People can use tray packaging to distribute food goods coming in hard containers that can hold their own weight and a portion of the dispersed pallet weight.

The containers for wrapping would be ideal for products like almonds, breakfast, popcorn kernels, granola bars, candies, sunflower seeds, crackers, single-serve mini-cookies, and pretzels or cheesy popcorn.

Tray packaging is not suited for certain items, such as potato chips bags, which need corrugated shippers. Multilayer co-extruded films making up snack food pouches complicate the process of developing corrugate casings for pouches.

What Are the Benefits of Tray Packaging? 

When it comes to food storing, there is no denying the value of tray packaging. Some items need the use of a shipping case, which further requires corrugated shippers. 

Instead of using expensive corrugate, several foods that are now packaged in cases might benefit from being wrapped in trays, as this saves customers money in the process of packaging. 

What constitutes tray packaging, more exactly? Tray packaging has many advantages. 

To begin with, tray packaging includes the main package that can hold its own weight. A complete pallet or the pallets of goods should be capable of bearing their own weight without toppling over or crushing the main product container. 

Because the principal containers of jarred and canned foods can carry their own weight, as well as the weight of more pallets, tray packaging is not a problem. When the same concepts are applied to flexible packaging products, things become a bit hazy, yet tray packaging is still a success. 

Consider vacuum-sealed coffee bags. A significant amount of unused space exists between the walls of the bag and the case's top when coffee is case-packed. This renders the package vulnerable to moving during delivery. 

It's possible to keep the coffee packets in place by shifting to high-wall trays and using a film that conforms to the tray's contour. 

Despite the fact that tray wrapping is beneficial for many items, it cannot be used generally owing to unique supply chain and storage process constraints. If the product is unable to sustain itself, pallet stacking may be used to keep it from moving away from corrugated shippers. 

With the help of a rack system or automated pallet flow, tray packaging and bundling are less of a problem in warehouses. 

1. How Does Tray Packaging Work? 

For the distribution of peanut butter, jams, jellies, and applesauce, tray packaging is a tried and true secondary packaging method that features a range of layouts and speed capabilities. The snack food business can choose from 2 types of tray packaging machines. These will be presented later in this article. 

In addition to being easy to use, the tray packaging system provides a wide range of options for packaging. The equipment is fully configurable and has a modular design handling up to 80 containers every minute. 

There's a 2-lane layout, unlike other manufacturers who may give you their "special" components not even functioning with your current line. Tray packaging systems are built to ensure the exact seal of each tray and to have a durable and dependable design that's simple to run or maintain. 

Their components can readily adjust to a broad range of tray shapes and sizes using a twin head platen heat seal mechanism. Fill zone speed and design may be tailored to meet the demands of any specific application. 

2. Benefits of Tray Packaging

Tray packaging's benefits go well beyond only saving money for the end-user. These benefits are: 

• Compared to shippers, lower corrugate expenses 
• Product efficiency can be improved by reducing packing material costs. Shrink-wrapped trays are more cost-effective than traditional shipping methods
• Improved handling and visibility of products
• Distribution workers that are more cautious when they see the goods they're handling. There isn't even an opaque corrugated box to provide the appearance of security
• A system of self-dispensing containers
• Being easier for shop clerks to stock shelves using shelf-ready trays. When packing materials are saved or shelves are loaded more efficiently, customers win in terms of both cost savings and convenience
• Promotional advantages
• Customers are always reminded of items, even when shelves are empty because of the ongoing promotion provided by printed trays
• Recycling and collapsing less garbage
• Receiving and distributing merchandise may be time-consuming for retailers, particularly when it comes to the proper disposal of packaging. If you want to save space, you can collapse the whole corrugate shipper, but even so, there's still more capacity than with a collapsed tray. While poly wrap is simple to remove and lightweight, it also compresses well for storage 

3. Tray Packaging Machines 

You'll find the most popular tray packaging machines to be very useful whether you're a food processing plant, a specialty grocery shop, or a restaurant serving takeout. Your job will be much simpler, and your consumers will know that you are a legitimate option in their search for a healthy meal if you use this meal packing equipment.

There are CPET, APET, or PP food trays. The best method to seal food packaging containers is better than the method of using tray sealer machines. Your tasty product will go well in one of any of the food storage containers. 

The most common tray packaging machines are: 

• The Classic Tray Sealer
• Compact Manual Tray Sealer
• Tabletop Tray Sealer
• Die-Cut Tray Sealer
• Gas Flush Tray Sealer
• Automatic Tray Sealer 

Final Thoughts on Tray Packaging Benefits

Tray packaging offers the best advantages for purchase procedures that are streamlined. The packaging materials stock will be decreased by employing this packaging method. You will save a lot on filling materials, not to mention that packing performance will improve noticeably. 

In addition, the items will have a consistent packaging standard, as well as a greater packing capacity. And this comes in really well-protected packaging.  

As a result, the shipping department will receive more packing units faster, saving both time and money. Click here to learn more about tray packaging.