Packaging Trays

Custom packaging trays are open-top formed trays that hold, present and ship product without a lid. We produce them in corrugated, cardstock and rigid board, as standalone retail trays, shelf-ready trays, gift-set bases and tray-and-sleeve combinations. Orders start at 200 units.

Trays are the most underused format we print. Paired with a printed sleeve, a tray gives you a premium two-piece presentation at a fraction of what a rigid two-piece box costs, and the sleeve can be reprinted per variant while the tray stays common across your whole range.

Tray Wall Height Is the Specification That Matters

Everything a tray does well or badly comes back to how tall the walls are relative to the product.

• Walls taller than the product means trays stack on each other with the load carried by the walls rather than the product. This is what you want for anything shipped or stacked in a warehouse.
• Walls level with the product looks clean but transfers stacking load straight onto your product. Fine on a shelf, poor in a stack.
• Walls lower than the product maximises visibility and access, which is exactly right for shelf-ready retail and wrong for anything that has to stack.
• A cut-down front wall with taller sides and back is the shelf-ready compromise: product visible and reachable from the front, stacking strength retained through the remaining three walls.

Tell us whether the tray stacks, ships or simply sits on a shelf, and we’ll set wall height against that rather than against the product alone.

Tray and Sleeve: The Format Worth Knowing About

A tray with a printed sleeve over it behaves like a two-piece rigid box at a much lower cost, and it carries two advantages a rigid box doesn’t.

• The sleeve does the branding, so the tray stays common. One tray across your whole range, one sleeve per variant. Add a variant without new tray tooling.
• Seasonal refreshes cost a sleeve, not a box. Your tray inventory stays usable.
• The unboxing works. The sleeve slides off and the product is presented flat and visible, which photographs well and shows well in gifting.

Where a rigid two-piece box still wins is perceived weight and luxury feel. If your price point genuinely calls for that, we’ll say so. For most brands under a premium tier, tray-and-sleeve gets 80% of the effect for a fraction of the cost.

Food Trays Need Specifying Differently

If the tray contacts food, two things change.

Grease resistance. Oil and fat migrate into uncoated paperboard, showing as dark translucent patches that come through the print, sometimes within hours. Bakery items, fried food and anything buttered need a grease-resistant board or coating. This isn’t optional for those products, and it’s the most common complaint about food trays bought on price.

Food-contact compliance. Packaging components that contact food are regulated as food-contact substances. The FDA does not approve individual packages, so what you should request is a Certificate of Compliance for the specific board and coating supplied on your order. Ask us and we’ll provide it.

For bakery and similar applications, tell us whether the product is hot, greasy or moist when packed, since each pushes the specification differently. We’re a printer rather than a compliance authority, so confirm your requirements with your own advisor.

Tray Types

• Die-cut folded trays: one-piece, folds up from a flat blank, most economical
• Auto-lock trays: self-locking corners, faster to assemble at volume
• Corrugated shelf-ready trays: the PDQ tray format, front wall cut down for visibility
• Rigid trays: thick board, no visible fold lines, for gifting and luxury
• Tray with fitted compartments: dividers or die-cut inserts holding multiple products in a kit layout
• Nesting trays: tapered walls so empty trays stack compactly, cutting your storage and inbound freight
• Two-piece tray and lid: where a closed pack is needed without a sleeve
• Display trays with header: a raised back panel carrying branding above the product

Materials and Finishing

• Corrugated (E, B and C flute): for strength, stacking and shipping. See our corrugated boxes page for how flute and ECT are specified.
• Cardstock and paperboard: for light retail trays and gift sets with the best print surface
• Rigid press board: premium, no fold lines visible
• Kraft brown: uncoated, recyclable, natural
• Grease-resistant board: for food applications
• Coatings: matte, gloss and soft-touch lamination
• Foil stamping, embossing and spot UV: available on cardstock and rigid trays
• Interior printing: the tray floor is fully visible when the sleeve comes off, so it’s worth designing rather than leaving blank

What Our Customers Say

“I had a great experience with The Grand Packaging. Crystal helped me with my order, and her design team did an amazing job. They gave me full creative freedom and added thoughtful details that made my boxes look luxury. I’m extremely happy with the whole process and the final products.” Carrie, Brand Owner

“Really impressed with the quality of my packaging. The Grand Packaging delivered results that truly exceeded my expectations. Working with Daniel was super smooth. The design support was amazing, customer service was excellent, and overall the experience was very positive.” Debbie Muller, Designer

Who We Produce Trays For

• Gift and subscription brands using tray-and-sleeve sets for curated products
• Beauty and cosmetics presenting multi-product kits and sets
• Bakery and food producers needing grease-resistant retail and takeaway trays
• Retail suppliers producing shelf-ready trays for grocery and convenience
• Electronics and hardware using trays as inner platforms inside outer cartons
• Event and promotional teams assembling press kits and seeded product sets

Pricing and Minimum Order Quantity

The minimum order for custom packaging trays is 200 units. Rigid construction and complex compartmented trays may need a higher run.

Two cost notes. Nesting trays reduce your inbound freight and storage, since empty trays stack into each other rather than shipping as bulky flat blanks, which is worth asking about at volume. And if you’re comparing a rigid two-piece box against tray plus sleeve, ask for both quoted, because the gap is usually larger than people expect.

First-time customers currently receive 20% off their first order.

How Your Order Is Produced

1. Send your requirements. Product dimensions, how many products per tray, tray wall height preference, whether it stacks or ships, and whether food contact is involved.
2. Receive your quote and dieline. Wall height and board specified against stacking and shipping, with any sleeve or insert costed alongside.
3. Place artwork and approve the proof. We check bleed, colour mode, resolution, fold lines and how the tray floor reads when the sleeve is removed.
4. Request a physical sample (optional). Order within 30 days and the cost is credited back. Load it with real product, since wall height relative to product is judged by eye, not by numbers.
5. Production. Printing, lamination, die-cutting, gluing and assembly.
6. Quality check and dispatch. Shipped flat or nested.

Standard production runs 8 to 12 days after proof approval, plus transit. Rigid trays take longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum order for custom packaging trays?

The minimum is 200 units. Rigid construction and compartmented trays may require a higher quantity to run economically.

How long does production take?

Standard production is 8 to 12 days after proof approval, plus transit. Rigid trays sit at the longer end.

How tall should my tray walls be?

It depends on whether the tray stacks. Walls taller than the product carry stacking load through the tray rather than the product, which is what you want for shipping or warehouse stacking. Walls lower than the product maximise visibility and access, which suits shelf-ready retail. A cut-down front wall with taller sides and back gives you both.

Is a tray and sleeve cheaper than a rigid box?

Usually, significantly. A tray with a printed sleeve behaves like a two-piece presentation box at a much lower cost, and the sleeve can be reprinted per variant while the tray stays common across the range. A rigid two-piece box still wins on perceived weight and luxury feel, so it comes down to your price point.

Can trays be used for food?

Yes, with the right specification. Greasy and buttered products need grease-resistant board, or oil migrates into the paperboard and shows through the print. For food contact you should request a Certificate of Compliance for the specific board and coating supplied, which we can provide.

Do trays stack?

They can, if wall height is specified for it. Tapered nesting trays also stack into each other when empty, which reduces your storage footprint and inbound freight cost. Tell us how the trays are stored and shipped and we’ll design for it.

Can trays have compartments?

Yes, either formed into the tray structure or added as a separate fitted insert. For multi-product kits an insert is often more flexible, since you can change the layout without retooling the tray.

Can the inside of the tray be printed?

Yes, and it’s worth doing. The tray floor is fully visible the moment a sleeve or lid comes off, so it’s a prime surface for branding, product information or a message.

Why Brands Order Trays From Us

• Wall height specified for the job. Stacking, shipping and shelf visibility are different requirements and get different answers.
• Tray and sleeve quoted against rigid. So you can see what the premium format actually costs before committing to it.
• Food specification taken seriously. Grease resistance raised before it becomes a complaint, with compliance documentation on request.
• Nesting considered. Where volume justifies it, trays designed to nest cut storage and inbound freight.
• Sample credited back. Load it with product before deciding.
• One named contact. The same consultant across variants and reorders.
• US-based support. Quotes, proofs and phone support in US hours from our St. Petersburg, Florida office.

Request a Quote for Custom Packaging Trays

Tell us what goes in the tray, whether it stacks or ships, and whether food is involved. If you’re considering a rigid box, ask us to quote tray and sleeve alongside it.

Call: +1 (630) 228-1764 Email: sales@thegrandpackaging.com Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET

Food-contact guidance is general information, not regulatory advice. Confirm requirements for your product with your own advisor. Last updated: September 2026.