Why Corrugated Cardboard Is Perfect for Food Delivery

Originally Published: 05 September 2019
Updated: 20 January 2021

If you’re delivering fresh or pre-packaged food directly to your customers, you need to find packaging that won’t let you down. Read on to find out why corrugated packaging makes the perfect solution.

Whether you’re delivering freshly baked pizzas to customers on their doorsteps or packaging up awesome takeaways, you need a strong and reliable food delivery packaging solution.

At the very least, you need packaging that’ll cushion your food items, protecting them from damage that can occur during transit. But, you also need to make sure that your product doesn’t come into contact with dust and dirt or be exposed to direct sunlight. Excess moisture can also spoil your food, so what makes the perfect packaging for such an intricate task? Cardboard corrugated packaging is the answer.

What is Corrugated Packaging? 

Corrugated packaging falls under the category of cardboard packaging. It comprises two main sections: the inner and outer “liners”, plus a corrugated inner section called “fluting”. The liners consist of two pieces of paper that protect the interior and exterior of the packaging, while the fluting — a wave-shaped structure used between the lining — is used to reinforce the packaging’s construction. This structure creates an effective food delivery packaging solution, designed to make the packing, protection and promotion products easy. 

What’s the Difference Between Corrugated and Non-Corrugated Packaging?

Corrugated packaging is made using cardboard-based materials, but its clever design makes it are much more durable than non-corrugated packaging. The difference is the fluted section between the cardboard layers, creating a three-tiered protection system for your food products. Without the middle section, the products are much more likely to become damaged.

What Are the Benefits of Corrugated Packaging?

There are several reasons why you should consider using corrugated cardboard packaging for your food produce:

• It’s very hygienic.

The process of creating corrugated packaging involves temperatures over 100ºC. Incredibly, temperature testing shows that the corrugated board itself will reach these extremely high temperatures at least three times during the manufacturing process. This process effectively eliminates all microbes and bacteria from the corrugated board, sanitising the packaging from the moment it’s created.

Research led by the University of Bologna has also proven that fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs and meat products delivered in corrugated trays are kept fresher than food delivered in reusable plastic trays. Washing plastic trays doesn’t guarantee that bacteria and microbes will be removed, meaning your food could easily become contaminated. 

Over time — and with increased usage — these pathogens can multiply in their numbers, further increasing the likelihood of food spoilage or nasty illnesses. On the other hand, corrugated packaging is used once and then recycled, so harmful germs don’t have a chance to get into your food.

• It’s eco-friendly.

Made using natural materials, corrugated cardboard makes a sustainable solution. Not only is it widely recyclable and made from recycled materials, but it’s also 100% biodegradable. This means that, if it’s spoiled and can’t be recycled, it’ll naturally decompose into non-toxic elements.

Plastic packaging, by contrast, degrades incredibly slowly, taking up to 1000 years to fully decompose. Even when it eventually starts to degenerate, it leaks toxins back into the environment, causing further harm to the environment. 

• It’s cost-effective.

While its impressive three-tier construction means it’ll protect your food products in transit and storage, it doesn’t cost the earth. Cardboard — used for all kinds of food packaging — is inexpensive to manufacture, but it still retains all the qualities necessary to make an effective packaging solution for food deliveries. This means you could save hundreds or even thousands of pounds on your packaging simply by switching to corrugated cardboard.

Interested in corrugated packaging for your food business? Discover our eco-friendly custom food packaging solutions that won’t cost you the Earth.