Eco-Friendly Bagasse Packaging: Switching Guide

Since the UK banned single-use plastic plates, trays and cutlery for takeaway food, every cafe, chippy and grill house has had to rethink its packaging shelf. The good news: compostable alternatives have matured fast, prices have come down at wholesale volume, and customers actively prefer the look. This guide covers what bagasse actually is, which formats to buy first and how to make the switch in one supplier order.

What is bagasse and why it works

Bagasse is the fibre left over after sugarcane is pressed for juice. Moulded into boxes and trays, it is sturdy, naturally grease-resistant and handles hot, wet food far better than plain card. It is microwave-safe for reheating, commercially compostable, and it does not go soggy under a portion of chips with curry sauce the way untreated paperboard can. For a takeaway, that means fewer double-boxed orders and fewer complaints about collapsed packaging.

Start with your hinged-lid boxes

The fastest switch is replacing polystyrene clamshells with bagasse hinged boxes. The HP7 bagasse box covers a standard burger-and-salad or single kebab portion, the HP9 handles larger mains and mixed boxes, and the HP10 is the big meal-deal format for grill platters and family portions. Because the hinged lid is part of the box, staff pack orders just as fast as they did with foam, and stacking in delivery bags is actually more stable.

Fish and chips: the classic goes compostable

Dedicated bagasse fish and chips boxes in medium and large sizes, supplied in cases of 200, are designed for exactly that steam-heavy, vinegar-splashed job. The fibre lid vents just enough moisture to keep batter crisp on a fifteen-minute delivery run, something a sealed plastic box never managed. Line them with a greaseproof sheet for a traditional presentation that also keeps the box cleaner for composting.

Cutlery and bags complete the picture

Plastic cutlery is now banned outright, so pair your boxes with wooden forks, knives and spoons, which cost pennies per cover at wholesale case prices. For carry-out, brown kraft paper bags such as the 10 x 10 inch flat bag suit wraps and boxed single orders, while medium brown SOS bags with flat handles carry a full two-box order comfortably. Greaseproof paper bags in the 8.5 x 8.5 inch size are perfect for borek, gozleme, pastries and anything handheld.

Costing the switch honestly

Bagasse costs slightly more per unit than foam ever did, but the gap shrinks dramatically at case quantity, and you can recover it: many operators add 10 to 20 pence to delivery menu prices with zero customer pushback, because eco packaging reads as quality. Factor in that kraft and bagasse print beautifully with a simple sticker or stamp, and the packaging becomes free marketing on every table it lands on.

One order, whole shop switched

Audit your current shelf, match each plastic or foam item to its bagasse, wood or kraft equivalent, and place one consolidated wholesale order. Turkish Online Market stocks the full compostable range alongside its Turkish food catalogue and delivers across the UK, so independent takeaways can make the entire switch in a single delivery.