How to Choose the Right Food Container

The first question to consider is temperature, and the answer depends on the material. Woodbox bases lined with a paper/PET tray are oven-safe up to 200 °C. Bagasse containers can be used in both the oven and microwave. Kraft containers with a PET coating have a lower temperature limit of around 100 °C. Varnished cardboard box are leakproof and grease-resistant, but can only be reheated up to 100 °C in the microwave or oven. Each product sheet specifies the exact temperature limit.

Next comes the closure. A dish with sauce travels better in a screw-top container, whose lid is available in aluminium or polypropylene. A meal salad calls for a bowl supplied with a snap-on lid. Complete ranges such as Bodeglass, Cubik and Faro match each capacity with its corresponding lid reference: when it is time to restock, you can order the right lid without having to search for it.

Then there are stacking, actual container capacity and the quantity per carton to consider. The range extends from small appetiser cups to wooden salad bowls and large formats designed for sharing. Pack quantities range from just a few pieces for stainless-steel items to several hundred for everyday serving ranges.

Materials Available in the Comatec Range

Woodbox boxes and wooden containers are made from French poplar wood sourced from sustainably managed forests. The trays are coated with a thin layer of greaseproof paper, making them grease-resistant and suitable for food contact, while Woodbox containers come with paper/PET trays that allow food contact. Their light colour enhances the appearance of the food without any printing or additional decoration, while their rigidity allows them to retain their shape, whether used as individual containers or for large sharing formats.

Bokotwist glass jars can be washed and reused; when closed, they can be incorporated into a deposit-return system. Plant fibres, including bagasse and palm leaf, are used for containers designed for both hot and cold preparations. Cardboard and kraft cover trays, burger boxes and cones in the snacking range.

For transparent materials, PS disposable verrines are suitable for all types of presentations, hot or cold. PET and recycled rPET allow the contents to be clearly displayed in a shop window. Stainless steel, aluminium, ceramic, bamboo and coconut complete the range for more elaborate presentations.

A Food Container for Every Type of Business

Caterers and Buffets

For caterers, appetisers call for compact formats: slate-effect cups, bamboo or stainless-steel presentation spoons, and small aluminium bowls. On a buffet, combining different materials and heights helps avoid the uniform appearance created by using the same model repeatedly across the entire table.

Takeaway, Bakeries and Sandwich Shops

For takeaway food, transportation is key: closed bowls, leakproof screw-top jars and trays with a window that allows the product to be seen. Bakeries and sandwich shops will find greaseproof pouches, club sandwich sleeves and flat-packed cones in the snacking range, all of which take up little storage space.

Restaurants and Hospitality

In restaurants and hotels, ramekins, stainless-steel bowls and glass cups are used every day for table service: they can be washed and reused again and again.

Disposable or Reusable Food Containers?

Single-use containers are used when the container leaves the establishment and does not return: deliveries, shop-window sales or outdoor events. Disposable jars with lids are sufficient in most cases.

Reuse goes further. As part of a circular economy approach, it can be implemented through a collection system involving end customers, or when containers remain on site and are returned to the washing area for reuse, whether in dining rooms or collective catering.

Three terms are often used, but they do not mean the same thing.

• A recyclable container is supported by a collection and sorting system and a recycling stream operating at national level.
• A reusable container can be used several times after washing: this is the case for the ramekins and PS cups in the reusable range.
• A deposit-return container, such as glass jars, is part of a system designed to facilitate the reuse cycle. The deposit mechanism encourages customers to return reusable containers to the professional so that they can be washed and put back into circulation, as provided for by the AGEC law for food-service businesses.

Comatec also applies the PlanetScore© to its entire catalogue, with a rating from A to E displayed on each product sheet, and a large proportion of its products are manufactured in France or Europe. The snack pouches and Ovenbag products in the snacking range are FSC® certified (FSC® C192681).

FSC® and PEFC Certifications

If you use cardboard, kraft paper or wooden packaging, FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certifications guarantee that the raw material comes from sustainably managed forests.

These certifications are voluntary. They provide a guarantee of reliability and meet consumers' growing expectations. They also demonstrate the supplier's ability to trace the origin of its raw materials. Comatec and other committed players highlight their certifications and commitments as part of a rigorous approach to raw material selection.

AGEC Law, FSC® and PEFC: the Regulatory Framework Influencing Your Choices

The AGEC law (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy) has prohibited single-use tableware for on-site consumption in establishments with more than 20 covers since 2023. It also provides for the gradual reduction of single-use plastic packaging, with a target of -20% by 2025 (half of which through reuse), and the end of single-use plastic packaging by 2040.

For cardboard and kraft paper packaging, FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certifications guarantee that the fibres come from sustainably managed forests. Choosing certified packaging helps secure your supply chain and meet consumers' growing expectations regarding environmental responsibility.

Comatec, Food Container Supplier Since 1994

Comatec designs and distributes food packaging from Carcassonne and was awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal in 2025, placing the company among the top 5% of companies assessed by the organisation.

Some products can be customised with your own branding. You can request free samples to test a capacity before placing an order, request an online quotation, and benefit from free delivery on orders over €350 excl. VAT.

The rest of the catalogue can be browsed through our full range of products.