| |

Custom Branded Basket Liners and Sandwich Wraps: Options, Costs, Benefits

SHARE:

If you’re in a foodservice establishment, chances are food-safe paper is also close by. It’s used as sandwich wraps and also to line baskets and trays holding menu items served at nearly every course from bread, to fried appetizers, entrŽes, and even desserts. Regardless of how they’re used, the bottom line is that basket/tray liners and sandwich wraps are in front of your guests … a lot

Here at G.E.T., we want to help foodservice operators harness the power of food-safe paper by adding custom branded logos and designs. Why? Because it’s so frequently in front of your guests – often for long periods of time, potentially spanning an entire table turn – it creates the perfect Real Estate to visually connect your brand to your tabletop.

We’re going to cover some options for including custom logos and designs so you can plan around order quantities, lead times, pricing, and artwork options when you work with G.E.T.

chicken-wrap-Custom-Paper-Design.jpg

 

Custom Branded Options for Basket and Tray Paper Liners

Basket and tray liners are one of the most popular options for our customers because of their versatility. Available in three popular sizes, they fit just about every conceivable size and shape of baskets and trays that you’d expect to find in a foodservice environment:

To include a custom logo or design on any of these paper sizes, you’ll want to use paper lined with a food-safe wax. Wax-lined paper naturally resists grease because it’s difficult for grease to penetrate the wax coating. Further, the wax provides a barrier between your food and the ink, giving you total freedom when choosing where to place your logo or design. Most inks used on paper liners are not an approved food contact surface because food-safe ink is often prohibitively expensive.

Wax-lined paper is available in a heavier stock, which can be especially important if you need your paper to withstand greasy, hearty meals sometimes served in baskets or on trays. 

get-custom-imprinted-paper.jpg

You can add custom branded logos or designs to either white or brown wax-lined paper. White backgrounds are nice and clean and help your branded colors pop well. Brown paper is an excellent choice for brands aligned with eco-friendly practices and/or vintage and farm-to-table themes. 

Generally, you’re looking at the following for adding custom branded logos or designs to basket and tray liners:

  • Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) of 150 cases, a total of 150,000 sheets
  • Lead time of 1 week for sample proof
  • Lead time of 6 weeks once sample is approved
  • One-time setup cost of $300-$400
  • Roughly $60-$75 per case* 
    • *Prices vary based on size of paper of the 3 listed above, whether you opt for 1 or 2 colors, and the volume ordered

As long as you meet the MOQ, the only additional cost you’ll incur is the one-time setup fee.

While the MOQ may seem high, think about how often you’ll use basket and/or tray liners. Let’s say that 50% of your menu items are served in a basket or on a tray lined with paper, and you serve 1,000 menu items a day. 

You’d go through:

  • 3,500 sheets/week
  • 14,000 sheets/month
  • 168,000 sheets/year 

One order at the MOQ will last you a little less than a year at this rate. As busy as foodservice operators are, many of them appreciate the time savings of only having to reorder once or twice a year for a product they use so often. If a commitment is made with G.E.T. and your distributor of choice, G.E.T. will happily help to stock the annual inventory as you take your needed quantities monthly. Additionally, because food-safe paper liners make cleanup quick and easy after service, foodservice employees can enjoy some time savings as well. 

Artwork parameters are pretty straightforward. Logos and designs can be done in one- or two-color arrangements, and G.E.T. matches Pantone colors. File formats for original artwork should be unflattened and unrasterized, and can be delivered in: 

  • AI
  • PSD
  • EPS
  • TIFF

Once artwork is received, G.E.T. will send out a proof sample in about a week. When final approval is given, the lead time is about 6 weeks for the complete order to be delivered. That’s it! In less than 2 months, you’ll have your custom logo or design right in front of your guests.

Custom Branded Options for Sandwich Wrap Paper

If you plan to use paper to wrap sandwiches, you’ll likely stick to the same sizes listed above, but the type of paper and how you’ll use it will be different. 

In this case, grease-resistant paper is a specific kind of paper defined by its manufacturing process. Almost all food-safe paper has some form of grease-resistant qualities out of necessity. This kind of paper has a grease-resistant substance either pounded into it or sprayed on the surface. It’s different from wax-lined paper because there is nothing on grease-resistant paper to separate food from ink. That’s not a big deal if you use this paper to wrap sandwiches because the ink will be on the outside of the wrap, so the food never touches it. 

The same MOQ, lead times, white or brown paper, single- and double-color options with Pantone color matching, and pricing apply to sandwich wrap paper and basket and tray liners. However, you’ll likely want to source this paper in a lighter weight since it’s not typically used to manage heavy, greasy foods, which makes it a bit less expensive than wax-lined paper. 

You can also use grease-resistant paper for lining baskets and trays that will only be used for lighter items, like bread, tortilla chips, crackers, etc. If you choose this route, you’ll be limited as to where you can put your custom logo or design since the ink is not an approved food contact surface.

A popular workaround is to print along the perimeter leaving the middle of the paper – the main food contact zone – ink-free. You can also print in reverse on the back side of the paper so that food doesn’t touch the ink. Your logo or design will come through facing the right direction when guests look at it from the front of the paper, similar to how an ambulance’s text reads in your rear-view mirror. 

Custom Branded Options for Paper Liners to Accompany Cone-Shaped Baskets

Cone-shaped baskets are enjoying more and more popularity in foodservice establishments. They add height to tabletop presentations, which frees up space and creates depth, and they bring an overall hip vibe that guests enjoy.

G.E.T.’s two most popular paper liners for cone-shaped baskets are double-open squares in 7”x7” and 5.5”x5.5”. They’re attached along two sides of the square, and the other two sides are open, creating a pouch that fits cone-shaped baskets well. 

custom-paper-for-cone-baskets.jpg

Regarding custom branded logos and designs, the biggest difference between these paper liners and the ones above are the MOQs and pricing:

  • The MOQ for 7”x7” is 28 cases (56,000 sheets)
  • The MOQ for 5.5”x5.5” is 90 cases (180,000 sheets)
  • One-time setup fee of $300-$400
  • Pricing ranges from about $60-$108**
    • **Depending on size of paper of the 2 listed above, whether you opt for 1 or 2 colors, and the volume ordered

The artwork parameters are the same as above with one- and two-color capabilities, Pantone color matching, and unflattened/unrasterized files in AI, PSD, EPS, and TIFF.

The lead times are the same as well with one week to get your sample, then about 6 weeks to receive a completed custom order once final artwork approval is given.

 {{cta(‘b369ca0c-5e04-4d46-8a28-8b3cf8cd14ed’)}}

Custom Sizes for Food-Safe Paper

If you’re not seeing the sizes you’re interested in above, we’re happy to work with you to develop a custom size. Due to the variations that come with this kind of customization, we don’t have standard pricing, MOQs, or lead times.

We think you’ll agree it’s smart to include custom branded logos and designs on your basket liners and sandwich wrap paper because of how often and how long they will be in front of your guests. If you have an idea that we didn’t cover here, don’t worry. Our dedicated team at G.E.T. will be happy to partner with you to find a solution. You can also discuss pricing with them as it can vary due to order volume and paper selection – for example, if you’re interested in more than one size or shape of paper. You can reach us at (800) 727-4500, at [email protected], or on our website.

If you’d like to get ideas for how to best match your food-safe paper liners with foodservice baskets, we’ve got some great tips for you in “Foodservice Baskets & Paper Liners: How to Find the Perfect Pairing.”

Similar Posts