Sushi is one of the hardest foods to package because it has to look immaculate through a transparent lid, stay cold, and survive a delivery bag on its side. The format choices below are all attempts to balance those three. To order, see sushi boxes.
Lay out the pieces before you size anything
A piece count is not a layout. Eight nigiri in a single row and eight in two rows of four produce completely different trays, and the choice affects how the food looks when the lid comes off. Lay real pieces out on a table in the arrangement you want, measure the block they occupy, then add clearance so nothing touches the wall. Add compartments for ginger, wasabi and a sauce container at this stage rather than afterwards.
Structure options
| Structure | Strength | Trade off |
|---|---|---|
| Board tray with a clear lid | Full product visibility, rigid base | Two components to stock |
| Board tray with a printed sleeve | Best print area, strong branding | Less product visible |
| One piece carton with a window | Single component, good branding | Window film adds a step |
| Kraft box with a window | Reads as natural and handmade | Kraft shows grease marks more |
| Tray plus lid plus outer bag | Best for delivery, holds together in a bag | More material per order |
Moisture, coatings and food contact
Rice is wet. Uncoated board under a sushi roll will soften, and a softened base collapses when the customer lifts it. Specify a food contact appropriate coating or liner on every surface the food touches, and be explicit with your supplier that the product is high moisture and chilled. If your product includes a sauce, assume it will leak and design for it.
Venting and condensation
A completely sealed cold package fogs, and a fogged window hides the product you paid to display. Small vents reduce fogging and let some moisture escape, at the cost of faster drying. Delivery focused packaging usually vents; grab and go retail packaging usually does not, because it sits in a chilled cabinet where the temperature is stable.
Designed for a delivery bag
Delivery is the harshest environment this category faces: the package travels at an angle, stacked, in a warm bag. Two design responses help. A lid that positively locks rather than resting in place, and a footprint that stacks flat with others. If most of your volume is delivery, test the pack in a real courier bag before you approve the die.
Ordering and turnaround
Minimum order is 100 units, from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before printing are included. We produce in West Chicago in the US and in Guangzhou in China. Three lanes are quoted per product: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days in production plus 2 to 5 days for delivery. Related formats are covered at custom sushi boxes and custom food boxes.
Send your piece layout, whether the product is for delivery or a chilled cabinet, and your quantity. Request a quote and we will spec the tray, the lid and the coating.
