INDUSTRY · FOOD & BEVERAGE

Food & Beverage
Packaging

Custom packaging for food retail, artisan food DTC, and beverage shipping — food-grade SBS folding cartons, kraft boxes, and double-wall corrugated for wine and spirits. FSC-certified options. No minimum order.

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// RECOMMENDED FORMATS

Packaging formats for food & beverage

FORMAT_01 · RETAIL STANDARD

Custom Folding Cartons

The universal food retail packaging format. CRB (indirect food contact, inner bag) or SBS (direct food contact). Food-safe soy or UV inks. Auto-bottom for heavier products. Gloss laminate for shelf visibility; matte for premium food positioning.

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FORMAT_02 · ARTISAN / ORGANIC

Custom Kraft Boxes

Natural unbleached kraft for artisan food, organic brands, and specialty food DTC. The brown material communicates natural and minimal processing before any copy is read — a more authentic sustainability signal than a printed eco badge. FSC-certified available.

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FORMAT_03 · WINE & SPIRITS

Custom Shipping Boxes

Double-wall BC-flute corrugated for wine, spirits, jarred foods, and beverages. 51 ECT minimum for wine cases. Custom divider inserts prevent glass-to-glass contact in transit — the primary damage vector for bottle shipments.

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// SPECIFICATION GUIDE

What to specify for food & beverage packaging

FOOD RETAIL FOLDING CARTON

SubstrateCRB (indirect) · SBS (direct food contact)

InksFood-safe soy or UV inks for direct contact

ClosureSTE for auto fill · auto-bottom for heavy

Caliper16pt standard · 18pt for premium shelf

Barrier coatingWater-based for moisture / grease contact

FSC certificationAvailable — specify in quote request

WINE & SPIRITS SHIPPING CARTON

Wall constructionDouble-wall BC-flute minimum

ECT rating51 ECT standard · 61 ECT palletized

Divider insertsRequired for glass-to-glass protection

Exterior printPlain kraft or 1–2 colour flexo

Minimum order1 unit

Direct vs indirect food contact

The single most important food packaging specification question: does the carton surface touch the food directly or only indirectly (food in an inner bag or wrapper)?

Direct contact requires FDA-compliant virgin SBS substrate, food-safe inks (soy, UV, or water-based), and in many cases a barrier coating. Standard petroleum-based offset inks are not acceptable — mineral oil migration is a documented compliance issue.

Indirect contact (standard cereal box, frozen food carton) — the food is inside a polyethylene inner bag. Standard CRB with CMYK print is generally acceptable. Significantly lower cost and more substrate options.

Always specify your food contact type in your quote request. Full guide: Food-Grade Folding Cartons — FDA Requirements.

Kraft for artisan food DTC

Natural kraft packaging is the single most cost-effective sustainability signal for artisan food brands. The unbleached brown material itself communicates natural ingredients and minimal processing before any text is read — more authentically than a printed "eco-friendly" claim on a white box. A natural kraft tuck carton with 1-colour black ink and a simple logo is a complete brand statement. See: Kraft Boxes — Material Guide.

// KEY CONSIDERATIONS

What matters most in food & beverage packaging

FSC certification increasingly retailer-required

Whole Foods Market, Target, and major EU grocery retailers increasingly require FSC-certified packaging from food brand suppliers. If you sell or plan to sell through these channels, FSC is a compliance requirement, not an optional brand investment. Adds approximately 5–15% to substrate cost. Specify in your quote request. See: FSC-Certified Packaging Explained.

Wine and spirits require engineered transit protection

Glass-to-glass contact in transit is the primary damage vector for wine and spirits shipments — not drops or rough handling. Double-wall 51 ECT corrugated with custom-engineered chipboard or kraft divider inserts is the correct specification for any glass bottle shipment. Standard single-wall RSC boxes are inadequate for this application regardless of ECT rating.

PE-coated cartons and recyclability

Polyethylene-coated food cartons provide excellent moisture and grease barrier performance but are not recyclable through standard curbside paper recycling — the PE coating cannot be separated in standard paper mills. For brands with recyclability commitments, water-based barrier coatings maintain recyclability at a 15–25% cost premium over PE coating. See: Recyclable vs Compostable Packaging.

Closure style matters for fill-line efficiency

For automated fill lines, straight-tuck end (STE) is the correct default — both openings face the same direction, simplifying mechanical loading. For heavier food products (250g+) on manual lines, reverse-tuck end (RTE) provides better structural security when filled. Auto-bottom snap-lock is the correct specification for any product where base integrity under load has been a failure point. See: Closure Style Guide.

// RELATED GUIDES