FORMULES

What a Complete Meal Set Contains for Caterers and Restaurants

A container that is too tall, and the box no longer closes. You only realise it during assembly, when the order has already been paid for and the event is two days away.

A meal set solves this issue upfront. It brings together three elements:

• the box, which closes securely and is easy to carry;
• the containers, including plates, side dishes, food trays or boxes, in a defined quantity;
• the insert or divider, cut to the exact diameters of the containers supplied.

Nothing to measure and nothing to cross-check between two product sheets. In some configurations, the divider extends beyond the box and serves as a placemat in front of the customer, as with the Essentiel sets.

For One Person, Two People or Sharing

One customer asks for an individual lunch delivered to the office. The next wants an aperitif for six around a table. These require different containers and different boxes.

The meal sets cover all three situations:

• Individual version: holds a complete meal for one person, with starter, main course and separate dessert.
• Two-person version: doubles the number of containers in a deeper box.
• Sharing versions: bring together several containers of the same type in a large box, for an aperitif, brunch or corporate breakfast.

Wood, Kraft or Black Cardboard

The sets made from French poplar wood are combined with Madera trays or Woodbox containers in a kraft box. They offer a natural look, while the round boxes are suitable for oven and microwave use.

Kraft sets combine a box with PET-laminated cardboard containers and are grease-resistant.

Black cardboard sets, such as the Faubourg boxes closed with two cords, are designed for premium meals.

There is also a street-food set, including a catering bag, burger box and greaseproof sheet.

The complete ranges can be found in the Woodbox boxes, trays and bags and transport categories. Two sharing sets are supplied with glass containers that are washable and reusable. They are included in the reusable selection.

Assembling Meals in Series

You hire an extra member of staff for a busy Friday. They have never assembled your meal trays before. With a meal set, they open the box, place the containers in the designated cells and close it. Meal number sixty looks just like the first.

This is where the set becomes cost-effective. The process is identical for every meal, so it can be learned in two minutes and delegated. The cost per meal is known in advance, making quotations easier to prepare. When it is time to restock, you track one reference instead of monitoring five products that run out at different rates.

Meal Set or Custom Composition?

A meal set is fixed. You cannot change the box or the number of containers.

If you already have your containers and only need the box, meal boxes can be ordered separately, together with their inserts. If you want to create your own assortment, tableware can be selected individually from the plates and tableware kits range, while verrines can complete an aperitif. For a seated service where nothing needs to travel, a meal tray remains the more straightforward option.

The meal set becomes the better choice as soon as you regularly deliver the same type of meal, whether for takeaway or corporate delivery.

Ordering Meal Set Packaging from Comatec

Comatec has been designing and distributing food packaging in Carcassonne since 1994. Each meal set indicates its place of manufacture, France or Europe, as well as its PlanetScore© rating from A to E.

Meal sets are sold in packs, representing a greater commitment than ordering a single reference. Request samples and assemble a test meal before making your decision.