BARQUETTES ALIMENTAIRES BOIS

Closed Tray or Boat-Style Tray: Two Different Uses

This category includes two types of trays. They are not designed for the same preparations.

Wooden Tray with Closed Corners

The corners are glued. The tray can hold liquids if its coating allows it. It is deep enough for a complete portion: daily specials, gratins or slices of cake. This is the format for individual portions, served on a plate or tray, including the square and rectangular Madera trays.

To close the container or serve a sharing format, choose round wooden boxes with lids. For high-volume service, choose wooden serving bowls.

Folded-Sheet Boat-Style Tray

The wooden sheets are folded rather than glued. The corners are not leak-proof, so juices will eventually pass through. This tray is suitable for dry preparations such as fries, fritters and cocktail bites. It is lightweight, shallow and easy to hold during standing service. This is the principle behind the Pirogue trays, made from thin poplar wood sheets.

The carton packaging quantity is different from that of the closed formats. Check the available storage space before ordering.

Greaseproof Paper, Insert or PET Film: The Inner Coating

Uncoated wood absorbs grease. Each tray therefore has a coating on its inner surface. This coating determines how the tray can be used, not the wood itself.

Greaseproof paper applied as a coating: the tray becomes grease-resistant and suitable for food contact, as with the Madera trays used on meal trays. It prevents staining but does not make the tray leak-proof.

Removable insert: it protects the wood during cooking and can be removed when serving, as with the Woodbaker. The tray remains clean.

PET film: it provides leak resistance and allows use in both the oven and microwave. This is the coating used on the Madera tray kit.

Pour sauce into a boat-style tray, place it on the serving tray, and you may find a stain underneath before service even begins. This information is provided on each product page, reference by reference. Check it when ordering, not when plating.

Oven Cooking and Microwave Reheating

A brioche baked in its tray does not need to be removed. It comes out of the oven, cools down and goes straight into the display case in the same container. You save preparation time, and one less baking mould ends up in the dishwasher.

Wood withstands the dry heat of a conventional oven. On some formats, the open corners allow hot air to circulate, as with the Woodbaker and its insert. This is useful for breads, brioches and gratins. Microwave use applies only to certain references.

A wooden tray does not close. For delivery, you need a lid: kraft cardboard trays with lids provide better protection during transport. For direct service, wood pairs naturally with wooden cutlery.

Choosing the Right Tray Size for Your Service

At the same capacity, two trays are not necessarily equivalent. One may be tall and narrow, while another is wide and shallow. The taller format holds a hot dish without crushing it. The flatter format showcases the preparation by keeping it fully visible.

On a buffet, the tray can be placed on a wooden presentation tray or raised on a wooden buffet stand. Wood tones should be consistent from one support to another.

Finally, consider storage:

• the empty stacking height;
• the number of cartons to store;
• how often the reference needs to be restocked.

Single Use, the AGEC Law and Waste Sorting

Since January 2023, an establishment serving more than twenty covers at the same time must use reusable tableware for on-site consumption. A wooden tray is single-use. It remains suitable for takeaway and delivery. For table service, reusable containers are required.

When it comes to sorting, wood combined with a plastic film is a composite material. It does not enter either the wood or plastic recycling stream. Commercial waste does not necessarily follow the same sorting instructions as household waste: your waste collection provider will specify the appropriate process. The recyclable and reusable labels are indicated on the product page where applicable, together with the PlanetScore© rating from A to E. The same considerations apply to other food containers.

Why Choose Comatec for Your Wooden Food Trays?

Comatec has been designing and distributing food packaging in Carcassonne since 1994. The wood used in these ranges is French poplar sourced from sustainably managed forests. The country of manufacture is indicated on each product page.

The actual depth and the appearance of the wood under a greasy preparation are best assessed by handling the product. Request free samples before committing to a full carton. Delivery is free on orders over €350 excl. VAT.