Delivery
Shipping Information
Freight is a real part of the landed cost of packaging, and it varies more than most buyers expect depending on the format. This page explains how we quote it and what you can do to keep it sensible.
Freight is quoted to your address
Every quote includes delivery to the address you give us, itemised separately from the unit price. That is deliberate: a low unit price with freight added later is not a cheaper quote, and comparing two suppliers is only meaningful when both are quoting on the same delivery basis.
If you would rather arrange your own freight, say so and we will quote ex-works. Some larger buyers have better rates than we do on their regular lanes, and there is no reason for us to pretend otherwise.
Why format matters more than weight
Freight is charged on space as well as weight, and packaging is bulky relative to its mass. Flat-packed board ships densely and efficiently. Assembled trays, domed products and rigid packaging are mostly air, and on a long-haul route the freight difference between a flat-packed and an assembled format can exceed the difference in unit price.
| Format | Ships | Freight efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| Flat-packed folding board | Flat | Best |
| Flat-packed corrugated | Flat | Very good |
| Moulded fibre | Nested | Moderate |
| Pre-glued formed trays | Assembled | Poor |
| Domed products | Assembled, dome sets the pitch | Poor |
| Rigid wrapped packaging | Assembled | Poorest |
None of this means you should avoid a format you need. It means the decision should be made knowing the freight consequence, particularly on long routes to Australia or across North America.
International supply
We supply United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia. Each has its own page covering the conventions and requirements that differ there:
On international shipments, duty and import charges depend on the destination and the agreed terms of sale. We will be explicit in the quote about what is and is not included, rather than leaving it to be discovered at the border.
Staged and multi-address delivery
On larger orders, producing the full run in one go and taking delivery in instalments is often the best of both positions: you get volume pricing without needing storage for the whole quantity at once. Multi-site businesses can also split a single production run across several addresses, which is cheaper than placing separate orders because setup and tooling are shared.
Both are worth asking about explicitly. Neither is automatic.
Access and receiving
Tell us the receiving situation at quote stage: whether you can take a pallet, whether there is a loading dock, whether delivery is kerbside, and any access window. Restaurants, market pitches, venues and city-centre kitchens frequently cannot take a pallet, and it is far easier to plan the packing and the carrier around that than to solve it with a driver waiting outside.
Storing packaging when it arrives
Board is hygroscopic: it takes on moisture from the air, and stock stored badly loses stiffness and folds less crisply before it has been anywhere near food. A few practical rules cover most of it.
- Store flat, in the shipping cartons, until the stock is needed.
- Keep it in the driest conditioned space available — not a garage, trailer or unheated outbuilding.
- Keep it away from radiators, direct sun and external walls that sweat.
- Rotate stock so nothing sits at the back for a year.
- In humid or very hot climates, order to a season rather than to an annual price break.
That last point matters more than it sounds. A full year of stock bought at a better price and stored through a humid summer frequently costs more in degraded packaging than the price break saved.
Questions about a specific delivery
Email info@thefoodtrays.com with the order reference, or ask before you order if a delivery constraint is likely to affect the specification.
Shipping questions
Is freight included in your quotes?
Yes, and itemised rather than buried in the unit price. We quote to your delivery address so the landed cost is visible. If you would rather arrange your own freight, tell us and we will quote ex-works instead.
Why does format affect shipping cost so much?
Because freight is charged on space as well as weight. Flat-packed board is dense and ships efficiently. Assembled trays, domed products and rigid packaging are mostly air, and on a long route that difference can outweigh the unit price gap.
Can I take delivery in stages?
On larger orders it is worth asking. Producing the full run in one go and taking delivery in instalments gives you volume pricing without needing storage for the whole quantity at once.
Can you deliver to multiple addresses?
Yes, and it is usually cheaper than placing separate orders because setup, tooling and production are shared. Give us the addresses and the split quantities and we will quote the consolidated position.
What about customs and duty?
On international shipments, duty and import charges depend on the destination and the terms of sale. We will be explicit about what is and is not included in a quote rather than leaving you to discover it at the border.
What if my site has no loading dock?
Tell us at quote stage. Pallet versus parcel, kerbside versus inside delivery, and access restrictions all change how we pack and ship. It is straightforward to plan for and awkward to solve on the day.
How should I store packaging when it arrives?
Flat, in its shipping cartons, in the driest conditioned space available, and rotated so nothing sits at the back for a year. Board absorbs moisture from the air and loses stiffness before it is ever used.
How much should I order at once?
Enough to earn the price break and justify the freight, but not so much that it sits for a year in poor conditions. In humid or very hot climates, order to a season rather than to an annual figure.
Want the landed cost, not the factory-gate price?
Send the specification, the quantity and the delivery address. The quote comes back with unit price, tooling and freight itemised separately.