coated paper, kraft or recycled paper, and corrugated board. Each one suits a different kind of food, so most cafés end up buying two or three materials rather than one.
Sugarcane packaging (often called bagasse) is moulded from sugarcane fibre. PLA is a plant-based lining applied to paperboard. Aqueous coating is a water-based coating on paper cups. Kraft paper and corrugated board are plain paper-based materials.
When you compare options, look at the price per item as well as the carton price. Every product page shows both.
Which material suits hot meals and takeaway lunches?
For burgers, toasties and breakfast plates, a sugarcane clamshell is the simplest pick; for noodles, rice and saucy dishes, a PLA-coated paper noodle box is the usual choice.
- The 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200) measures 229x152x75mm and costs $34.85 per carton, or $0.17 each. Use it for burgers, toasties and breakfast plates.
- The 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 1000) is $156.73 per carton, or $0.16 each, for side serves and small portions.
- The 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 500) is $185.23 per carton, or $0.37 each, for full mains such as stir-fries, pasta and rice bowls.
- The PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) measures 197x140x90mm and costs $136.78 per carton, or $0.68 each. Custom printing is available.
For sides, dips and dressings, the 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached (Carton of 2000) is $128.23 per carton, or $0.06 each.
You can see the full range of sizes on the takeaway containers page.
What should I serve coffee in?
For a standard small coffee, the 8oz aqueous-coated double wall cup is the low-cost option at $0.10 each; for 12oz serves, the PLA-lined kraft cup is $0.16 each.
- 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500): $51.00 per carton, $0.10 each, multi-colour art print, made from aqueous-coated paper.
- 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000): $159.57 per carton, $0.16 each, brown kraft single wall with a PLA lining. Custom printing is available on this cup.
The 8oz carton of 500 suits a smaller café; the 12oz carton of 1000 suits a café where large coffees are the main seller.
What about bags, wraps and catering trays?
For wrapping and carrying, plain paper does the job: greaseproof sheets for wraps and burgers, flat kraft bags for pastries, and twisted handle bags for multi-item orders. For catering, corrugated board trays carry platters to offices and events.
- Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham (Carton of 200): 190x300mm, $13.53 per carton, $0.07 each.
- Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500): 200x200mm, $8.50 per carton, $0.02 each, with custom printing available.
- Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250): 305x305x175mm, made from recycled paper, $82.95 per carton, $0.33 each.
- 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides (Carton of 50): 560x255x80mm, $69.81 per carton, $1.40 each. Custom printing is available.
Is this packaging compostable or recyclable?
None of the products in this guide carries a compostable label in its product name, so this guide does not describe them as compostable. Before you tell customers a container is compostable or recyclable, check the material details on the product page and confirm what your local council's bins accept, because collection rules differ between councils. Note that PLA-coated and aqueous-coated items are paper with a coating, not plain paper.
For containers sold specifically as compostable, see our guide to compostable takeaway containers.
What about grocery and produce packaging?
This guide covers café takeaway packaging. If you pack fruit, vegetables or grocery lines, browse the fresh produce packaging range, and use the bags range for carry bags.
How do the per-item costs compare?
Per item, the flat kraft bag is $0.02 each and the 2oz sugarcane cup is $0.06 each, while the corrugated catering tray is $1.40 each. The table below sets the main products side by side.
| Product | Size / material | Carton qty | Carton price | Price per item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached | 2oz / Sugarcane | 2000 | $128.23 | $0.06 |
| 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell | 229x152x75mm / Sugarcane | 200 | $34.85 | $0.17 |
| 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box | 8oz / Paper + PLA Coated | 1000 | $156.73 | $0.16 |
| 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box | 32oz / Paper + PLA Coated | 500 | $185.23 | $0.37 |
| PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large | 197x140x90mm / Paper + PLA Coated | 200 | $136.78 | $0.68 |
| 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 |
| Greaseproof Paper – Yellow Gingham | 190x300mm / Paper | 200 | $13.53 | $0.07 |
| 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?
Start with the two or three items you go through fastest, in the material that matches the food. A starting point by venue type:
- Coffee-led café with a pastry cabinet: 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500) for small coffees, 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) for large ones, and flat kraft bags for pastries.
- Café with a breakfast and lunch menu: 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200) for burgers and toasties, plus 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached (Carton of 2000) for sauces and dressings.
- Café selling bowls, noodles or pasta to take away: 32oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 500) for mains and the 8oz noodle box for sides.
- Café wanting a branded lunch box: PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200), which can be printed with your logo through custom printing.
- Café doing office catering: 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides (Carton of 50) for platters, with Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250) for smaller orders.
For more on choosing an eco range as a small operator, see our guide to eco-friendly packaging for small business in Australia. For stock planning, see our guide to buying takeaway containers in bulk.
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 (customer pays return freight), and damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free. When you know what you need, use quick order to add several cartons at once.
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